Dean Peter Shoemaker Named Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Assessment  

Dean Peter Shoemaker of the College of Arts and Sciences has agreed to assume the role of Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Assessment at Seton Hall University.  He will transition into this role on August 15, 2021 or as soon as a successful search for a new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences is completed.  

In this new role, Dr. Shoemaker will support the growth of the University's undergraduate degree-granting and special programs, lead accreditation, program review, and assessment coordination efforts at the University. He will work also with the deans in the colleges to ensure students have substantial  and engaging courses and excellent co-curricular academic experiences to help new undergraduate degree programs emerge and existing ones to thrive.

Dr. Shoemaker came to Seton Hall as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 2016. A scholar of 17th century French literature and culture, he is the author of over 15 peer-reviewed journal articles and two scholarly books. Areas of special interest include rhetoric and literature, the social history of literature, the novel and the Moralists. He received his Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures from Princeton University in 1997, where he was a Jacob Javitts Fellow and the recipient of a French Government Fellowship (Bourse Chateaubriand) that enabled him to study at the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris from 1994 – 1995. He also holds an M.A. in Romance Languages and Literatures from Princeton and a B.A. in French from the University of Chicago. Prior to coming to Seton Hall, he served as vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Studies, director of the University Honors Program and associate professor of French at The Catholic University of America. Prior to joining The Catholic University of America Dr. Shoemaker taught at Princeton University and Macalester College.

"We are thrilled Dr. Shoemaker accepted this role as Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Assessment," said Provost and Executive Vice President Katia Passerini. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and a depth of understanding about higher education and the needs of 21st century students that was fully apparent in his role as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences – and is thoroughly welcome in the Office of the Provost." 

Associate Provost Gregory Burton is stepping down from his position as Associate Provost and will return to his role as a full professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences on August 15, 2021. 

As the University continues to plan for ways to optimize its resources and leverage opportunities to work across traditional boundaries, the position that Dr. Burton has overseen is being reorganized into the role of Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Assessment. 

"Dr. Burton has served tirelessly in the Office of the Provost since 2006, working on important initiatives such as Middle States Accreditation, Faculty Research, Faculty Development, Academic Advising and Assessment," said Passerini.  "The Office of the Provost and Seton Hall University have benefited greatly from Dr. Burton's work and we are happy for his service and his interest in continuing to pursue his passion for teaching and research. Please join me in thanking, wholeheartedly, Dr. Burton for his excellent work in the Office of the Provost and wish him success as he returns to the College of Arts and Sciences."

Over the next few weeks the Office of the Provost will seek collaboration and nominations in launching a national search for the position of Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Categories: Education