Leadership of the College of Arts and Sciences
1967-2007
| 1966 |
Robert Luttermoser, Ph.D. (Caltech) was Director of Arts and Sciences Departments: Chemistry, English, Mathematics, Social Sciences and Physics. These were regarded as service departments supporting degree programs in Architecture, Engineering and Industrial Management.
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| 1967 |
School of Arts and Science was created by President Wayne H. Buell; Dr. Luttermoser was named Director of the School of the Arts and Science. He and Dr. Buell launched three new undergraduate degree programs: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
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| 1968 |
Due to illness of Dr. Luttermoser, Prof. Gilder D. Jackson was named Acting Director of the School of Arts and Sciences.
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| 1970 |
Richard E. Marburger, Ph.D. (Mathematics and Physics Professor) was named first Director of the Annual Lawrence Tech Open House; With the aid of a professional colleague, Dr. Paul Flinn of Carnegie-Mellon University, he brought Michigan’s first display of moon rocks to campus to headline the new college-wide Open House (this supplanted the annual celebration of Engineers Week). The moon rocks display was associated with the School of Arts and Science and was housed in the Science Building.
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| 1971 |
Dr. Marburger was named Director of the School of Arts and Science. Prior to coming to Lawrence Tech, he had been a Senior Research Physicist at the General Motors Research Laboratories.
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| 1974 | Professor Zaven Margosian (former Research Engineer at the Bendix Research Laboratories and a professor of mathematics) was named Dean of the School of Arts and Science. Note: President Buell and Dr. Marburger (who had become Chief Academic Officer in 1972 while continuing as Director) replaced the title “Director” with the more standard title “Dean.”
During the fifteen year term of office of Dean Margosian, he formulated the undergraduate degree program in Computer Science and the English and Social Sciences Departments were combined into the Humanities Department.
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| 1989 |
Richard E. Michel, Ph.D. (former Senior Research Physicist at the General Motors Research Laboratories) succeeded Dean Margosian (who was promoted to Associate Provost) as Dean of Arts and Science. Some years earlier (1983), Dr. Gerard Putz of the Macomb Intermediate School District suggested to Dr. Marburger (who became Lawrence Tech President in 1977) that the Michigan Science Olympiad be launched on the Lawrence Tech campus. President Marburger swiftly delegated this important project to Dr. Michel who brought it to instant success as an Arts and Science program. The program grew to enormous proportions and it now thrives (after a cordial transfer) at Michigan State University (Dr. Michel’s Alma Mater).
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| 1994 |
Dr. James Rodgers (a doctoral graduate of the prestigious British University of East Anglia) succeeded Dr. Michel as Dean. Dr. Rodgers is a Professor of English who led the way to the acclaimed Core Curriculum at Lawrence Tech and the Writing Skill Attainment Test (COM 3000) which paves the way for junior status for all LTU sophomores.
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| 2004 |
Dr. Rodgers, wishing to pursue his scholarly literary research, relinquished his decanal position to Interim Dean Maria Vaz. Dr. Vaz at the time was Associate Provost and is now Provost. She is a physicist who started the Master of Science in Education program and introduced the beloved Universal Laboratory Interface computer program in Engineering Physics.
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| 2005 | Following a lengthy search, President Walker and Provost Vaz were able to secure the services of an internationally known expert in molecular and cell biology and a recognized academic leader in Hsiao-Ping Moore, Ph.D. (Caltech). She had distinguished herself as a full professor at the University of California, Berkeley (generally acknowledged to be the preeminent public research university in the United States).
Already the author of more that 80 peer-reviewed publications in her field, she is currently working on her fifth paper published under the imprimatur of Lawrence Technological University. During her two years on campus, four new undergraduate degree programs have come on stream.
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| Note: | Starting with Dr. Luttermoser, the research orientation of the leadership of the College of Arts and Science is most apparent. It has reached its high point with the arrival of Dean Moore. |