A&S Dean Hardcastle Elected President of CCAS

Valerie Gray Hardcastle, dean of the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cincinnati, has been named president-elect of the

Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences

(CCAS).

CCAS is a national forum of arts and sciences deans around the country that fosters new ideas and exchanges about higher education.

“Having this position should provide positive exposure for the University of Cincinnati and will put us in a position to lead one of the national conversations regarding the place of liberal education in the 21st century,” Hardcastle says.

She’s been a member of CCAS since 2005, but was recently elected to the board of directors in early 2010. Members of CCAS include nearly 680 deans of A&S colleges at 444 institutions in the U.S. and abroad.

Along with advice and support from fellow members, the association acts as a representative of the liberal arts and sciences to policymakers and supports programs to further enhance the disciplines of the arts and sciences.

“We are currently in the middle of a strategic planning exercise and my job as president will be to implement the plan, so I will have work outlined for me beforehand,” Hardcastle says. “It is quite an honor to be selected as President-elect of the CCAS. I think it is one of the best professional organizations I have ever seen.”