After serving for more than two decades as dean of the School of Music, Art Ostrander has informed me of his intention to step down as dean at the end of the 2007–8 academic year. He will be on sabbatical leave in 2008–9, and will retire at the end of the sabbatical year.
Art has been on the music faculty since 1971, and the conclusion of this academic year will mark his 23rd as dean of Ithaca College’s founding school. Under his leadership, the school in 1999 opened the James J. Whalen Center for Music, a first-class building to house its first-rate students and faculty. He most recently led the school through its 10-year reaccreditation review by the National Association of Schools of Music, and a highlight of his final year as dean will be next April’s performance by the Choral Union and the Symphony Orchestra at Lincoln Center in New York City. Art has been nationally active in the National Association of Schools of Music, most recently holding the position of chair of Region 6 and having served for many years as a senior evaluator.
I know that the entire campus community joins me in thanking Art for his outstanding service and in wishing him well in retirement. We will keep the students and faculty in the School of Music informed as we develop plans to search for Art’s successor.
Kathleen Rountree
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
