Provost announces college leadership transition
“My past five years leading the College of Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University have been filled with incalculable joy and pride,” Manderscheid said. “While I look forward to embarking on my new journey at the University of Tennessee, I will miss my many students, colleagues and friends at the college and Ohio State, where research, scholarship and creative activity have a truly worldwide reach.”
Dean Manderscheid joined Ohio State in July 2013 and, under his leadership, the college has made substantial progress. Highlights include his service as the lead dean for the Translational Data Analytics Initiative; the introduction of new interdisciplinary majors in data analytics and moving image production; the renovation of Sullivant Hall and construction of a new Chemistry and Biomolecular Engineering and Chemistry Building; and increased student involvement in research, education abroad and service-learning. His commitment to diversity and inclusion has led to an increase in underrepresented minority hiring, cluster hiring and search committee training.
The college also benefitted from an increase in funding for research and set a record of $99.2 million for grants awarded, and grant dollars increased more than 20 percent during his tenure. In addition, he led a new record of more than $37 million raised in the last fiscal year, and his overall efforts during his tenure represent a 25 percent increase in funds raised for the college.
“With the inexhaustible energy, talent and dedication of our faculty, staff and students, and the unwavering support of our alumni and friends, the college has evolved from its infancy into one of the best arts and sciences colleges in the country,” Manderscheid said. “It has been an immense honor to serve here.”
Box-Steffensmeier, the Vernal G. Riffe Professor in Government and Politics, currently serves as the divisional dean for social and behavioral sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences and director of Political Research in Statistics and Methodology (PRISM). In her cross-functional role, she also serves as dean of graduate studies for the college.
“I am thrilled and honored to serve the College of Arts and Sciences in the capacity of Interim Executive Dean and Vice Provost,” Box-Steffensmeier said. “I wish Dean Manderscheid the best of luck in his new role as Senior Vice Chancellor and Provost. During the next two months, while he is still on campus, I look forward to working collaboratively to ensure that we can continue positive momentum for the Arts and Sciences into the coming academic year.”
As divisional dean since 2014, included among her responsibilities are strategic planning, budgeting and oversight of eight departments and schools and eleven center and program directors; promotion and tenure reviews and program reviews.
Box-Steffensmeier has taught students at all levels and her research has made significant contributions in the study of political behavior and institutions, and how best to capture change, dynamics, and time. The intersection of her interests has led to important work on congressional elections, campaign finance, and representation, and her work is widely published in peer-reviewed journals.
Among her many honors, she is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and, at Ohio State, received a 2012 Distinguished Scholar Award, the Distinguished Undergraduate Mentor Award and a departmental Distinguished Teaching Award. Her mentoring — particularly with women — has been recognized with a named scholarship award: the Janet Box-Steffensmeier Graduate Student Award. She has served as president of the Midwest Political Science Association and the Political Methodology Section of American Political Science Association.
Dr. Box-Steffensmeier earned a BA, magna cum laude with honors in mathematics and political science from Coe College and a PhD, Department of Government from the University of Texas.
