WSU College of Arts and Sciences names new dean

Mar. 9—Washington State University has selected WSU associate professor Todd Butler to serve as dean for its college of Arts and Sciences, according to a Monday news release.

Butler's first day as dean will be March 15, however Butler currently occupies the role in an interim capacity, which he began Jan. 1.

In the release, WSU Provost and Executive Vice President Elizabeth Chilton lauded Butler's work as interim dean, a role she said was complicated by the pandemic.

"He assumed the interim dean role and immediately went to work engaging his colleagues within the college and across the university system," Chilton said, noting his appointment was supported by college leadership and by herself and WSU President Kirk Schulz. "We appreciate his collaborative, thoughtful, solution-oriented and positive leadership. We look forward to working closely with him and supporting the College of Arts and Sciences. He will help make both CAS and WSU even stronger."

Butler has been with WSU's English Department since 2003 and was chair of the department for six years from 2012-18. He has also served as associate dean for faculty in the department, supervising personnel matters for more than 550 faculty.

Butler is the founding director of WSU's Center for Arts and Humanities, which the release said, focuses on "catalyzing public engagement and collaborative, interdisciplinary scholarship as well as creative activity." As founding director, he leads the center's Publicly Engaged Fellows graduate program.