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A message on the new dean of the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences

Feb. 19, 2013

Earlier today, we shared with the faculty of the Helen Way Klingler College of Arts and Sciences that after a thoughtful, deliberate and inclusive process, the search committee has chosen Dr. Richard Holz, associate dean for resources and planning and professor of chemistry at Loyola University Chicago, as the new dean of the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Holz will begin his role as dean on July 1, 2013.

Holz, 50, earned his doctorate at The Pennsylvania State University in chemistry and completed a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Minnesota. He has served more than 6,000 full-time students, 395 full-time faculty and 50 full-time staff members within Loyola's College of Arts and Sciences as an associate dean.

At Loyola University Chicago, Holz manages budgetary expenditures for all 18 of Loyola's academic departments and 19 interdisciplinary programs, which total more than $54.5 million annually. Holz, who also previously served as chemistry department chair at Loyola for five years, has published more than 90 research articles on biological inorganic chemistry. His research efforts are currently funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and the Petroleum Research Fund.

Holz has worked to establish Loyola Chicago's revitalized core of common studies and participated in a university committee charged with implementing the university's strategic plan, which will position him to lead the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences in developing and implementing a college-wide strategic plan next year, to support our university-wide strategic plan.

The College of Arts and Sciences is central to the mission of all Jesuit universities, and Dr. Holz's leadership experience will ensure each of our students undergo a transformational educational experience. The search was undertaken following new protocols that will be used to guide future dean searches, in consultation with University Academic Senate. Dr. Phillip Naylor, professor of history, led a search committee made up primarily of College of Arts and Sciences faculty, selected in consultation with UAS. Provost John Pauly and I also met with each of the department chairs in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences to secure feedback throughout the process.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Holz to our Marquette family. I look forward to a new chapter for the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences as we work together to reimagine Jesuit education for the 21st century.

Office of
the President


Rev. Robert A. Wild, S.J., to serve as interim president

The Board of Trustees has chosen Rev. Robert A. Wild, S.J., to lead Marquette University as interim president. Wild, who served as president of Marquette from 1996 to 2011, will take over for Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., who announced on Sept. 20, that after 10 years as a university president at Marquette University and the University of Scranton, he was resigning to pursue other apostolic opportunities.

Father Pilarz will assist Father Wild with the transition, while traveling back and forth to the East coast to care for his ailing father, which he noted in a letter to the Marquette community on Sept. 25. Father Wild is concluding his duties with the Wisconsin Province and will take over as interim president on Oct. 16.

Wild will serve as interim president until August 2014. A new permanent president is expected to be in place for the 2014-15 academic year.