UW News

November 20, 2007

Ana Mari Cauce selected as dean of UW College of Arts and Sciences

News and Information

University of Washington Provost Phyllis Wise announced that she has selected Ana Mari Cauce as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, which provides a liberal arts education to more than 25,000 students, with faculty who conduct research or scholarship in the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.

Cauce currently serves as executive vice provost, a position she has held since 2005. Her appointment is subject to approval by the Board of Regents.

“We are incredibly excited that Ana Mari has accepted our offer to become the next dean of the College of Arts and Sciences,” says Provost Phyllis Wise. “Her combination of talents as a visionary and strategic academic leader and her long-term, deep and broad experiences within the college place her in a unique position to lead at this critical time. I am confident that with her insights and energy, the college will thrive and be an even better partner with other units at the UW to take advantage of opportunities and build on strengths.”

Cauce, who has been on the UW faculty since 1986, is the Earl R. Carlson professor of psychology. She received her BA in psychology and English from the University of Miami (1977), an MS in psychology (1979) an M. Phil. in psychology (1982) and a Ph.D. in psychology (1984), all from Yale. The focus of her research has been on resilience processes among at-risk youth.

She has held administrative positions at the UW since 1990, including director of clinical training in the Psychology Department (1990-97), chair of the Department of American Ethnic Studies (1997-2000), director of the Honors Program (2000-02) and chair of the Psychology Department (2002-05).

Cauce received a UW Distinguished Teaching Award in 1999. She received a Dalmas Taylor Distinguished Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association in 2002. She serves on the National Academy of Sciences Women in Science Task Force and is a founding member of the National Hispanic Science Network of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. She is a fellow of both the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society.

The College of Arts and Sciences is comprised of more than 70 academic departments, centers and programs. It has 940 academic faculty and an annual budget of about $280 million. Of the approximately 7,500 bachelor’s degrees earned at the UW each year, more than 70 percent are from the College of Arts and Sciences. The college offers more than 6,000 classes annually.

The college is home to more than two dozen interdisciplinary centers. All of the UW’s arts units are part of the college, offering each year more than 280 performances, 60 exhibits and 100 lectures and other events.

Cauce’s salary will be $300,000 annually.