Dean candidate supports improving UNC's brand

Kevin Guskiewicz, the current senior associate dean for natural sciences, wants the University to think strategically about its future and establish a brand that differentiates UNC from other schools.

Guskiewicz held an open forum Thursday to discuss his candidacy to replace Karen Gil as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

“We need to be bold in terms of thinking outside the box and sometimes trying new initiatives that sound bizarre,” Guskiewicz said.

In his current position, Guskiewicz oversees all the academic departments in the division of natural sciences and mathematics and the physical space requirements of all of the departments in the College of Arts and Sciences.

He wants to focus on opening up the opportunity for endowments. 

“It’s time for us to put the idea back on the table of naming the College of Arts and Sciences. In doing this, we’d be able to recruit and retain, at a higher rate, these high-impact faculty and graduate students that are going to change the world,” Guskiewicz said.

“It’s going to take a large endowment, but I would be up for the challenge.”

Senior Jacob Calvert, who studies political science, said he was glad to hear Guskiewicz talk about diversity and innovation.

“I think his boldest idea was trying to name the College of Arts and Sciences,” Calvert said, adding that he likes the idea as a source of funding.

A large part of the forum was dedicated to the importance of being student focused.

“We need to listen to what students are telling us while they’re here and after they’re gone,” Guskiewicz said about the importance of being student focused.

Guskiewicz also addressed audience concerns, including one from history professor Lloyd Kramer, who said he appreciated the importance Guskiewicz placed on branding the University.

“Our brand has taken a big hit,” Kramer said, asking how Guskiewicz would interpret the meaning and legacy of the athletic scandal.

Kramer added that Guskiewicz would be uniquely positioned to deal with this issue, because he worked closely with athletics in the department of exercise and sport science.

“The role of the dean is to certainly be revisiting these changes that have been placed to make sure they’re working and that there’s an evaluation process looking beyond,” Guskiewicz said.

“Athletics are a part of our fabric here.”

Guskiewicz also addressed the worries of those who may feel there is a stigma surrounding athletes who had no part in the scandal.

“Student athletes need to have opportunities to feel as if they’re a part of our community and our conversations,” he said.

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