UPDATE: May 21, 2012, 4:16 p.m.

Associate Dean Randall Korman was made the interim dean-designate of Syracuse University’s School of Architecture on Thursday.

Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric Spina named Korman interim dean after Dean Mark Robbins announced he would step down from the position to become the executive director of the International Center of Photography in New York City. Korman’s responsibilities as dean will begin July 1.

Korman said in an email that Robbins’ departure from SU was a shock for the entire school, but he is honored to serve as interim dean.

‘I will be meeting with Dean Robbins and the executive staff to discuss the issues facing the school and strategies for addressing them in the coming year,’ Korman said. ‘Certainly, a principal goal will be to prepare the school for the arrival of a new dean.’

Projects Robbins created, such as the Near Westside Initiative, will be sustained and will move forward, Korman said. The School of Architecture also is currently in the middle of a significant change in the undergraduate curriculum that will occur in the coming year. Korman said as interim dean he will make sure the school is on ‘sound fiscal footing.’

Spina said the appointment of interim dean had to be made quickly due to the timing of Robbins’ departure.

‘For interim dean, we were looking for someone who knows the campus well, has the respect and the trust of faculty and staff in the school, but also someone who can continue to move the school forward,’ Spina said. ‘We don’t want to spend a year standing on the sidelines, letting the world go by.’

He said Korman would most likely serve as interim dean for about one year depending on how long the search for a new dean might take.

To fill the position, Spina said he met with the School of Architecture faculty and asked for nominations of individuals who could best serve as interim dean. He saw strong support for Korman from a broad spectrum of faculty. It was clear, Spina said, that Korman was a trusted member of the School of Architecture and was also respected beyond SU.

Korman’s experience, intellect and various leadership roles throughout his 30 years at SU proved he was qualified to be interim dean, Spina said in an SU News release published Thursday.

Before becoming associate dean of the School of Architecture, Korman established and taught in the SU Florence Architecture Program between 1980 and 1982. From 1989-90, he served as the director and resident chair of SU’s Florence Center, according to the school’s website. Korman also developed the London Architecture Program in 2007, according to the release.

In 2009, Korman became the associate dean of the School of Architecture. During his tenure, he was a senior member of the dean’s cabinet and helped improve the school’s academic and fiscal agendas, according to the release. He has also served as head of the undergraduate and graduate architecture programs in addition to his job as interim associate dean.

Spina said he expects to begin the search for the next dean immediately. He said he will meet with the architecture faculty on either Wednesday or Thursday to discuss the decision-making process.

‘The search that we’re going to have for the permanent dean will be an international search,’ Spina said. ‘We will constitute a search committee with individuals from the school, including students, as well as from the advisory board.’

He added that if there are individuals within the school that are interested in the position of dean, including Korman, they will receive the same consideration as the other candidates.

‘I’m not going into this search thinking that it has to be someone within the school,’ Spina said. ‘We’re going to look for the best person to lead the School of Architecture, wherever they may be.’

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Published on May 19, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Meredith: [email protected] | @MerNewman93