Following a national search for a new dean of the College of the Arts, Cal State University Long Beach has opted to hire from within, promoting Professor Cyrus Parker-Jeannette from associate dean to dean of the school. She will replace interim dean Chris Miles, who temporarily filled the seat previously held by Raymond Torres-Santos.
Parker-Jeannette becomes the first woman to head the college as a full-time dean since the 1970s, when Maxine Merlino served. Kristi Jones served as interim dean from 2000-01. COTA is the largest and most comprehensive publicly funded school for the arts in California, catering to nearly 4,000 students annually.
In addition to her administrative duties, Parker-Jeannette will be overseeing the departments within the college: visual arts, industrial and interior design, dance, film and electronic arts, music, and theatre, along with fostering working relationships with the Carpenter Performing Arts Center and the University Art Museum.
“It is a tremendous honor to be selected to serve the students, faculty, and staff within the CSULB College of the Arts,” said Parker-Jeannette in a press release. “I look forward to building upon the excellence and outstanding sense of community our college already enjoys. There is tremendous enthusiasm among our faculty and students for increased engagement with each other and our community as we join together to defend, promote and expand the reach of the arts on levels both local and global. It will be my distinct pleasure to represent and serve CSULB and our College of the Arts as Dean.”
Parker-Jeannette began her educational career in California, doing her undergrad work in theatre and dance from Cal State Fullerton while obtaining her MFA from UC Irvine before serving as the chair of the Theatre & Dance Department at Chapman University.
In 2006, she joined CSULB as full professor and chair of the Department of Dance. She will begin her role as dean of COTA on July 1.
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