Thomas J. Riley, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at North Dakota State University, will step down from his administrative post in July, 2011, to return to the faculty of the department of sociology and anthropology.
Riley has been Dean of the college since 1996, as well as Director of the North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies.
"I am pleased that our college has played an important role in recasting NDSU into a twenty first century land grant university that recognizes the primacy of the liberal arts in the creating quality of life options in the state and region," said Riley.
Provost Craig Schnell called Riley a great ambassador for the college and the university. “Under his leadership, the college has experienced a great deal of progress and growth,” said Schnell.
During Riley’s tenure, student majors increased from 924 to more than 1717, and six new doctoral programs were created in the college.
The College of Arts, Sciences and Humanities has 10 departments:
- Communication
- Criminal Justice and Political Science
- English
- History, Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Emergency Management
- Modern languages
- Anthropology
- Music
- Theater Arts
- Visual Arts