Appointment of Dean, Douglass Residential College and Douglass Campus

June 24, 2010

Members of the Rutgers Community:

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Jacquelyn Litt as the dean of Douglass Residential College and the Douglass Campus, effective September 1. Dr. Litt, who earned her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, currently serves as the founding chair of Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Missouri at Columbia.

Dr. Litt has a distinguished record of scholarship, teaching, and administrative service that focus on women’s issues. Her first book, Medicalized Motherhood: Perspectives from the Lives of African-American and Jewish Women, was cited by the American Sociological Association for outstanding scholarship on race, class, and gender. Her second book, Global Dimensions of Gender and Carework, examines issues related to globalization, gender, and care work. Her current research, supported by a grant from the Social Sciences Research Council, focuses on the importance of African-American women’s networks during the evacuation and displacement of families after Hurricane Katrina.

Professor Litt is the principal investigator for the University of Missouri’s National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant, which supports faculty women working in science, math, and engineering. Prior to founding the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies at Missouri, she directed women’s studies programs at Iowa State University and Allegheny College. At Iowa State, Professor Litt earned the Distinguished Faculty Award from the Iowa chapter of the American Association of University Women for exemplary contributions toward gender equity in education. She also received Iowa State’s Early Excellence in Teaching and Master Teacher in Multicultural Education awards.

The members of the search committee, led by Professor Carla Yanni, have my thanks and admiration for their thoughtful work and outstanding recommendations. I also thank Professor Harriet Davidson, who for two years as interim dean has provided exemplary leadership and mentoring for Douglass women.

Please join me in welcoming Jacquelyn Litt to Rutgers as the new dean of Douglass. I know she will bring the leadership and sustaining vision necessary to supporting women’s education at Rutgers in the 21st century.

To view the news release, visit http://news.rutgers.edu/news-releases/2010/06/rutgers-appoints-new-20100623.

Richard L. McCormick
President
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey