At least you won't forget his name. Andrew Dean has taken over the position of Dean of Arts and Science here at Nipissing University. I was privileged enough to sit down with him not too long ago and he gave me the dirt. I of course, will now relay the information.

Dean Dean attended McGill for his undergraduate years studying commerce then math earning his Honours Degree. He received his Master's Degree in Math at Waterloo. He then spent five years at Queen's, earning his Ph.D. in math.

Professionally, he was a lecturer at Guelph for a year, then at Western for three years. He worked as a Professor at Bishop's for nine years, and then spent the next four years as the Dean of Sciences also at Bishop's. And now he's with us.

He has come to Nipissing looking for a new challenge. He is presently immersed in learning the Ontario University system as well as how Nipissing functions. He will then focus on looking for Nipissing's strengths as a University, specifically in the Arts and Sciences.

Nipissing has presented a unique opportunity to Dean Dean because it is a new University. "It's not weighed down by old traditions," he elaborates, "it has the opportunity for new things to happen." He feels the University is innovative, and its connection to the school of education N.U.'s strengths worth building on. Now all he has to do is find that something "special" about it. He is hoping to learn what we are famous for. In his own words, he hopes to complete the sentence "Nipissing, that the school that does..." We are not just trying to be like a smaller version of other schools, we have a reason why students attend N.U. Now he just has to discover what that defining thing is.

On a lighter note, his hobbies include golf, squash, gourmet cooking, the outdoors, traveling and maintaining his own mathematical research. He hopes to teach next year or the following year. He also would like to institute an open door policy at his office, but more specifically he hopes to hold office hours. Those office hours would be dedicated to any student who wishes to stop by and discuss his or her own academics goals. He loves to talk to the students themselves in order to make the administration less daunting as well as to understand why the students chose Nipissing.

He hopes his administration will be a collaborative effort. He wants everyone to have a say in decision-making and hopes to please as many people as possible when making those decisions.

On behalf of the students here at Nipissing University, we welcome you to the community Dean Dean and we hope that you feel at home. Best of luck.