Jane Huh
Daily Egyptian
Kyle Perkins, SIUC interim provost and vice chancellor, announced that SIUC law professor Gene Basanta is the interim dean for the Law School for the next year.
"I feel pleased to have the confidence of my colleagues and the faculty, and I look forward to my year as interim dean," Basanta said.
Basanta's appointment will fill the vacancy left by current Dean Thomas Guernsey, who is moving Sept. 1 to Albany Law School in New York to serve as the school's president.
"A vacancy in a deanship, for any school, is always a time of stress and concern for everyone, the faculty, the students, so that's a big challenge for me," Basanta said.
In the past, Basanta has served as the Law School's associate dean for academic affairs from 1991 to 1993 and from 1995 to 1999. He received SIU School of Law Senior Class Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Law School in 1983 and the SIU School of Law Faculty Excellence in Service Award in 1995.
In August, a national search will be launched for a permanent dean. Basanta, whose interim deanship goes through Aug. 31, said he is not a candidate for that position. He said he plans to continue teaching law courses while he also serves as the interim dean.
"I came into this business because I like to teach students and do research," Basanta said. "I've been an associate dean for a couple years in the past and I'll continue to mostly teach and do research, but I'm happy to help the Law School out as interim dean."
Reporter Jane Huh can be reached at jhuh@dailyegyptian.com
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
