Harvard appoints first black female faculty dean
Welcome Michelle Williams
Starting in July 2016, Michelle Williams will take over for David Hunter as the Dean of the School of Public Health at Harvard.
This landmark appointment places Dr Williams as the first female dean of the SPH as well as the first African American to lead a faculty at Harvard.
Courtesy of the Harvard Gazette
This appointment comes as Harvard Law students protest what they call severe racism present at the school.
Dr Williams regards the oppurtunity with enthusiasm, saying: “I am honored and excited by the opportunity to lead the Harvard Chan School, and grateful to President Faust for inviting me to serve in this role at such a crucial moment for public health in the United States and around the world.
“We have an imperative to lead and to serve, and I am looking forward to working even more closely with the School’s faculty, students, staff, and alumni to build on the School’s achievements under [prior Dean] Julio Frenk’s remarkable leadership and to advance our collective commitment to understanding and confronting public health challenges worldwide.”
Dr Drew Faust, the president of Harvard University, highly commends Dr. Williams, adding: “I know she will approach her new role with the intelligence, dedication, integrity, and humane spirit that she brings to all she does.”