The original academic college which included the current disciplines of the College of Sciences was formed in September, 1961 as the College of Letters and Science. Dr. Lawrence Ringenberg, a mathematician, was the original dean. Ms. Sharon Matthews worked as the College secretary from 1961-1996.
In the fall of 1972, the college name was changed to College of Arts and Science. During the Summer of 1973, the name was changed to College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) to more accurately reflect the department composition. CAS was the academic college for 17 departments at that time: Botany, Chemistry, Economics, English, Foreign Language, Geology/Geography, History, Journalism, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Speech Communication, Speech Pathology and Audiology, and Zoology. Dr. Kenneth Hadwiger (SPC) served as the first assistant dean beginning in 1971. Dr. Paul Kirby joined the CAS staff as an assistant dean in 1975. During Dr. Ringenberg's tenure as the dean, he accepted several reassignments to other administrative positions. At various times, Dr. Hadwiger, Dr. Kirby, Dr. Jon Laible, Mathematics, served as acting/interim deans. Dr. Laible and Dr. Sharon Pearson also served terms as acting/interim assistant dean positions.
Dr. Ringenberg retired in August of 1980. Dr. Jon Laible, a tenured faculty member from the Department of Mathematics, served as the interim dean in 1980-81 and began his tenure as the dean in 1981. Dr. Paul Kirby continued as assistant dean and Dr. Leonard Durham, Zoology, joined the CAS administrative staff as assistant dean in 1981. In 1985, Dr. Kirby and Dr. Durham were named associate deans. Dr. Paul Kirby retired in March of 1988 and Ms. Barbara Kuykendall joined the administrative staff as assistant to the dean.
The name of the College was changed in 1988 to the
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to better reflect the role of the College at the University. Dr. Sharon Bartling, ENG, served as assistant dean in 1988-89. After Dr. Durham's retirement in 1989, Dr. David Ebdon, CHM, was named associate dean. Mr. Jeffrey Lynch, ENG, was named assistant dean in 1989.
In 1993, President David Jorns authorized a consultative campus process to restructure the academic colleges. As a result, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences was dissolved and two new colleges were formed: College of Sciences and College of Arts and Humanities. The College of Sciences included eleven departments: Botany, Chemistry, Communication Disorders and Sciences (formerly Speech Pathology and Audiology), Economics, Geology/Geography, Mathematics, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology/Anthropology, and Zoology. The other six departments of LAS were moved to the new College of Arts and Humanities. Assistant Dean Jeff Lynch also moved to CAH.
Dean Jon Laible retired in 1994. Dr. David Ebdon served as acting dean in 1994-95 while a national search for a new dean ensued. Dr. Mary Anne Hanner, CDS, served as acting associate dean during that year.
Dr. Lida G. Wall was named dean of the College of Sciences in July, 1995. Dr. Wall, an audiologist, was formerly the department chair of Speech and Hearing Science at the Ohio State University. Dean Ebdon resumed his position as associate dean in 1995 until his retirement in 1998. Dr. William Weber, ECN, was named associate dean.
In August 2000, Dean Wall was named interim Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dr. Weber joined her in the VPAA's office. Dr. Mary Anne Hanner was named acting dean and Dr. Godson Obia, G/G, was named acting associate dean. Dean Hanner was named the permanent dean effective July 1, 2002. Dean Obia was named as the associate dean effective January 1, 2004.
The College has enjoyed the talents of many who worked as support staff. Of course, Ms. Matthews served longer than any other College employee. Wanda Coffey joined the staff in 1982 and continued through 1995. She was a 3/5 FTE and provided support for the certification officer. Carol Majewski (Civil Service ARO1) worked in the certification area from 1987-1993. When the colleges were re-structured, Ms. Majewski was transferred to the College of Arts and Humanities. Beth Clark joined the certification staff in 1995 and when she left in 2001, Sherri Arnholt was employed to support the certification activities of the College. After Ms. Matthews retired in 1996, Kristi Cobble was hired in 1997 for clerical support for the dean. In 1999, she was promoted to an assistant to the dean position in which she provided administrative assistance and did development and fundraising for the College. Ms. Cobble left EIU in 2004. Tonya Green was hired in 2001 to provide clerical support for the dean.
In 2005, the College of Sciences staff includes Dr. Mary Anne Hanner, Dr. Godson Obia, Barbara Kuykendall, Charles Miller, Terry Ramsey, Sherri Arnholt, and Tonya Green.
