Dorothy L. Hodgson, an internationally known anthropologist, was selected as the new dean of Arts and Sciences last May. She previously served as the senior associate dean for academic affairs at Rutgers University’s School of Graduate Studies.

Hodgson began her term as the dean of Arts and Sciences at Brandeis on Aug. 20, replacing interim dean Susan J. Birren, who will now resume teaching at the University as a professor of neurobiology. 

According to a May 29 BrandeisNow article, Hodgson will “oversee undergraduate admissions, the undergraduate and graduate curricula, faculty, staffing, the oversight of academic departments, and other academic matters, including the implementation of recently updated general education requirements.”

In an interview with the Justice, Hodgson shared that she felt Brandeis was a good fit for her. She cited her appreciation for how warm and welcoming everyone has been so far and mentioned that Brandeis is filled with a combination of “brilliant people who are also kind.” 

Hodgson has spent time engaging with the incoming first-year class; during orientation, she walked through their residence halls during move-in day and helped facilitate the new student book forum.

One goal she has in regards to working with student services to improve student life is “to think about how we strengthen the student experience and how we perhaps better develop programs to better integrate curricular and cocurricular activities.” Specifically, she cited the improvements to be made in how living and learning communities are structured.

She explained that she likes that Brandeis is a “strong liberal arts college that values teaching and learning of students, but set within a world-class research university.” Hodgson looks forward to working with the Brandeis community, saying, “I am a cultural anthropologist by training, and I do best when I get to know people and can build relationships.” 

“We are in this together,” she told the first-years.