Penn appointed Jeffrey Kallberg as interim dean of Penn's School of Arts and Sciences on Wednesday afternoon.
Kallberg, who currently serves as the deputy dean in SAS and William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Music, has served on Penn's faculty since 1982. He will begin the role on Jan. 1, 2025, according to the announcement sent to the University community by Interim President Larry Jameson and Provost John Jackson Jr., and will serve until a permanent successor is named.
“The School of Arts and Sciences has been my professional home for over four decades, and I am deeply committed to its mission of excellence in research, teaching, and service,” Kallberg said in the announcement. “I look forward to working with our exceptional community to sustain the School’s forward momentum as we prepare for its next chapter."
Kallberg had previously held the role of associate dean for arts and letters from 2010 until his appointment as deputy dean, according to the announcement — a role in which he oversaw academic programs in the humanities encompassing 16 departments, including English, history, music, and philosophy.
“As Deputy Dean, he has played a pivotal role in managing the daily operations of the Dean’s office, particularly in faculty affairs, and has represented Dean Fluharty in official capacities as needed,” Jameson wrote in the announcement.
On Sept. 10, Jameson announced that current SAS Dean Steven Fluharty would be stepping down from the position at the end of the year. Fluharty was appointed to the position in 2013, and his 12 years leading the school make him the longest-serving dean in SAS history.
"The School has accomplished much during Dean Fluharty’s long tenure and it’s been a privilege to work alongside him in the Office of the Dean for more than 10 years," Kallberg wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian. "I’m looking forward to this opportunity to continue to advance the School’s many priorities, working closely with my colleagues in the Dean’s office.
The September announcement said that Fluharty — whose term as dean was originally set to end in June 2025 — will return to Penn's faculty.
“Steve has overseen a transformation of the School of Arts and Sciences,” Jameson wrote at the time. “Under his leadership, the School developed a new strategic plan … with priorities that remain at the top of Penn’s agenda today, including sustainability, data-driven discovery, and public policy and social impact.”
Shortly after the September announcement, Fluharty told the DP that he was honored to work with “dedicated faculty and staff and to witness the accomplishments of our talented students.”
“The decision to step down has been a difficult but necessary one, so that I may focus on the needs of my family,” Fluharty wrote in a statement to the DP. “I’m grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve the School and to be able to end my term knowing that it is positioned to continue its long history of excellence.”
In July 2024, Fluharty announced Classical Studies professor Peter Struck as the new Stephen A. Levin Family Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences after the Aug. 1 departure of former College Dean Paul Sniegowski.
English professor and Committee on Undergraduate Education chair Josephine Park will succeed Kallberg as the school’s associate dean for arts and letters, Fluharty and Kallberg wrote in an email to the School of Arts and Sciences community after Kallberg’s appointment. Park previously directed the Asian American Studies Program and served as a member of the Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community.
“Jo will oversee the School’s humanities departments and research centers, bringing her wealth of experience as a scholar, educator, and academic leader,” the email read.
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