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Hall named associate dean News Briefs Tim Hall has been appointed associate dean of the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences. As associate dean of the college, Hall is responsible for providing support to the dean in areas including curriculum and program development, Tim Hall faculty development and recruitment, facilitating research and grant writing, and supervision of college staff. Hall has been employed at CMU for 20 years as professor of early American history and history education. Prior to his employment at CMU, Hall held appointments as research assistant professor at Northwestern University and visiting assistant professor of history at Colgate University. • Randall named as Griffin Endowed Chair The CMU political science department has selected Gary Randall, clerk of the House of Representatives, as the Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government. He began his four-year appointment this fall. "I view serving as the Griffin Chair as a unique way to share my passion for the political process and provide students with a view of the real world of politics by bringing them face-to-face with today's political leaders," Randall says. Randall is the 33rd clerk of the House of Representatives and previously served in this position from 1999 to 2006. Randall also served as a state representative from 1979 to 1997. Prior to that he worked in the broadcasting industry as director of public affairs for CMU Public Television and several radio stations. Randall earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University and a Master of Arts degree from CMU. • At left, Shirley Brauker, '81 M.S. '83, engages with her students in a class she taught as the Denison Visiting Professor of Native American Studies. Visiting professor teaches Native American art class Students created pottery, corn husk dolls, ledger drawings, block print carvings and beadwork projects during a "Native American Art Sampler" course taught by artist Shirley Brauker last spring. Brauker, '81 M.A. '83, served as the college's Olga J. and G. Roland Denison Visiting Professor of Native American Studies. The program's mission is to increase understanding of the historical experiences, cultural traditions and innovations, and political status of Native Americans. "Instead of presenting a traditional lecture class, I designed an entire semester of hands-on projects," says Brauker. "The students were able to experiment with different materials and apply them to their own personal creations." • 14 Winter 2014 | Under Discussion

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