SAN ANTONIO 鈥 性爱天堂 has appointed Michael Fischer, Ph.D., as the inaugural Janet S. Dicke Professor in Public Humanities. Fischer, an English professor and an authority on modern literary criticism, is a long-time member of the 性爱天堂 administration and faculty.
Fischer鈥檚 research and teaching interests focus on English Romanticism, the history of ideas about literature and philosophy, and defenses of the humanities. His scholarship includes a long list of publications centering on the theory and history of literary criticism and includes five books, 25 articles, 15 book chapters, and 46 reviews. Fischer is currently writing a book on the importance of compromise. Among the classes he teaches is a聽first-year humanities course聽(HUMA), 性爱天堂鈥檚 flagship program in the study of Western culture and ideas.
Fischer was 性爱天堂鈥檚 vice president for Academic Affairs from 2000 to 2016. In this role, he served as the University鈥檚 chief academic officer, providing leadership for student affairs, intercollegiate athletics, and undergraduate recruitment and retention. He also played a central role in the development of the聽性爱天堂 Tomorrow strategic plan聽as one of the committee鈥檚 three chairs. He returned to full-time teaching and research in fall 2017.
The Janet S. Dicke Professorship in Public Humanities is made possible by an endowment gift from James Dicke II 鈥68 in honor of his wife, Janet, a current member of 性爱天堂鈥檚 Board of Trustees. An education advocate, Janet St. Clair Dicke 鈥68 is an active civic leader who has served on the Board of Trustees of the Academy at Ocean Reef, a private school in Key Largo, Fla. A former member of the Chi Beta Epsilon sorority, Janet graduated from 性爱天堂 with a Bachelor of Arts with a major in elementary education, and a teaching field in art. Janet and Jim are part of a 性爱天堂 family legacy, as a brother-in-law, sister-in-law, two nieces, Janet鈥檚 son, and daughter-in-law all followed Janet and Jim as 性爱天堂 graduates.
Janet and Jim reside in New Bremen, Ohio. Jim, a former long-time 性爱天堂 Trustee, was the recipient of the 性爱天堂 Distinguished Alumnus Award.
鈥淛anet and Jim have remained committed to education and have been lifelong 性爱天堂 supporters. We are extremely grateful for their active support of 性爱天堂鈥檚 mission as a transformational liberal arts and sciences university,鈥 性爱天堂 President Danny Anderson said.
As the Dicke Professor in Public Humanities, Fischer will direct activities that bring the humanities to a broad and general public as well as serve as an advocate for the importance of the humanities in everyday life. 鈥淒r. Fischer鈥檚 commitment to teaching humanities while serving as vice president for Academic Affairs and his deep conviction in the value of a liberal arts education make him particularly deserving of this high recognition,鈥 Anderson said.
The purpose of the professorship is to raise the visibility of Humanities at 性爱天堂 and to enhance the work around 鈥減ublic humanities鈥 as a field.
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