Drought to serve as interim dean of School of Visual Arts

Michael Drought, associate dean of the UNT School of Visual Arts, will serve as interim dean of the school while a search committee continues a nationwide search for a new dean.

Drought replaces D. Jack Davis, whose resignation became effective Aug. 31. After taking leave during Fall 2004, Davis plans to return to the faculty to teach half time and to serve as the director of the North Texas Institute for Educators on the Visual Arts on a half-time basis.

Drought, who is also a UNT professor of visual arts, came to campus in August 2003 to serve as associate dean of academic and student affairs. Previously, at the Virginia Commonwealth University's School of the Arts in Richmond, he served simultaneously as associate dean of student affairs, director of admissions and recruitment, director of off-campus studies and a tenured associate professor.

"With widespread support from the faculty of the School of Visual Arts, I am pleased to announce this interim appointment," says Howard Johnson, UNT provost and vice president for academic affairs. "Michael brings to the interim deanship a wealth of experience in higher education from Virginia Commonwealth University and his tenure here at UNT. We welcome him to the Council of Deans and I look forward to working with him."

During Drought's time at VCU, he also created the Art Foundation Program, a first-year course for students in art history/studio, art education, theater set design, painting, sculpture, photography and communication arts and crafts. The program was a unique collaboration of VCU's departments of University Facilities Management, University Architectural Planning and the School of Arts.

In the past he has served as chair of VCU's Painting and Printmaking Department, director of the VCU Art Foundation Program, and director of the master's program for teachers. He also designed VCU's 114,000-square-foot fine arts facility as well as the 38,000-square-foot space for the Painting and Printmaking Department.

Drought received both his bachelor's degree in art and his master of fine arts degree from the University of Wisconsin — Madison.

BY RUFUS COLEMAN rcoleman@unt.edu

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