When a vacancy arose in the position of the Dean of Arts and Sciences, Eastern took no time to hire one of its own.
English professor Betsy Morgan was selected to fill in as interim dean after David Greehalgh stepped down to become the interim director of the new doctoral program.
Morgan, beloved by students and fellow faculty, has served as an English professor at Eastern for the past 30 years.
She said she feels more than qualified for this position given her extensive knowledge of the Eastern community and the many relationships she has forged here.
“I hope to be a faithful place keeper,” Morgan said and added that she never really saw herself working as an administrator.
However, she believes that this will be a great opportunity to give back to the university that has given her so much.
“They need me to do something else,” she said. “Eastern has been very generous to me and I absolutely adore this faculty.”
Morgan’s new position as dean coincides with her plan to retire in three years. She will hold this office while Eastern pursues a new dean, with a search scheduled to begin next year.
Morgan will only be teaching critical theory this semester, and a search for her replacement in the English department will begin immediately.
“With all of the changes taking place, I am going to be here just to still the waters,” Morgan said.