Perkins Dean Search Committee Named

SMU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs ad interim Harold W. Stanley has named the members of the search committee for the next dean of Perkins School of Theology.

Dean William B. Lawrence has announced that he will retire from the position on May 16, 2016 and take a leave of absence during the 2016-17 academic year, possibly returning to SMU as professor of American church history after that time.

Samuel S. Holland, dean of SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts, chairs the Perkins Dean Search Committee. The committee members include:

• Rev. Richie Butler ’93, senior pastor, St. Paul United Methodist Church, Dallas
• Dodee Frost Crockett ’75, ’03, managing director, Crockett, McBride & Associates, member of the Perkins Executive Board
• Bishop Michael McKee, SMU trustee, Resident Bishop of the North Texas Annual Conference
• Rev. Paul Rasmussen ’04, senior pastor, Highland Park United Methodist Church
• Kay Prothro Yeager, community volunteer and civic leader, member of the Perkins Executive Board
• Chris Anderson, Sacred Music, Perkins School of Theology
• William Jennings Bryan III, associate dean for student affairs, Perkins School of Theology
• Carlos Cardoza-Orlandi, World Christianities and Mission Studies, Perkins School of Theology\
• Kate Carté Engel, History, Dedman College
• Steven Lindquist, Religious Studies, Dedman College
• Natalia Mirandiuc, Christian Theology, Perkins School of Theology
• Peter Moore, professor of mathematics, senior associate dean and associate dean for general education, Dedman College
• Evelyn Parker, Susanna Wesley Chair in Practical Theology, associate dean for academic affairs, Perkins School of Theology\
• Rev. Dr. Stephen Rankin, SMU chaplain
• Abraham Smith, New Testament, Perkins School of Theology
• Pavielle Chriss, Master’s degree candidate, Perkins School of Theology
• Geoffrey Moore, doctoral candidate, Religious Students, Dedman College

Dr. Ann Die Hasselmo, senior consultant of Academic Search, Inc., will serve as consultant to the Search Committee. She has worked with SMU on several previous academic searches, including the most recent dean searches for Dedman College and Meadows School of the Arts as well as the current searches for the provost and the vice president for student affairs.

Dean Holland has invited all Perkins faculty and staff members to meet with members of the Search Committee and Dr. Hasselmo. Two open forums have been scheduled for Monday, Sept. 14, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in 121 Prothro Hall in the Theology Quad.