Edward G. Kirby, the scientist-dean
Archived article from Nov 18, 2003
At a glance: Edward Kirby, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences–Newark
Education: University of Florida, Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in botany; University of Michigan, B.S. in biology
Research expertise: developmental biology of woody plants and forest biotechnology.
Recreational interests: Skiing, fly fishing and working to preserve the Great Swamp Watershed
Edward G. Kirby was appointed dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences–Newark in June 2003 after serving as acting dean since April 2002. Kirby has also served as associate dean and dean of instruction and as professor of plant biology in the department of biological sciences in Newark. He has been at Rutgers-Newark since 1978. Kirby spoke with Focus about some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the Newark campus.
Focus: You held a variety of positions on campus over the last 25 years before being named dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences–Newark. How did these roles prepare you for your current responsibilities?
Kirby: I came to Rutgers–Newark as an assistant professor in the department of botany. Being part of the faculty for these many years and seeing the university and the campus change has given me a strong sense of our students, our faculty and our academic mission. It has also prepared me to work with colleagues both within the university and at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and other institutions. As a result, I feel I have been able to hit the ground running as dean of FAS.
Focus: What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced so far as both acting dean and now, dean?
Kirby: Facing the proposed budget cuts last year, as acting dean, was certainly a challenge. I explained to our faculty the implications of the proposed cuts for our academic programs. By rallying faculty, staff and students and following President McCormick’s lead, we were successful in turning back half of the proposed cuts. However, we did suffer cuts on our campus. This has been particularly challenging in light of our increasing enrollments in Newark. Through careful management, we’ve been able to minimize the effects the cuts have had and will have on our academic programs.
Focus: Looking ahead one to two years, what challenges are you bracing for? I would imagine the proposed restructuring of Rutgers, UMDNJ and NJIT, as well as the continuing state budget cuts to Rutgers and the other state colleges, would be included on any short list.
Kirby: The challenges of restructuring are significant. But restructuring also offers extraordinary opportunities for the liberal arts and sciences in Newark. Over the past several years we’ve established a number of joint academic initiatives with NJIT and UMDNJ. With NJIT we have federated academic departments, including history and biological sciences. NJIT students freely take courses at Rutgers–Newark and our students freely take classes at NJIT. We now operate joint undergraduate majors, as well as master’s and doctoral programs with both UMDNJ and NJIT. Restructuring will only enhance these programs and foster new ones. One thing that is absolutely clear is that the liberal arts and sciences are the core of any great university, including a restructured university in Newark.
Focus: Can the Newark campus’s individual schools maintain their identity and focus on their distinct missions in the face of the proposed restructuring?
Kirby: Certainly. With the exception of nursing and management, there’s really not much overlap in academic programs among the universities in Newark. When you consider the arts and sciences areas, it’s striking that a number of our current academic programs are joint with UMDNJ and NJIT. These include undergraduate programs in biology, history, environmental science, computer science and information systems, human computer interactions, allied health technologies and clinical laboratory sciences, as well as graduate programs in biology, history, management, environmental sciences, physics, math, urban systems, integrated neuroscience and public health.
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