Fitzpatrick, who also is associate dean for research and outreach at Wisconsin, will join the University Jan. 16, which is also the date when USC's College of Science and Mathematics and College of Liberal Arts will officially merge to make up USC’s largest college.

"I am delighted that Mary Anne Fitzpatrick has accepted our offer to join the University of South Carolina," President Sorensen said. "The candidates for this post were very impressive, but Dean Fitzpatrick's extensive experience working for a college similar to our new College of Arts and Sciences will be invaluable as the merger is implemented."

Mark P. Becker, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, said the appointment of Fitzpatrick as founding dean of the College of Arts and Sciences is a critically important step forward for USC.

"She is an energetic and visionary leader, a nationally recognized scholar, and has an outstanding record of accomplishment in university administration and leadership positions at a large, comprehensive public research university," Becker said. "Under Dr. Fitzpatrick's leadership, we move to effect a merger aimed at developing a nationally prominent College of Arts and Sciences, one that is globally oriented, locally committed to making a difference for South Carolina, and much more than just the sum of the parts of the two colleges that are merging."

Fitzpatrick, one of four finalists for the job, said she looks forward to the challenges of leading Carolina's largest college.

"I am truly honored to have been chosen as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences," she said. "I look forward to working with the faculty, staff, students, and administrative leaders at the University of South Carolina to build a college that will be recognized for excellence and innovation throughout the country. Across the departments and programs of the college, there is an extraordinary range of talent and potential. The new administrative structure will afford faculty and staff more opportunities to build on the existing foundation in order to enrich the undergraduate experience, to strengthen research, and to stimulate interdisciplinary activities."

Fitzpatrick joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1978 as an assistant professor and has compiled a record that is strong in academics, administration, service, and outreach. At Wisconsin, she served as the director of the Center for Communication, director of graduate studies, and chair of the department of communication arts. In 1997, she was named associate dean for the social sciences and later became senior adviser to the chancellor for information technology and distributed learning. She was named to her current posts in 2002.

As deputy dean of Wisconsin’s largest college, Fitzpatrick coordinates alumni relations and fund-raising activities for the college. As associate dean for research and outreach, she oversees several units, including Research Services, Learning Support Services, University-Industry Relations, Facilities and Space Management, Outreach, and Distributed Learning Services.

Nationally, she has served organizations including the Consortium of Social Science Associations, the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences, the AAU Liberal Arts and Sciences Deans, and the Higher Learning Commission. Internationally, she has been the president of the International Communication Association and a regular reviewer of grants for the Australian Research Council. She also has been actively involved in establishing a college for women in the Middle East.

Fitzpatrick earned her undergraduate degree in political science from Temple University in 1971, her master's in communication from Emerson College in 1973, and her Ph.D. in communication from Temple in 1976.

USC's College of Arts and Sciences will have more than 500 full-time faculty members, approximately 8,200 students, and some of the University's nationally recognized programs, including English, psychology, history, chemistry, and biology. USC's Board of Trustees approved the merger in December 2003.

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