Martin Hershock named UM-Dearborn College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters dean

May 17, 2013

The University of Michigan Board of Regents have appointed University of Michigan-Dearborn faculty member and alumnus Martin Hershock to the top leadership role within the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (CASL). Hershock, who will replace Jerold Hale, will begin his five-year appointment as CASL dean on July 1.

“The College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters has an incredibly-devoted faculty and staff,” Hershock said. “What I would really like to do is highlight those talents and turn CASL into the state’s best liberal arts college. I think the small size of that unit and the balance that we have between teaching and research, you don’t find that anywhere.”

Hershock, who currently serves as UM-Dearborn’s associate provost for academic affairs, has been a history faculty member since 1999 and served as history chair, chair of the Department of Social Sciences and CASL faculty secretary. He was involved with the CASL Faculty Board of Advisors and the Social Sciences Executive Committee. Hershock graduated from UM-Dearborn in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in history.

“I always felt a sense of loyalty and devotion to this institution,” he said. “It utterly transformed my life. I taught at a lot of places, but the one thing that was a constant was my admiration for the UM-Dearborn faculty, staff and students and inspiration I received from teaching here.”

UM-Dearborn Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Catherine Davy has worked closely with Hershock over the years and commended him for his work on campus.

“Marty has built a reputation not only as an accomplished scholar, but an effective administrator and deeply-committed educator,” Davy said. “Marty is effective because he knows how to lead from behind. His leave-no-wake approach to leadership is grounded in consultation, collaboration and consensus building. He brings insight and enthusiasm to the task and a university-wide perspective to his work with faculty, department chairs, fellow deans and senior colleagues.”

Davy also recognized members of the search committee, chaired by mathematics Professor David James, for their many hours of deliberation and steadfast dedication to the process.

Hershock earned a master’s degree in history from Wayne State University and a doctorate in history from UM-Ann Arbor.