On Monday, July 14, 2003, CHASS welcomed new Assistant Dean & CFAO Susan Hunter Hancock, who will serve as Dean O’Brien’s principal staff advisor and will contribute to CHASS’s administrative, financial, management, human resources, and public relations functions. Hancock’s previous work in education included serving as the Dean of Student Services and Staff Relations at Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena. In addition, she was Vice-President at Chapman University in Orange and also worked at the system-wide office for the CSU system. She also served as Assistant Dean, Student Affairs at CSU, Northridge. Relating to her educational background she commented, “The nature of the work at CHASS builds on what I have done previously.”

Hancock was compelled to join the CHASS team based on what she coined the “creativity and energy” of the college. Hancock was drawn to the college’s interdisciplinary programs and initiatives and the college’s efforts in community outreach.

As the top priorities, Hancock hopes to assist with increasing internal and external funding to support college activities and, with the current state budget difficulties, she encourages maximizing the available resources as effectively and efficiently as possible. Additional future challenges include developing the necessary resources to accommodate the significant growth in enrollment. It is anticipated that she will be active in developing future support plans.

She is pleased to have the opportunity to be among distinguished teaching and research colleagues. “Overall,” Hancock shared, “I am excited to be here and am learning a lot in this strong, energized, and creative place!”