Michigan State University Interim Provost Teresa Sullivan has recommended to the Board of Trustees that Mary Finn be named interim dean of the College of Social Science.
Finn will replace former dean Rachel Croson, who will soon begin an appointment as executive vice president and provost of the University of Minnesota.
“It will be an honor to serve as interim dean in the College of Social Science,” said Finn, who currently serves as the director of MSU’s School of Criminal Justice within the college. “While these are challenging times during the coronavirus public health crisis, I want to assure the Spartan community that we are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of all students, faculty and staff, while providing resources to foster our core mission of educational success. Thank you to Interim Provost Sullivan for the opportunity to serve our social scientists and the broader MSU community in this way.”
Finn is currently the director of MSU’s School of Criminal Justice. She was a co-chair of the College of Social Science’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee and served on the MSU Presidential Search Committee as a representative of the university’s faculty senate. Her research addresses problems and issues directly related to justice policy and practice. Finn has collaborated extensively with local justice agencies, advocacy organizations and divisions of Michigan’s government in efforts to bridge the worlds of academia and policy and practice.
She was recommended interim dean-designee on March 30, 2020 and will continue in that role until the appointment goes before the Board of Trustees for consideration. Once approved, Finn will serve as interim dean until a permanent dean is named.