B. Oliver Walter
          Dean     

Oliver Walter has served as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences since 1989.  He is responsible for 28 academic departments and programs and six support units.  During his tenure he has:

• Placed special emphasis on teaching quality by stressing the need for hiring competent teachers, carefully assessing their performance and rewarding those who have demonstrated teaching excellence.

• Promoted research by establishing extraordinary merit awards based on research productivity and providing start-up funds for new faculty research products.

• Emphasized the importance of student advising by creating a special merit award for advising and by meeting regularly with College advising coordinators.

• Made fund raising a college priority.  Three endowed chairs have been created recently, as has the construction of the Gladys Crane Studio for the Department of Theatre and Dance. Through a revitalized Board of Visitors, involved more alumni and friends in fund raising, student recruitment, and public relations.

• Promoted student recruitment through departments and Dean's office participating actively in efforts to attract students.

• Improved dialogue between the College administration and students by creating and meeting with the A&S Student Council.

• Encouraged student study abroad by establishing scholarships to assist students, building relationships with foreign universities, and increasing administrative assistance to students.

• Incorporated University cultural outreach programs into A&S and increased its support, which resulted in a comprehensive and balanced program of visual and performing arts traveling throughout Wyoming.

• Emphasized hiring women and minority faculty.  During his tenure three minority programs have been established-African American Studies, American Indian Studies and Chicano Studies.  A major was established in Women's Studies.  In 2003, he received the Jason Thompson Commitment to Diversity Award presented by the University United Multicultural Council.

Prior to becoming dean in 1989, Walter was head of the Department of Political Science for eight years.  He was one of the founders of the Wyoming Election Year survey in 1972.  Walter and his wife Sid (1971 UW graduate in Political Science) have three sons, each of whom graduated from the University of Wyoming.

Education:  Ph.D., Political Science, University of Illinois, 1972; M.A., Political Science, Washington State University, 1966; B.A., Washington State, University, 1964.

        Gracie Lawson-Borders
        Associate Dean

Gracie Lawson-Borders became an Associate Dean of A&S in August 2009. She oversees the following divisions: Biological Sciences, Fine Arts, Humanities, and Mathematical. Gracie will also oversee two support units: Fine Arts Outreach and Cultural Programs. Before joining the A&S Dean's Office she was the Director of African American Studies for three years.

Associate Dean Lawson-Borders' main responsibilities for the college are:

• Budgets including part-time funds, graduate assistants, start ups and summer session
• A&S Outreach courses, student recruitment
• Liaison to UW Foundation, A&S Board of Visitors
• Facilitator for A&S Committees: Central, Computer Fee, Scholarship, Summer Independent Study

Gracie Lawon-Borders short bio.

        Audrey Shalinsky
        Associate Dean

Audrey Shalinsky became an Associate Dean of A&S in July 2006. She oversees the following divisions:  Biological Sciences, Fine Arts, Humanities, and Interdisciplinary.  Before joining the Dean's Office, she was Department Head in Anthropology for nine years.   

Associate Dean Shalinsky's main responsibilities to the college are:

• Assessment of student learning
• Classroom Scheduling
• Student Recruiting.
• Course Related Issues
• Liaison to the College of Education, Wyoming School-University Partnership and the Outreach School.
• Student appeals:  academic dishonesty, grades, and adverse decisions.
• Facilitator for A&S Committees:  Teaching, Tenure & Promotion, Self-Designed Major, and Burger Essay..

More information about Dr. Shalinsky can be found on her web site.