Message from the Vice President and Dean

Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), a place of exploration, discovery and learning in the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. CLAS shares the ASU ideals of access, excellence and impact. My objective as vice president and dean is to lead the college in challenging traditional impediments to progress through innovative trans-disciplinary approaches, embracing the latest technologies and perpetuating the best lessons that history has to teach us.

CLAS, like ASU generally, is a place where, if you can dream it, you can achieve it. I hope to empower faculty to realize their dreams through the highest standards of excellence and lasting impacts in their fields, and to inspire and educate the next generation of scholars and leaders.

As a society, we face unprecedented challenges. Sept. 11, 2001, forever changed how America sees itself and its place in the world. Rapid environmental change threatens earth's species and the ecological services upon which human welfare rests. Traditional energy sources are stretched to their limits. Unprecedented globalization challenges well- established social systems, and we seek to honor the best of our past as we transform to meet the future. In the college, we will strive to meet these and many other challenges through sustainable solutions.

We have become impatient in the information age, expecting instant access to the data, information and knowledge that we need to solve such problems. CLAS will continue to play a leading role in reinventing the social and natural sciences and humanities to assure they meet these growing demands in the 21st century.

The CLAS Web site will introduce you to the diverse research and education opportunities available through its departments, institutes, and centers. I invite prospective students, alumni, potential donors, employees and others to explore the wealth of expertise, passions and scholarly pursuits that comprise this unique college and to learn more about how you can partner with us to transform CLAS to meet its destiny as a national and international leader in its many areas of excellence.

Quentin Wheeler
Vice President and Dean

Learn more about the college | View the college's strategic plan