UNK DEAN OF FINE ARTS AND HUMANITIES TO JOIN MUSIC FACULTY, EFFECTIVE JULY 1

Chancellor Doug Kristensen
308.865.8208

Dr. Rodney Miller, dean of the University of Nebraska at Kearney College of Fine Arts and Humanities, announced today that he will leave his post to join the Department of Music and Performing Arts full-time, effective July 1, 2004.

“As he prepares to make that transition, I want to publicly acknowledge our indebtedness to him for his accomplishments as dean, and to wish him well in his future endeavors with our students, faculty and community,” said UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen.

Dr. Miller has served as dean of the College of Fine Arts and Humanities since 1998, coming to the campus from Montclair State University, New York University, and a long career as both an academic and a performing artist. Soon after his arrival, he became a prominent advocate for the arts throughout the Kearney community, leading efforts to develop an outdoor theater in Kearney and to renovate a local historic school facility into a modern venue for the performing arts. He has also helped to provide steady leadership for the Museum of Nebraska Art.

Chancellor Kristensen added: “He has represented UNK and his college extremely well to all constituencies. Further, he has contributed importantly to a variety of university-wide initiatives, including the committee that established the University of Nebraska academic prioritization criteria.

“I want especially to note that I have greatly appreciated his advice and assistance over the last year-and-a-half as we have tried to preserve core strengths while coping with the imperative to reduce our budget. Rodney Miller brought impressive academic and professional credentials to UNK in 1998. I am very pleased that we will retain them on our vocal music faculty when Dr. Miller leaves his administrative duties at the end of June. Search arrangements for a new dean have not yet been decided. We will announce them in the near future.”