This academic year closes with transitions in leadership for four of the College’s six schools. 

Ronald H. Bayor, William J. Long, and Patrick S. McCarthy end terms serving as chairs of the schools of History, Technology, and Society; International Affairs; and Economics, respectively. Bill Long will assume the post of Dean of the Georgia State University College of Arts and Sciences. Ron Bayor and Pat McCarthy will transition to full-time faculty status.

Additionally, the search continues for a new chair of the School of Literature, Communication, and Culture also get underway this year. Jay Telotte, who has served as interim chair since 2009, will continue to lead the school during the search process.

“All of our chairs have been the vanguard for a period of remarkable growth and accomplishment for the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts,” said Dean Jacqueline J. Royster. "Their vision, energy, and dedication have been crucial to the College's progress toward strategic goals and establishing the Ivan Allen College as a distinctive model for 21st century liberal arts education. We are grateful for Ron, Bill, and Pat's leadership and for the ongoing commitment of Jay, Phil McKnight (Modern Languages), and Diana Hicks (Public Policy) as we move into our third decade with tremendous momentum.”

Ronald H. Bayor, Chair of the School of History, Technology, and Society (HTS)

Ron Bayor assumed the role of chair of HTS in 2006. Following a Board of Regents review, Bayor led the School in rewriting its mission to more closely align with Georgia Tech’s long range strategic vision. Accordingly, the School revised its graduate and undergraduate curricula.

Bayor recruited faculty to bring depth to the School’s focus on the social origins and impact of industry, science, and technology and hired five new history and sociology faculty with particular strength in the area of science, technology, and medicine (STM), and cultural history.  He emphasized recruiting and direct outreach to increase enrollment of HTS majors and improved the advising experience by hiring a full time academic professional to head recruiting and advising. The 2010/2011 undergraduate class was the School’s largest ever; forty-five percent graduated with honors. Bayor maintained a strong graduate program with strong placement. He also brought energy to the School’s outreach to alumni and oversaw the School’s relocation to the renovated Old CE building.

Bayor applauded HTS faculty during his term as chair, noting that they have been productive in publishing books, articles, book chapters and presenting at major conferences around the world.  “HTS faculty continue to win teaching and research awards,” he noted (most recently Doug Flamming was recognized for teaching and Jon Schneer for research).  “Our progress has been on all levels of research, teaching, and service,” said Bayor. “We are primed for significant accomplishments in the future.”

Bayor is returning to a full-time faculty position. He specializes in urban, ethnic, immigration and race relations history and in teaching undergraduate courses on Cities in American History, Modern America, and the U.S. since 1877, and graduate courses on Urbanization and Comparative Development. He is presently working on two edited books dealing with immigration, race, and ethnicity and an authored one on Ellis Island, America's main immigrant receiving station.

William J. Long, Chair of The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs (INTA) 

One of six original faculty hired in International Affairs in 1991, Bill Long has played a key role in the School’s evolution for two nearly two decades. He assumed an administrative leadership role in 1993 and became chair in 2001.

Today, the School is one of our largest, with three successful bachelor degree programs, an internationally-recognized professional master’s degree, a research doctoral degree, 22 faculty, and over 400 students.  The School has two research centers, overseas programs on three continents, and an endowment of several million dollars.

“The goal was to create a full-fledged school of international affairs, the first at a major technological university, and I think we have succeeded,” said Long.

Under his leadership, faculty and degree program size have increased more than sixty percent; the School’s endowment was doubled; the doctoral program in science, technology, and international affairs was launched; the externally-funded research center, the European Union Center of Excellence which serves the Institute and Southeast community, was added. The Nunn School's success is measured by student placements in industry, government, and the non-profit sector, and the awards they have received, including Presidential Management Fellows, several Fulbright Scholars, and a Rhodes Scholar. Another measure is sponsored research.  On average, the School has garnered over $1 million per year in sponsored research from government agencies, leading foundations, and corporations, with Long receiving over $5 million as principle investigator on grants and contracts.

Also under Long, The Nunn School has sponsored public outreach events that have helped to internationalize and bring recognition to the campus including the biennial Bank of America Sam Nunn Policy Forum. The School has hosted leading public figures on campus including General David Petraeus and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. 

Long also marks as special highlights during his tenure as chair the successful promotion and tenure of all Nunn School faculty candidates and his work in helping design, launch, and grow the Institute's International Plan as an Institute quality enhancement initiative.

Long will assume his new position at GSU on August 8th.  He is giving a talk at The Carter Center, June 29, at 6:00pm about his new book "Pandemics and Peace: Public Health Cooperation in Zones of Conflict."

Patrick S. McCarthy, Chair of The School of Economics (ECON) 

Pat McCarthy came to Georgia Tech as Chair of the College's School of Economics in 2000.  “If I look at the School today in comparison with my arrival, I see a number of significant differences,” said McCarthy. “The vast majority of these are the work of others with my major role being facilitator and creating an environment, I would like to think, that enabled my colleagues to be as productive and engaging as possible in their research, teaching, and service activities.”

Under McCarthy’s leadership, the School of Economics has increased its undergraduate majors; added two joint degree programs to complement the Economics major (GEML, EIA); significantly improved the academic advising experience for students; created a sustainable Professional MS Program whose students go on to PhD work at high quality institutions or industry positions; established a rigorous, niche PhD degree program that is unique in its overall focus on innovation and is attracting high quality students; established a faculty that are both innovative and effective in the classroom and a majority consistently receive average teaching effectiveness ratings over 4.0.

The School strengthened its research niches in industrial organization, international economics, and environmental economics with McCarthy building a critical mass of faculty in each area.  In addition, the faculty has become more research oriented with increased average number and quality of publications and increased activities in sponsored research activities. McCarthy notes that today’s faculty is more interdisciplinary and outward looking in its teaching and research activities; more diverse, “which brings intellectual diversity to the School’s teaching and research missions”; and has more senior members who can offer leadership and guidance to the School and in the mentoring of junior faculty.

McCarthy established the Center for Paper Business and Industry Studies (CPBIS) at Georgia Tech, one of twenty-five industry centers funded by the Sloan Foundation. He is proud of relationships with The Board of Advisors for the School of Economics (‘BASE’) who have provided time and resources for the School, helping to increase alumni connectivity and to facilitate networking opportunities for students. Board resources have also supported undergraduate students, the Omicron Delta Epsilon honor society in Economics, numerous PhD students, and general support for the faculty and staff."

McCarthy will transition to full-time faculty, teaching courses in transportation economics, research methods, and discrete choice econometrics.  His research areas include transportation economics, regulation, industry studies, and applied econometrics.