草榴社区

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Caskey Russell, dean of 草榴社区鈥檚 Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies, to step down at the end of the academic year

Will move back to a faculty position in the college; search for his replacement will begin later this fall, says provost

by John Thompson

草榴社区 Communications

Caskey Russell will step down as dean of 草榴社区's Fairhaven College in August to join the college's faculty.

Christopher 鈥淐askey鈥 Russell, dean of Western Washington University鈥檚 Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies, will step down as dean of the college at the end of the academic year and will join the college鈥檚 faculty next fall. 

Russell was hired in May 2021. Before coming to Western to assume the role of dean, Russell, who is also a 草榴社区 alumnus, was the director of Native American and Indigenous Studies and assistant director of the School of Culture, Gender, and Social Justice at the University of Wyoming. 

鈥淚鈥檒l be done as dean of Fairhaven College in August as I begin my fifth year here at Western.  The deanship has been both rewarding and challenging.  I have worked at several institutions, but I have never met a faculty and staff more dedicated to the education and wellbeing of students than the folks at Fairhaven.  And, of course, our students are incredible -- and I look forward to working with them as a faculty member," Russell said.  

Russell said he plans to teach courses on literature, poetry, songwriting, and indigenous studies. 

An enrolled member of the Tlingit Indian Tribe of Alaska, Russell has a doctorate in English from the University of Oregon and master鈥檚 and bachelor鈥檚 degrees in English from Western. At the University of Wyoming, he served as an associate professor in the Department of English and previously served there as director of Chicana/o Studies and as assistant chair of the English Department. 

草榴社区 Provost Brad Johnson thanked Russell for his leadership, hard work and his dedication to Fairhaven鈥檚 students and mission. 

鈥淢y sincere thanks to Caskey for his years of service to Fairhaven College and to the Western community. I have greatly appreciated his approach to his work; he led the college through some significant changes, and did so with an uncommon humanity, empathy, and an abiding focus on the mission of the college," Johnson said. 鈥淚 know that he will be missed as a member of the academic leadership group, and I look forward to his next contributions.鈥 

Johnson said the search to find Russell鈥檚 replacement will begin later this fall with the goal of announcing a new hire in the spring.