The University of Utah has announced the establishment of the School for Cultural and Social Transformation. The university states that the school is the first in the intermountain West with the focus on the intersection of race, gender, and social justice. With the establishment of the new school, gender and ethnic studies programs will now be able to hire and grant tenure to faculty members.
Kathryn Bond Stockton has been named the inaugural dean of the new school. Dr. Stockton is a Distinguished Professor of English and associate vice president in the Office for Equity and Diversity at the University of Utah. Dr. Stockton stated that “this development positions the university at the forefront of a trend to establish schools centered on these critical subjects. This is a beginning step in the work required to ensure the success of all our students and better prepare everyone for working together to resolve inequities.”
Professor Stockton is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Connecticut. She holds a master’s degree from Yale Divinity School and a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.