President Glassner names Rob Kugler director of strategic initiatives

President Barry Glassner has announced the appointment of Rob Kugler, Paul S. Wright Professor of Christian Studies, as director of strategic initiatives, effective July 15. At the direction of President Glassner, Kugler will work with faculty, staff, and administrators in all three schools on initiatives to further the academic and reputational goals of Lewis & Clark.

“A highly respected member of the faculty, Rob is uniquely qualified for this new position,” said Glassner. “He has also acquired wide acquaintance with the College—its people, its resources, and its possibilities.”

Kugler earned his bachelor of arts degree in religious studies from Lewis & Clark College, his M.Div. from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, and his PhD from the University of Notre Dame.

Kugler comes to this new post well prepared by his experiences at Gonzaga University (1993-2002) and Lewis & Clark (since 2002). He was selected by the Pamplin Society as Teacher of the Year in 2007 and has served on and chaired the CAS Committee on Promotion and Tenure. He was also a member of two dean search committees, the presidential search committee, the 2005-2006 Strategic Planning Task Force, the College Athletics Task Force, the 2003-2004 Inventing America Review Task Force, and numerous faculty search committees. In addition, Kugler was divisional dean of Arts and Humanities, chair of the Department of Religious Studies, and interim chair of the Department of Art. He is completing a term as the Arts and Humanities representative to the Faculty Council, and he continues as the director of Classical Studies and of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant for the Humanities and Humanistic Social Sciences.

“As a teacher and scholar Rob understands the demands on faculty and maintains a vigorous research and publication program,” Glassner said. “He takes this new post on the condition that he continue teaching and advising students.”

Kugler said he is enthused to assume this new post and “to do all I can to help friends and colleagues realize their fullest potential as scholars, teachers, advisers, administrators, and staff—as fellow contributors to the College’s ever brighter future.”