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Provost Russell Moore today announced his appointment of Daryl Joji Maeda, dean and vice provost of undergraduate education, to be the interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1.

“Daryl Maeda is one of ��ƷSM����ӰƬ’s most dynamic, effective leaders,” said Moore. “He is a great listener, problem solver and consensus builder. His combined achievements as dean of undergraduate education, associate dean for student success in the College of Arts and Sciences, department chair, and professor of ethnic studies afford him an inside-out understanding of how the college works and what its needs are. He will be an excellent interim leader and will help to provide stability, direction and vision for our largest college.” 

Moore said Maeda would serve “up to two years” as interim dean and that his scope of work will be centered in three areas that include “a commitment to transparency in budgetary and decision-making issues and the creation of a divisional resource allocation philosophy; renewed engagement with shared governance and college staff; and a continued focus on and elevation of student success programming.” 

Moore previously indicated that the move to appoint an interim dean “will give us time to sharpen the focus of how the authority of the deans of division aligns with the authority of the dean of the college and how all four positions can work together for better results.” 

Maeda and the divisional deans will all report to Moore in the interim period. 

As dean of undergraduate education, Maeda has focused on student success, particularly for underrepresented students from historically marginalized groups. He has helped lead the Buff Undergraduate Success initiative, which has led to record retention and graduation rates for undergraduate students. 

As the inaugural associate dean for student success in the College of Arts and Sciences, he prioritized inclusively supporting and recruiting students; created a peer mentoring program to support underserved students; and partnered with students, staff and faculty to develop curricula.

“I am honored by this appointment and look forward to joining my colleagues in the College of Arts and Sciences at an exciting and pivotal time,” Maeda said. “I know that, working together, we can arrive at a clearer focus of roles among the college’s three divisions—one that supports both divisional goals and college goals—with our students as beneficiaries and our faculty and staff as full partners.” 

Moore said details on a search for an interim dean of undergraduate education to succeed Maeda “will be released in the coming days.”

Maeda is a professor of ethnic studies in the College of Arts and Sciences who joined the ��ƷSM����ӰƬ faculty in 2005. He is an accomplished scholar and teacher whose latest book, “,” explores the cultural, historical and geographical impact of Lee on the global stage. In 2023, he won the 2023 Chang-Lin Tien Leadership in Education Award by the Asian Pacific Fund, celebrating the legacy of Chang-Lin Tien, the first Asian American to head a major U.S. university as chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, and recognizes Asian/Pacific Islander American educational leaders.

Maeda holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Harvey Mudd College, a master’s degree in ethnic studies from San Francisco State University, and a master’s degree and a doctorate in American culture from the University of Michigan.