Feb. 26, 2020
Chris Woodley • cwoodley@mailbox.sc.edu

Executive Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Interim Provost Tayloe Harding announced that Associate Dean for Curriculum Ronald Pitner has been appointed interim dean of the College of Social Work. Pitner will succeed current Dean Sarah Gehlert, who will begin her new appointment as dean of the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work on April 15.

“I want to thank Dean Gehlert for her tireless leadership. It will be an honor and privilege to build upon the progress that she accomplished during her tenure,” Pitner said. “As the interim dean, my goal will not be to make significant changes during this transition period. Rather, it will be focused on continuing to build community among our faculty, staff, and students, and relationships with our community partners at the local, state, and national levels. I also want to continue to increase our research productivity and assure that we can offer a high quality and challenging classroom experience for our students.” 

“I can think of no better choice for interim dean than Ron. He has served as the associate dean for curriculum and knows the school’s functioning well,” Dean Sarah Gehlert said.

Pitner joined the faculty of the College of Social Work in 2009. In addition to his current position as associate dean for curriculum, he also serves as director of the I. DeQuincey Newman Institute for Peace and Social Justice and is an affiliate faculty for the Research Consortium on Children and Families. As Endowed Chair and Director of the I. DeQuincey Newman Institute for Peace and Justice, Pitner ensures the institute continues the mission of civil rights leader I. DeQuincey Newman by promoting social justice through education, consultation and research. He received a Master of Social Work and Ph.D. in social work and psychology from the University of Michigan.