Since arriving at Colorado State University in 2016, College of Liberal Arts Dean Ben Withers’ impact, like his personal presence, has been quiet but significant. From raising salaries and implementing a career advancement structure for contract and continuing faculty to investing in the college’s research and artistry enterprise, Withers has proactively and collaboratively worked with college and university partners to elevate the liberal arts at CSU. After eight years as dean and many significant accomplishments to move the college forward, Withers is leaving CSU to take on a new challenge as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University.
Articulating the value of the liberal arts
As an art historian specializing in medieval Old English manuscripts, Withers takes a passionate and direct approach to articulating the value of, and the values of, the liberal arts.
“The subjects traditionally tied to a liberal or ‘freeing’ education such as history, literature, philosophy, music, art, the social and natural sciences, will remain key elements in higher education,” Withers said. “They are the products of human creativity, ingenuity and expression – and the foundation for understanding key aspects of our common humanity and our place in the universe.”
“A liberal education, however, is not just a collection of subjects. It is an approach to learning; it is a set of intellectual skills that develop a disciplined understanding of standards while at the same time problematizing the assumptions and practices we’ve inherited. These skills that broaden the mind, what are often identified as ‘critical thinking’ or ‘problem solving’ or effective communication, have proven powerful in the long term.”
Planning for success
With an eye toward elevating the college and liberal arts values, Withers certainly knew where he wanted to direct the college when he arrived, but he didn’t want to approach it top-down, or by himself. He understands the value of collaboration and a collective approach, as evidenced by the process he led to create two college strategic plans over his time here.
First, Withers had conversations with department chairs who were asked to answer the question, “What does your department want to pursue, and how will you get there?” Second, he formed a guiding coalition and three task forces of faculty and staff from across the college focusing on different elements of the organization: research, teaching and the workplace.
“Ben is a gifted and inclusive administrator; he exercises a guiding hand and encourages creativity and leadership from the broader team,” said Elissa Braunstein, former chair of the Department of Economics and current associate dean for research and graduate programs, who will serve as interim dean after Withers’ last day on Feb. 16.
Growing the college
The robust strategic planning process bore fruit and Withers’ accomplishments growing the college are many. Since 2016, through an improved and directed communication and recruitment strategy, the College of Liberal Arts increased the size of its incoming class by over 30%, with a record-high first year enrollment of over 700 in 2022. Under Wither’s leadership, the college hired nearly 100 new tenure-track faculty, tripled sponsored research awards to $5 million, and, in conjunction with the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, significantly increased faculty and staff salaries.
In partnership with the CLA Advancement team, Withers helped raise $57 million in external donations since 2016, including the largest single donation in college history of $15 million. Withers worked with CSU System Chancellor Emeritus Joe Blake to create the Blake Leadership Scholars program and the Joe Blake Center for Engaged Humanities, which will be housed in the newly built Clark B building.
“Supporting the National Endowment for the Humanities challenge grant for the Center for Engaged Humanities and aligning with Joe Blake funds is a transformational bundling of resources that will be a forever legacy of Joe Blake’s and Ben’s,” said Michael Carolan, professor of sociology and director of the Food Systems Institute.
Clark Building revitalization
A significant accomplishment for campus, alumni and current students, Withers, along with a team of current and former associate deans, developed the “Case for Clark” and successfully argued for campus and state funding to revitalize the campus’s most used academic building. The University has just begun construction on the $136 million renovation on Clark A and a new, four-story building for Clark B.
“For me, Dean Withers’ most important accomplishment during his years at Colorado State has been the approval and start of the Clark Building’s renovation and reconstruction,” said Bruce Ronda, former senior associate dean and professor emeritus of English. “Since his arrival on campus in 2016, Ben has been a tireless advocate for this project, seeking and gaining support from the college, the University, the state, and donors. The new Clark will serve as a tribute to Ben’s conviction that the liberal arts stands at the core of the University’s mission and vision.”
Supporting students during the pandemic
In addition to leading the college, Withers was tapped by campus administration to join a variety of campus committees, including the Provost’s Honors Program Task Force, the President’s Council on Culture and the Committee on Financial and Strategic Planning. During the pandemic, Withers co-chaired and then chaired the Teaching Continuity Recovery Team, whose aim was to serve students and faculty in the best possible way during an intense time of uncertainty and change.
“Ben is a treasured colleague and friend,” said Jody Donovan, associate vice president for student affairs. “He worked tirelessly on the COVID Teaching and Learning Recovery Response Team, making sure our students were supported holistically throughout the pandemic. I’ll miss his passion, compassion, sense of humor, and laser focus on continuous improvement on behalf of students.”
The University thematic year
A lover of dad jokes and corn hole tournaments, Withers is serious about the role of a public land-grant university in preserving and improving democracy, and specifically the role of the liberal arts in that endeavor. In 2021, Withers, along with Associate Dean Ryan Claycomb, proposed a thematic year to elevate CSU’s areas of excellence and provide a distinctive learning feature for undergraduates. Following the inaugural thematic year of health in 2022-23, the thematic year of democracy and civic engagement came to fruition in academic year 2023-24 with Withers guiding a campus-wide committee and charging a faculty-led college committee to create programming, content and reflection opportunities that would allow campus and community to wrestle with big topics and create practical solutions.
“The University’s reputation for research in areas of vital interest such as water, energy, environment and food systems is well established,” said Withers. “Not only does the College of Liberal Arts contribute to CSU’s national reputation in these vital areas with programs and faculty expertise and participation in multidisciplinary research clusters, the college has award-winning faculty who advance the University’s reputation in our specific disciplines and in the field of democracy itself.”.
Commitment to people
With all of his efforts to elevate the liberal arts and the college, ultimately, Withers is committed to the people: the faculty doing the teaching and research or creative activity; the staff helping the college fulfill its mission; and the students learning and growing and leading throughout the college.
“Ben has supported both student success and continuing, contract and adjunct faculty in tremendous ways,” said Ellie Light, assistant dean for student success and senior instructor in communication studies. “First, by making a position in the Dean’s Office for a non-tenure-track faculty member and then by supporting a variety of important programs for these faculty, including the CCAF summer conference and the interdisciplinary mentoring program for CCA. By supporting these faculty, he invested in undergraduate education and the students served by these faculty.”
Withers led efforts to improve new faculty orientation and department chair training, and to enhance transparency in annual evaluation and promotion. He hired a faculty coordinator of diversity, equity and inclusion to connect the college’s academic expertise with practical efforts to promote an inclusive climate, and he created the college’s first-ever weeklong workshop designed to develop the leadership of mid-career tenured faculty.
“Ben has spent thoughtful time and intentional energy cultivating leadership within our college,” said Michelle Stanley, associate dean for academic programs and professor of flute. “He showed support when needed, has a knack for leading people through teaching and offering autonomy, and shows compassion for developing leaders, no matter where they are in their administrative journey.”
“I wish Ben the very best in his transition to Iowa State University where he will become the next Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, and I know his departure from CSU was not a decision he made lightly,” said Provost and Executive Vice President Marion Underwood. “Though we only have engaged as colleagues a few weeks, I am grateful our paths have crossed and that I have gotten to know Ben. As an educator and academic leader, I appreciate his vision and passion for the unique and formative role a liberal arts education can play in preparing students for a rapidly-changing world.”
Supporting students
With students always top of mind, Withers has supported the undergraduate student experience by working with professor of English and then-Associate Dean Roze Hentschell on a variety of initiatives considered high-impact practices for students.
“Ben and I started our appointments in the Dean’s office on the same date, July 1, 2016,” said Hentschell, chief academic officer for the CSU System. “Reflecting on the last few years and my role as associate dean for academic programs, it is quite impressive the work that we were able to do, with his full support. That support was sometimes financial and always strategic and came from a student-focused perspective.”
A few of the College’s projects for undergraduates included the College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Research Academies, providing funding for departments to encourage their faculty to bring on undergraduate students in research projects; the CLA Interdisciplinary Team-Teaching Program, which has provided students with the opportunities to learn from faculty teams in small courses aimed on topics of high relevance to our world today; and new experiential learning opportunities for undergraduates, such as the summer program in Environmental Humanities at the CSU Mountain Campus, the Liberal Arts and Community Engagement semester at CSU Todos Santos, and new education abroad opportunities offered by departments.
“The fundamental contribution of a liberal education is the formation of well-rounded graduates, students with the ability to think through various challenges, contradictions, and tensions,” Withers said.
The College of Liberal Arts at CSU offers a strong education to students, thanks, in part, to the considerable efforts and contributions of Withers.