Dean Eric T. Meyer, who was appointed the eighth dean of the School of Information in 2018, will conclude his tenure as dean this summer. He will remain in his role until July 14th.
“Over the last six years, I have watched the school go through a period of great transformation. From the launch of the undergraduate program, to opening the new space in FAC, and celebrating the iSchool’s 75th anniversary, we’ve accomplished a lot of great things together and overcome historic challenges, like the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic,” Dean Meyer said. “Through it all, it has been my honor to lead such a vibrant community of students and scholars along with our dedicated team of staff at the UT Austin iSchool.”
Dean Meyer was named the new dean at the University of California, Berkeley School of Information earlier this week. Dr. Soo Young Rieh, who joined the iSchool in 2019 as a Professor and Associate Dean for Education in 2019 and became Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in 2023, will serve as Interim Dean while the university conducts a national search for Dean Meyer’s replacement. With successful experience as an academic leader, along with research in human information behavior, search as learning, and information literacy and artificial intelligence in library settings, Professor Rieh is a trusted, strategic leader.
“I am humbled and honored to serve as Interim Dean during this transition,” Dr. Rieh said. “I am committed to fostering an environment where every member of our iSchool feels respected, supported, and empowered. In this new role, I am thrilled to continue working with faculty, staff, students, and alumni to build on our strengths and embrace new opportunities for advancing the mission of the iSchool. Thanks to Dean Meyer’s leadership, our school has transformed significantly since 2018 and is now in excellent shape. I wish Eric continued success at the University of California, Berkeley.”
In a message to the iSchool community, Dean Meyer wrote, “I am proud to have led the school through this exciting phase of growth, and I leave knowing that the iSchool has been entrusted to the capable leadership of Dr. Soo Young Rieh. It has been a pleasure getting to know and connect with everyone here; you all make the iSchool the wonderful place that it is, and I look forward to celebrating your continued successes from afar. I thank you for the privilege of having served as your dean.”