Leadership Transition at the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,

With deep appreciation and a touch of bittersweetness, I share that Dean Jessica Lang, PhD, of the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, has accepted a position as Dean of Arts and Sciences at Fordham University, effective July 1, 2025.

While we will greatly miss her leadership at Baruch, this is a well-earned opportunity for Dean Lang to take on a new role leading a division with more than 1,200 faculty members, 20 departments, and a wide range of interdisciplinary programs at the core of Fordham’s liberal arts and sciences education.

A Creative, Committed Leader
Dr. Lang joined Baruch in 2004 as an assistant professor of English and later served as department chair before becoming interim dean in 2020 and permanent dean in 2022. Over these past five years, she has spearheaded forward-thinking initiatives, expanded academic programs, strengthened faculty research, and secured transformative philanthropic support.

Among her many contributions to Baruch, several stand out as lasting milestones:

• Served as founding Newman Director of the Sandra Kahn Wasserman Jewish Studies Center, building partnerships across New York, the U.S., and globally.
• Launched new academic programs, including the Jewish Studies Minor, majors in Black and Latino Studies and Computer Science, and a minor in Computer Science.
• Secured Weissman’s largest gift since its naming—a nearly $2 million grant from the Edmond J. Safra Foundation.
• Established a new opportunity for Zicklin students to double major in Weissman programs—a first at Baruch.

Thanks to her leadership, Weissman is on a strong trajectory for continued growth and innovation.

A Look Ahead
I am pleased to announce that Professor and Chair of Psychology Jennifer Mangels will serve as interim dean of Weissman beginning July 1, 2025. Dr. Mangels is widely respected across Baruch. Among her many service activities, she has led Weissman’s Personnel and Budget Committee, served on the strategic planning committee, and currently co-chairs the Governance Review Committee. Associate Director of the Wasserman Jewish Studies Center, Dr. Sarah Valente, will assume interim leadership of the Center. National searches for both positions will begin soon.

Please join me in thanking Dr. Lang for her outstanding service and dedication to Baruch College. We wish her the very best in this next chapter of her distinguished career.

Sincerely,

S. David Wu, President