School News
Marjorie Hass selected as fifteenth president of Austin College
By Austin College
Nov 25, 2008

SHERMAN, TEXAS — Dr. Marjorie Hass, provost of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, has been selected to serve as the fifteenth president of Austin College.  She will begin her duties on July 1, 2009.

Her appointment was recommended by a search committee composed of trustees, faculty, staff, and alumni and student leadership, and was approved by the Austin College Board of Trustees on Friday, November 7, during its fall meeting. 

In accepting the appointment at Saturday’s plenary session of the Board, Dr. Hass was accompanied by her husband, Dr. Lawrence Hass, professor of philosophy and theatre arts and director of the Theory and Art of Magic program at Muhlenberg College, and their two children, Cameron, 19, and Jessica, 14.

“Austin College’s values are inspiring, and I am excited about so many things about this institution and its people,” said Dr. Hass.  “We are thrilled to be joining this warm and welcoming community.”

She added, “My initial interest was piqued by the College’s strong academic reputation, particularly in areas such as language learning and global awareness.  As I learned more, I became deeply impressed by the extent to which faculty are taking advantage of the College’s location to support environmental and regional studies, and by the way the College is using its internal commitment to service, leadership, and ethical decision-making to mark its excellence with distinction.  Austin College has been nationally recognized as a college that changes the lives of its students.  I am eager to be a part of moving the College to its next level of success and ensuring that future generations of talented students have the opportunity for an Austin College education.”

Dr. Hass was appointed Muhlenberg’s first provost in 2004, after having served since 2003 as interim Dean of the College and Vice President for Academic Affairs.  Before that, she was director of Muhlenberg’s Center for Ethics, from 2000 to 2003.  Dr. Hass began her career at Muhlenberg in 1993, teaching in the philosophy department, and she earned tenure in 1998 and promotion to full professor in 2006.  She specializes in the philosophy of logic, the philosophy of language, and feminist philosophy, and earned her Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1993 and her B.A. and M.A. degrees at the same institution in 1987 and 1989.

“As testament to its increasing national stature,” said Robert M. Johnson, chair of the Austin College Board of Trustees, “the College attracted a strong field of outstanding candidates for its leadership position.  The selection of Dr. Hass is affirmation of our confidence that she is a rising star ideally suited to define and realize what we know will be a continued bright future for Austin College.”

This sentiment was echoed by Dick Agnich, chair of the search committee and vice chair of the Board of Trustees.  “Margie Hass has already accomplished much in her dynamic academic career,” he said, “and we are excited to have her come and lead Austin College, where she will achieve even more.”  Agnich added, “She understands and respects the things that make Austin College a special place.  At the same time, she will not be afraid to make changes and lead in whatever directions are necessary for Austin College to thrive in the coming times, whether these times are difficult or easy ones.”

Agnich also applauded the search process, which he described as “very thorough and very open.”  In particular, Agnich was pleased with the active participation of the entire campus community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the College.

“There’s no question that Austin College has hit a home run with this appointment,” said Dr. Peyton R. Helm, president of Muhlenberg College.  “Margie is a brilliant and accomplished scholar, a gifted administrator and problem-solver, and a visionary leader.  She has a knack for putting people at ease and for motivating them to act.  She understands and respects the work of the faculty and enjoys the company of students.  Most important, she is a woman of courage and integrity -- who knows what’s right and doesn’t hesitate to do it.  We are going to miss Margie here at Muhlenberg, where she has accomplished so much, but she is going to be a great president for Austin College.”

In her role as provost, Dr. Hass initiated an innovative program that created new funding and faculty development opportunities for teaching methods that bridge the gap between theory and practice.  As a result, faculty-student research collaborations, study abroad experiences, and service-learning opportunities at Muhlenberg increased in number, depth, and quality.  In addition, through a combination of good planning and flexibility, Muhlenberg was able to increase the size of its tenure-track faculty over the past five years and create a number of new interdisciplinary programs.

An experienced and energetic spokesperson for the singular importance of liberal arts education for individuals, communities, and for global citizenship, Dr. Hass said she is eager “to bring Austin College’s unique vision and distinctive strengths to the attention of a broader national audience.  At the same time,” she added, “any residential college needs a president who is prepared to participate actively in the life of the institution and its surrounding community.  This will be a special delight for me at Austin College, and I look forward to being a part of the Sherman and greater Texoma communities.”

“We all look forward to welcoming Dr. Hass to Austin College,” said Dr. Oscar C. Page, who has served as president of Austin College since 1994 and announced this past March that he would be stepping down.  “I am eager to begin working with her to achieve a smooth transition of leadership, and I know our senior administrative staff will be very supportive in this process as well.”

In advance of beginning her official duties on July 1, 2009, Dr. Hass expressed excitement about meeting with students, faculty, staff, and alumni as opportunities allow.

About Austin College

Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located just north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas.  Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges that Change Lives.