Gross is very at home discussing academic matters, as a man who has spent most of his life learning and teaching. And though he is taking on new responsibilities, he says undergraduate education will remain a central focus of his deanship.

In the Office

Back at University Hall, Gross meets Executive Dean of the Faculty Nancy L. Maull to discuss the restructuring of the College administration.

Maull is leading a committee that was appointed by Kirby in March after he made the decision to merge the offices of dean of the College and dean of undergraduate education.

Gross says he is taking the opportunity to work with the committee to help to shape the new position so as to best fit his interests.

“I need to think about what will work for me. One advantage of restructuring after I know that I have the position is that I get to consider what suits me best in terms of structure.”

The lingering question is whether the man who can explain Heisenberg parabolics like a recipe for chocolate cake will be able to fulfill the disparate demands of his new job.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to do [all the responsibilities] in the same way Lewis does,” Gross says. “I will have to delegate. Personal contact is essential for establishing a level of trust, but I can’t be everywhere at once.”

Gross has already made it clear that leading the curricular review is one of his chief priorities, and thus he is not likely to be as involved in overseeing the nitty-gritty details of student life as his predecessor.

“I am planning to lead the Ad Board the first year,” Gross says. “I’m new, I have to learn about it, see how it works myself, meet the senior tutors, see how the Leaning committee will affect it.”

But he adds that he’s not sure what leadership role he will play after the first year.

Gross says he is also considering creating a dean for student life under his office.

Even if he delegates, Gross will have to balance with substantial care the sometimes conflicting demands of students, faculty members and administrators.

Lewis had a reputation for taking a hard line on initiatives he felt were important to the college. But it was sometimes unclear how much weight Lewis carried with the Faculty and the administration.

The temperate math professor obviously brings a different style to the position.