Drummond New Dean of Architecture

Robert Wayne Drummond, professor and former dean of architecture at the University of Florida, has been named dean of the College of Architecture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

With approval by the NU regents, Drummond will become Nebraska's second dean of architecture on July 1. He will succeed Cecil Steward who retired in December after 26 years. N. Brito Mutunayagam is interim dean.

"I am delighted that Wayne Drummond will be joining us as dean of the College of Architecture," said Chancellor James Moeser. "Dean Drummond has had a distinguished career as dean of architecture at the University of Florida, as well as faculty and administrative positions at a number of distinguished institutions. He is clearly one of the outstanding architecture deans in America, with an outstanding record of professional work as an architect in this country and abroad. This is an appointment that will be noticed in the national architecture community. Florida's loss is clearly Nebraska's gain."

A fellow of the American Institute of Architects since 1996, Drummond comes to Nebraska with more than 30 years' experience in architecture at both the professional and academic levels. His experience includes 12 years as dean of colleges of architecture at major universities, Texas Tech University from 1987 to 1990 and Florida through May 1999, when he stepped down to take a one-year sabbatical leave. During leave he concentrated on high-end digital computer skills and exploring information technologies and their potential for global electronic distance education.

Drummond said Nebraska's reputation was a primary factor in his decision.

"The first thing that attracted me is the fact that the College of Architecture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has had a national reputation for quite some time. Cecil Steward, whom I have known for more than 20 years, has provided national leadership, and the school has that reputation," Drummond said.

After receiving a master of architecture degree from Rice University in 1969, Drummond worked briefly for a private firm in Houston, then served as an assistant professor in the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Urban Design from 1969 to 1975. While at KU, he also worked as director of planning and design for Kiene and Bradley Partnership Architects of Topeka and Kansas City.

From 1975 to 1977, he was an associate professor in the Clemson University College of Architecture, then returned to private practice for two years as director of architecture and planning for Henningson, Durham and Richardson International in Washington, D.C. He was alumni professor and department head of the Auburn University department of architecture from 1979 to 1987 and received the department's 1987 Outstanding Faculty of the Year award. In 1984-85 he went on leave to work for Rice as senior research associate and educational consultant to King Faisal University College of Architecture and Planning in Saudi Arabia. Widely traveled, he has had educational study and travel experiences in 32 countries on every inhabited continent.

Smith Kudos Story Reprinted

Due to a production problem, the final paragraph of the March 9 story regarding University Kudos was inadvertantly omitted. The paragraph is repeated in full here.

Doris Smith, clerical assistant I in the English department, has been with the university since 1986. Smith is assigned to answer the phone, receive visitors to the main office and assist in the communications efforts for the English department. She also keeps the calendar for the Bailey Library and sees to it that reservations and responsibilities of the use of the room are managed appropriately. She helps plan and implement department office functions, ranging from formal ceremonies to informal birthday parties.

"Her kindness, courtesy, and genuine interest in people put them at ease and make them feel that here is some who will really try to help them. And they are right. She will do anything she knows how to help students find their way, or their professor, or their path through the paperwork," said one of Smith's nominators.