Interim provost: Galvan, Freinkel appointments move UO forward

Dennis Galvan has been appointed vice provost for International Affairs and Lisa Freinkel has been appointed vice provost for Undergraduate Studies, Interim Senior Vice President and Provost Scott Coltrane announced recently, in a message to the University of Oregon community.

Galvan, a professor of Political Science and International Studies, served the UO as vice provost for International Affairs for the past 18 months in an interim capacity and has now been named to a regular appointment.

Galvan has been at the UO since 2001. He was the director and department head of International Studies from 2005-09, chair of the African Studies Committee from 2004-08 and director of the Ethnic Studies Program from 2003-04. He has done extensive fieldwork in West Africa, especially Senegal, and in Central Java, Indonesia. He was a Fulbright Fellow in Senegal from 2009-10.

Galvan is also the co-founder and co-director of the Global Oregon Initiative, which will form the core of the new Global Studies Institute within the Office of International Affairs.

“I am certain that Dennis’s extensive background and research in international affairs will help the UO to expand its global outreach,” Coltrane said.

Freinkel is an associate professor of English and Comparative Literature and has served as head of Comparative Literature since 2004. She has been at the UO since 1995. Her teaching has been recognized with both an Ersted award and a Williams Fellowship.

Freinkel created Comparative Literature's "translation pedagogy" program in 2005. Her current research explores the notions of “mind” and “mindfulness” in liberal education.

Freinkel’s publications include, “Reading Shakespeare's Will: The Theology of Figure from Augustine to the Sonnets,” and articles on a variety of topics including Kantian critique, psychoanalysis and early modern encounters with Buddhist Asia.

“Lisa’s impressive credentials and proven track record will help raise the bar for all UO instruction,” Coltrane said.

- by UO Office of Strategic Communications