Neil Porterfield, dean of the College of Arts and Architecture
and executive director of the University Arts Services, has announced that
he will retire effective June 30, 2000. A search committee will be formed
shortly to identify new leadership for the college.
New offerings in the college under Porterfield's tenure include dance, which formerly was offered in the College of Health and Human Development; museum studies; stage management; music theatre; master of landscape architecture; and several interdisciplinary programs, as well as a watershed stewardship graduate program in joint venture with the College of Agricultural Sciences.
The Departments of Architecture and Landscape Architecture have been brought together as a school, and the Department of Integrative Arts has been placed within the School of Visual Arts as a means for achieving administrative efficiencies and encouraging interdisciplinary programs and collaborations.
International requirements have increased significantly, and the percentage of college majors engaged in international study is the highest of all Penn State academic units. The percentage of graduate students and faculty engaged in international research, performances and presentations has doubled over the last five years to 40 percent, and these activities now reach more than 34 countries.
Porterfield joined Penn State in 1985 as professor and head of the Department of Landscape Architecture and was appointed dean in 1993.
He is currently a member of the University World Campus Steering Committee and the University Park Campus Master Planning Advisory Committee. He also has served on the Faculty Advisory Committee for the Research Park, was chair of the Facilities Planning Advisory Board and was a member of the Task Force on the Arts and Liberal Arts. Next year, he will serve as chair of the Council of Academic Deans.
From 1964 to 1985, he was associated with Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum Inc., one of the world's largest design firms.
In 1985, Porterfield was appointed by former President Reagan to the seven-member Commission of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C., and was subsequently elected vice-chairman of the commission, a position he held until 1993. He has numerous professional affiliations, has been the recipient of many design awards, a jurist for national and international design competitions and is frequently an invited speaker at national conferences and professional meetings.
Porterfield received a B.S. in landscape architecture from Penn State and a master of landscape architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Harry Knupp has retired from Penn State after 32 years of service. He started as a custodian in HUB Operations, and transferred to the University Libraries' Receiving Room in 1971.
He began in the Libraries as a shipping-receiving clerk, and was promoted to stockroom clerk B in 1972. In 1974, Knupp was promoted to stockroom clerk A, and he remained in this position until his retirement.
Knupp attended Penns Valley High School and served in the U.S. Army. He worked for Fisher Electronics in Milroy before coming to Penn State.
During his retirement, Knupp hopes to travel to Europe. He plans to spend his free time hunting, fishing and gardening.
Joan Thomas, staff assistant in Continuing Education at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, has retired after serving the University for more than 27 years.
Thomas began her career at Penn State on a part-time basis at University Park in February 1972 in the College of Health and Human Development. She soon became a full-time employee and stayed at University Park until 1975. She then became the full-time staff assistant to the director of Continuing Education at Penn State Wilkes-Barre and also worked for James Campbell and the current director of Continuing Education, Ina Lubin.
Thomas was a charter member and twice-elected president of Wilkes-Barre's staff assistant's Office Personnel Organization.