Cunningham Named Interim Dean of School of Public Health and Health Sciences

John Cunningham, deputy provost at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has been named interim dean of the campus’ School of Public Health and Health Sciences.

His appointment, which was announced May 12 by Charlena Seymour, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, is effective July 1.

Cunningham, who is a professor in the nutrition department, is expected to lead the school for up to two years, when a national search for a permanent dean will be conducted, said Seymour.

As interim dean, Cunningham will be responsible for leading the school’s planning initiatives, spearheading fund-raising activities and shepherding the school through its upcoming re-accreditation process.

SPHHS has 41 tenure-system faculty, 570 undergraduate and more than 400 graduate students in the departments of public health, communication disorders, exercise science and nutrition. The school also offers a distance learning master of public health degree. The Center for Nutrition in Sport and Human Performance, Center for Research and Education in Women’s Health and the Northeast Regional Environmental Public Health Center are headquartered in SPHHS.

Cunningham was appointed deputy provost in 1999 after serving nearly three years as faculty advisor to the provost. He was also acting director of the Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration program in 1996-97.

A member of the faculty since 1986, he was head of the nutrition department from 1989-94 and co-director of the nutritional support service at the Shriners Burn Institute from 1986-94.