UMass Amherst Names Barbara Krauthamer as Dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts

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AMHERST, Mass. — Barbara Krauthamer, professor of history, dean of the graduate school and senior vice provost for interdisciplinary programs and innovation at UMass Amherst, has been appointed as dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts by John McCarthy, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs.

“In the view of all groups of stakeholders, Barbara Krauthamer emerged as the top candidate in a national search that drew applicants from major universities across the country,” said McCarthy. “I look forward to continuing to work with her in this new leadership role.”

While the university responds to COVID-19 outbreak on a variety of fronts, Krauthamer says she is prepared and eager to take on her new role and its challenges.

“I am honored and excited to serve as dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. Our society and our university community face significant challenges in the months ahead, and I am confident that the faculty, staff and students in the college will work together to address them as we move forward,” said Krauthamer. “I am grateful that I can count on their resiliency and dedication.”

As senior vice provost, Krauthamer has taken on a leadership role in supporting innovation in the university’s degree and certificate programs, particularly those that transcend disciplinary boundaries or respond to new and emerging opportunities. 

In her role as dean of the Graduate School, to which she was appointed in 2017, and previously as associate dean for student inclusion and engagement, she created multiple fellowship programs and an office for inclusion and engagement to support the recruitment and retention of traditionally underrepresented graduate students. 

As a member of the faculty since 2008, Krauthamer has worked closely with master’s and doctoral students in history as well as Afro-American studies; women, gender, sexuality studies; and other departments across campus. 

Krauthamer is a widely recognized leading historian of African American slavery and emancipation in the United States. She is the author and editor of a number of textbooks and non-fiction books, including her work as co-author of “Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery,” which received a number of honors, most notably the 2013 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in Non-fiction. Her research and books have been profiled in many media outlets, including the “New York Times,” CBS Evening News, National Public Radio, Pacifica Radio and CNN as well as in media outlets in the United Kingdom, France and Italy.