Howard University Names the Next Dean of Its College of Arts and Sciences

Rubin Patterson has been named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at historically Black Howard University in Washington, D.C.. He will begin his new duties in July.

Currently, Dr. Patterson serves as chairman of the department of sociology and criminology, a position he has held since 2014. He previously served as a professor of sociology at the University of Toledo in Ohio. Dr. Patterson also held several administrative posts at the University of Toledo including chair of the department of sociology and anthropology, director of Africana Studies, and director of the Institute for the Study and Economics Engagement of Southern Africa. He has served as a visiting fellow at Morehouse College and the University of Maryland. Additionally, Dr. Patterson was a research associate at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa and a visiting professor at the University of Ghana.

In addition to teaching, Dr. Patterson serves as chair of the Howard University Self Study, a campus-wide initiative created in preparation for the 2019-2020 accreditation review by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. He is responsible for implementing a comprehensive academic and administrative review process to address academic achievement and financial stability.

“As a proud Howard alumnus, and being incessantly conscious of the extraordinary weight of our legacy and mission, I am humbled by this opportunity to serve the University,” Patterson says. “However, I am especially excited about the opportunity to help advance, in broad terms, recognition of the College as a leader among colleges of arts and sciences nationally, as well to further enhance the success of our faculty and students as dynamically productive leaders and innovators who transform societies.”

Dr. Patterson holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary physics and electrical engineering from Florida State University, a master’s degree in engineering management from George Washington University, and a Ph.D. in sociology from Howard University.