News in Brief: Joel Silverman named next Morse College dean at Wed. study break

By Kanya Balakrishna
Thursday, May 3, 2007

English lecturer Joel Silverman will be the next dean of Morse College, Yale College Dean Peter Salovey announced to Morse students at a Wednesday night study break.

A writing teacher in the College and the School of Management, Silverman has also taught courses in American studies. His academic interests include biography and autobiography, masculinity, and rhetoric and its relation to topics including socio-cultural reform and the law. He is currently working on a biography of civil liberties attorney Morris Ernst.

Silverman will replace current dean Alexandra Dufresne, who has filled the position since fall 2005.

Silverman — who will live in Morse with his wife Alba Estonoz, a pastry chef at local restaurants Zinc and Chow, and their son Noah — said that during his two years at Yale, he has been continuously impressed with the caliber of students at the University. He said he hopes he will be able to work even more closely with them from the position of dean.

“I’m excited, my family is thrilled and my dog is panting,” Silverman said.

Dufresne announced her plans to leave in October 2006. Subsequent to her announcement, Morse College master Frank Keil led the search committee that selected Silverman.

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