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College Leadership

Message from the Dean

Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences! LAS has a strong foundation at Illinois, with a tradition of nearly 100 years of excellence in our core missions of scholarship and education.

LAS is home to over 600 faculty, international leaders in their areas of study, scholars whose core mission is the creation and dissemination of knowledge at the highest level. The innovative, path-breaking accomplishments of our distinguished faculty are leading change in the world and are a tremendous source of pride for the institution.

With more than 14,000 students, LAS has extended its tradition of excellence and maintained vitality through more than 70 programs of study, including new interdisciplinary majors and minors in fields that address today’s most urgent societal issues. LAS graduate students prepare for leading roles in academia and in the public and private sectors; LAS undergraduates are engaged in vibrant curricular and co-curricular activities designed to ready them for lives as leaders and citizens of the 21st century.

With more than 150,000 living alumni, LAS provides an ongoing connection to the University of Illinois for many former students. We are delighted to acknowledge so many members of the LAS family and hope that alums visit often to stay up to date on activities and events in the college, either through this virtual portal or by travel to campus. The legacy and impact of LAS are readily apparent through the astonishing and impressive achievements of our alums.

The dean’s office team in LAS is available to assist students, faculty, staff, and alums (see summary of team members). The LAS dean’s office strives to lead efforts to advance academic excellence and innovation in scholarship, undergraduate and graduate education, engagement, and economic development; and to serve and support the units within LAS.

With best wishes,

Ruth Watkins, Dean