September 13, 2013
Holly Williams, professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, has been appointed as the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Accreditation in the College of Fine Arts.
"Professor Holly Williams is an accomplished professional dancer and choreographer, a proven teacher, and a veteran administrator who will insure that the college's graduate programs rank among the best in the country and that all our programs comply thoroughly and transparently with a widening array of regulatory oversight,” said Douglas Dempster, dean of the College of Fine Arts. “This isn't a glamorous portfolio, but it is absolutely essential to the College of Fine Arts meeting its mission."
“The College of Fine Arts at UT is at the center of creative and scholarly graduate work in higher education in this country,” said Williams. “I am excited to work with Dean Dempster to further the College’s excellent mission by further developing its accrediting and assessment processes and continuing innovation of its graduate programs.”
Williams’ responsibilities include monitoring and regulating graduate program enrollment throughout the college in consultation with department chairs and directors the Graduate School. Williams will oversee the administration of the College of Fine Arts and Graduate School fellowship funding, as well as manage graduate student assistantships in support of the undergraduate curriculum, graduate student recruitment and retention. She will be responsible for the implementation and oversight of all reporting and assessment of the college’s graduate programs.
Williams has a B.A. from Barnard College/Columbia University in New York and an M.F.A. from Texas Woman’s University. She joined the faculty of the Department of Theatre and Dance in 1995. She is professor of dance, former M.F.A. Dance program head and former interim chair of the department. She has served as president of the American College Dance Festival Association, the largest organization serving dance in higher education in the U.S. Williams has been on the dance panels for the National Endowment for the Arts, Dance/USA and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation.
She has performed nationally and internationally with the companies of Laura Dean, José Limón and Mark Morris. Williams' choreography for the Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, Austin Theatre Alliance, Dallas Theatre Center and the concert stage have won her national acclaim.