Congratulations! New dean of arts and science at MU named

MU’s College of Arts and Science is getting a new dean with an interest in old things.

Provost Brian Foster announced on Friday the appointment of Michael J. O’Brien as dean of the College of Arts and Science, the largest college at MU. Since 1986, O’Brien, 55, has served as the associate dean of the college under two previous deans, Dick Schwartz and Larry Clark. O’Brien will make the same salary as his predecessor, $175,000 per year.

“He’s been a fine associate dean,” said colleague Jay Gubrium, chair of the sociology department. “It was well-deserved.” Gubrium has known O’Brien four years and said he is easy to work with.

O’Brien’s research focuses on the integration of evolutionary theory in archaeology. Of the 24 books O’Brien has written or edited, “Applying Evolutionary Archaeology,” was the most controversial. O’Brien and Lee Lyman, the department chair of Anthropology, wrote the book, which was published in 2000.