Crespino appointed interim dean of Emory College of Arts and Sciences as Krauthamer steps down

Jan. 6, 2026

Emory University has named Joseph Crespino the interim dean of Emory College of Arts and Sciences, succeeding Barbara Krauthamer, who has stepped down for personal reasons after serving as dean since July 2023. Krauthamer, a distinguished historian, will continue on the Emory College faculty. Provost Badia Ahad announced the transition Jan. 6, along with plans to launch a national search for a new dean this month.

Joseph Crespino will serve as the interim dean of Emory College of Arts and Sciences.

A member of Emory’s faculty since 2003, Crespino has served since July 2024 as the senior associate dean of faculty and divisional dean of humanities and social sciences for Emory College. He is one of the nation’s leading historians of the 20th-century United States, with research expertise spanning modern political history, civil rights and the American South. The author of three books, co-editor of a collection of essays and co-author of a leading textbook on U.S. history, his scholarship has appeared in academic journals as well as popular forums, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

“Joe Crespino brings to this position a record of scholarly achievement, teaching excellence and dedicated service to Emory College,” says Badia Ahad, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “I am confident that his deep understanding of Emory College, his collaborative approach and his commitment to our students and faculty will serve the university well as he takes on the role of interim dean.”

Before joining the Emory College Dean's Office, Crespino served six years as chair of the Department of History. He has demonstrated a deep commitment to undergraduate education, mentoring numerous students and co-leading a program sponsored by the Teagle Foundation to establish shared first-year seminars oriented around transformational texts. As senior associate dean, he has focused on faculty development and scholarship, curriculum development and strategic initiative planning.

“I have spent my entire academic career at Emory, so it is a genuine honor to serve as interim dean of Emory College,” says Crespino. “The college has so much to contribute to our community, the nation and the world. I look forward to working together with our students, faculty and staff to examine our priorities, ambitions and shared hopes for this incredible institution.”

A distinguished historian, Barbara Krauthamer will continue on the Emory College faculty.

During Krauthamer's tenure as dean, Emory College has achieved notable progress across multiple areas. The college’s four-year graduation rate increased by six percentage points, and the political science department’s U.S. News & World Report ranking rose from 19th to 18th. Under her leadership, the economics department was selected to host the 2026 North American Meeting of the Econometric Society. Krauthamer recruited and retained preeminent scholars across the disciplines and initiated a plan to strengthen Emory College’s high-performance computing resources in support of both teaching and research.

“Dean Krauthamer has made meaningful contributions to Emory College, particularly in enhancing the undergraduate experience through initiatives ranging from a collaboration with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to the redesign of the college’s orientation program and advising models,” says Ahad. “I am grateful for her dedication to advancing academic excellence and support for our students.”

According to Ahad, a national search for the next leader of Emory College will begin in January with a goal to appoint a permanent leader by the fall.

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