After a year of serving as interim dean, Phil Hartman has been named the dean of the College of Science and Engineering, according to an email from Provost Nowell Donovan.

Hartman has served as the interim dean since former Dean Demitris Kouris resigned last April. 

Hartman has been a biology professor at TCU since 1981 and has published numerous academic works since 1976.

“His scholarship is nationally recognized, his stewardship of the Pre-Health Professions Program has been superb- it is ranked as the best in Texas- his teaching wins accolades from generations of students and his integrity in all matters is absolute,” Donovan said about Hartman.

“I’m ecstatic,” Hartman said. “I’m even more excited than I thought I would be.”

The former professor of biology said he has several major goals looking forward into his first year as dean.

He said he hopes to maintain the “excellence of the college that is already in place” through continuing to attract a great faculty, which he sees as the hallmark of the college.

Furthermore, Hartman said he plans to continue the development of new webpages for the college and each department, develop a mission, vision and value statement for the college, and attempt to increase scholars and endowed chairs.

As the interim dean, Hartman was able to re-implement funding for undergraduate research under SERC, the Science and Engineering Research Center.

Hartman said the college was also able to maintain top choices in all five of their faculty searches over the past academic year.

The new dean said this accomplishment “was really a testament to TCU and the college reputation, but I am very proud.”

Ray Drenner, professor of biology and chair of the biology department, said Hartman “will be an outstanding dean.”

“He has done an outstanding job as interim dean, which is a very good predictor of the job he’ll do,” Drenner said.

Another of Hartman’s colleagues, instructor of biology Gail Jones, said she has worked with Hartman in the past and said he was an “all around good person.”

“He’s a very hard worker and he really cares about TCU and this department,” Jones said.

Leo Newland, professor of biology and geology, spoke of Hartman’s commitment to unifying the college and working with faculty and students alike.

“Hartman brings camaraderie among faculty in the college that will be beneficial to the college as a whole,” Newland said.

Drenner also said Hartman showed a commitment to unifying the department.

“He is very committed to the teacher-scholar model and believes in shared governance,” Drenner said. “He takes input from faculty, staff and students and seeks a consensus between all parties.”

Hartman said he appreciates the opportunity given to him to pursue new challenges in the dean’s office.

“A great deal of why I’ve enjoyed this opportunity is getting to work with great people in the dean’s office, department chairs, faculty, students and the TCU community as a whole,” he said.

Steve Weis from the department of engineering said in an email that 41 people completed applications for the position.

"I am sure Dr. Hartman will continue to build on our successes and raise our visibility within the community," he said.

This story was updated on Friday, April 12, 2013 at 4:19 p.m.