Jane Atkinson

When Jane joined the Lewis & Clark community in 1978 as an assistant professor of anthropology, the size of the faculty was growing, along with strong interest in interdisciplinary engagement, curricular innovation, and the role of writing in the learning process. Team teaching in the general studies program and engaging with colleagues across disciplines broadened Jane’s intellectual horizons and perspective on the liberal arts. Jane taught for three years in the society and culture program, and then led the process that resulted in a new set of general education requirements, including the Basic Inquiry course. Engaging with colleagues in the development of the Gender Studies Program opened new avenues in her teaching and Southeast Asian research. As the first anthropologist appointed to the sociology department, she led the effort to design and implement an integrated sociology-anthropology major, known today as SOAN.

In 1995, Jane was named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. From 2000 until her retirement in 2018 she served as vice president and provost. Through these years of significant institutional change and growth, she also had occasion to serve in various interim capacities—including dean of the graduate school (twice), vice president for institutional advancement (twice), and in 2009–10, as president. This work gave her an exceptional vantage for understanding the workings not only of Lewis & Clark’s three schools, but also of the institution as a whole. She is keenly aware of how far the college has come over its history—and she eagerly awaits the next chapter of its story.

Given her deep involvement in institutional administration, Jane understood the importance of stepping back from a public role in college affairs upon retirement. She has focused on maintaining—and renewing—ties with students, alumni, and former colleagues across the institution, as well as responding when assistance is requested. As the pandemic abates, she is looking forward with great pleasure to spending more time on campus.