Appointment of Lynn O’Brien Hallstein as the next Assistant Provost for General Education
From Amie Grills, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Affairs
This past spring, we announced an internal search to identify a new assistant provost for general education. We sought candidates who would bring intellectual leadership, strategic vision, and collaborative focus to the University-wide undergraduate general education program, the BU Hub. After a rigorous search, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Lynn O’Brien Hallstein as the next assistant provost for general education, effective July 1, 2023.
Professor O’Brien Hallstein is the associate dean for faculty research and development, the director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning, and a professor of rhetoric in the College of General Studies. She is affiliated with both the Center for Innovation in Social Science, and the women’s, gender, and sexuality studies program at BU. Her extensive scholarship in both communication and motherhood studies has helped define and shape the emerging interdisciplinary work between these fields. Dr. O’Brien Hallstein has authored multiple award-winning books, widely-cited journal articles, essays, and chapters centering on contemporary motherhood rhetoric.
Dr. O’Brien Hallstein has an extensive record of University-wide service and involvement, serving on a multitude of committees and task forces both within CGS and for the University at large. Notably, she has been a part of the inaugural Hub Council since its establishment in 2019, playing a key role in the review and assessment of learning outcomes, requirements, and policies for the BU Hub, and coordinating with campus partners to ensure ongoing assessment and collaboration. In addition to this role, Professor O’Brien Hallstein also serves as chair for the Cross-College Challenge Steering Committee, supporting the continued development of this signature program of the Hub. Her work in these areas, in addition to many other cross-university committees, has given her a deep knowledge of the undergraduate experience at BU and the needs of an expansive general education program, both of which position her to identify and cultivate opportunities for future growth and improvement.
Professor O’Brien Hallstein is a member of the National Communication Association, and she serves on the editorial boards for two editorial publications while also providing essay reviews for many other publications. She holds a doctorate in communication specializing in rhetorical and critical/cultural studies from the Ohio State University, a master’s degree in speech communication also specialized in rhetorical and cultural studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from the University of Pittsburgh.
Through extensive conversations about her ambitions for the BU Hub, it was quickly clear that Professor O’Brien Hallstein’s scholarly credentials, action-oriented leadership record, interdisciplinary curriculum development, and enthusiasm for general education make her the ideal candidate to take on the assistant provost role. In addition, Professor O’Brien Hallstein has demonstrated her ability to cultivate strong partnerships with faculty and staff throughout BU, and to meaningfully connect with students and their families – key attributes for leading an intricate and wide-reaching general education program for a major research university.
Professor O’Brien Hallstein assumed the assistant provost position on July 1, 2023. Please join us in congratulating her as she takes on her new role. Please also join us in thanking Professor David Carballo, who has served as the inaugural assistant provost for general education since 2019, for his exemplary intellectual leadership and dedication to general education at BU.
Finally, I would like to express gratitude to the dedicated faculty and staff from across the university who participated in assessing candidates for this position. We look forward to building on the impressive development and execution of the BU Hub over the last five years, and to continue to provide the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind that will enable students to thrive in their personal, professional, and civic lives.
Appointment of Lynn O’Brien Hallstein as the next Assistant Provost for General Education – 07.05.23