Iris S. Levine Appointed Interim Dean of CEIS
Iris S. Levine was recently selected to serve as interim dean of the College of Education and Integrative Studies (CEIS). Levine, who has been the dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) since 2018, will take on the additional role, bringing breadth and a fresh voice to her new two-year appointment, which was effective Jan. 22.
Levine replaces Dean Jeff Passe, who will be joining the faculty of the Department of Educational Leadership in the fall.
“I am grateful and appreciative of Dr. Passe for his years of service as the Dean of CEIS from July 2017 to Jan. 2021,” said Provost Sylvia Alva. “I thank Dr. Levine for assuming the additional role as interim dean of CEIS. Dean Levine is deeply committed to the core values of Cal Poly Pomona. She is a champion and leader in creating an inclusive and learning work environment. She brings an open and collaborative leadership style that recognizes the importance of creating a culture where employees are affirmed, appreciated, and supported.”
Levine holds a master’s degree in choral conducting from Temple University and a doctorate degree in musical arts from the University of Southern California. She joined CPP in 1990 as a faculty member in the music department and was promoted to department chair in 2000. In 2017, she was appointed interim dean of CLASS and in 2018 was selected as dean.
During her time at CPP, she has led a campaign to raise $2.5 million to buy and maintain 29 new Steinway & Sons pianos and make CPP an “all-Steinway school.” In 2015, she completed her goal, bringing CPP’s total number of Steinway pianos to 30.
When she became interim dean of CLASS, she spearheaded a strategic planning process for the college and a personal mentoring program to improve student retention rates.
In addition to her roles at CPP, she is also founder and artistic director of VOX Femina Los Angeles, a nationally acclaimed women's choral ensemble that performs music primarily written by female composers.
Over the course of a stellar career, Levine has won national awards including “Who’s Who of American Universities and College.” She has performed at prestigious conferences such as the American Choral Directors Association Conference, on numerous occasions, and the International Alliance for Women in Music Conference. Levine is also the editor of The Iris S. Levine Treble Choral Series published by Pavane Publishing.
“Thank you to all who have welcomed me to this wonderful college,” said Levine. “I look forward to acquiring more knowledge about CEIS and continuing to achieve great things for our community. Over my 30 plus years at Cal Poly Pomona, I have worked with many CEIS faculty and staff and I appreciate the strong relationships between CLASS and CEIS. Let’s continue to build upon those strengths.”
For more information about CEIS, contact Ashley Jones at ashleyjones@cpp.edu.