Amy Kind, the Russell K. Pitzer Professor of Philosophy, has been named Director of the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies, CMC President Hiram E. Chodosh and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty Peter Uvin announced Thursday.
Professor Kind will guide the center's research, study, and experience in art, literature, history, philosophy, and other fields in the humanities as a means to understand and develop the power and use of the imagination. She has published extensively on the imagination and phenomenal consciousness.
"We are pleased to have her leadership in our efforts to expand the visibility and impact of the important work of our faculty and students in the humanities," Chodosh and Urvin wrote in their letter announcing the appointment, which is effective July 1.
On the CMC faculty since 1997, Kind has served in several senior leadership positions at the College. She was Interim Director of the Gould Center in 2011-2012, Chair of the Philosophy Department from 2009-2012, and Associate Dean of the Faculty from 2005-2008. Last year, she received the Presidential Award for Merit. Professor Kind has also received the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award and the Roy P. Crocker Award for Merit. She served as President of the Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology in 2016-17 and on the Board of Officers of the American Philosophical Association from 2014-2017.
Professor Kind received her A.B. in Philosophy from Amherst College, and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Tau of California at CMC.
Professor Kind succeeds Professor Robert Faggen, Barton Evans and H. Andrea Neves Professor of Literature, who has made rich contributions to the College as Director of the Gould Center for the past 10 years. Professor Faggen has enriched the CMC community’s connection to the humanities and the arts through a broad offering of seminars, guest lecturers, Athenaeum speakers, and cultural experiences off-campus.
He was the driving force behind the establishment of the Milosz Institute at the Center, the performance of Philip Glass’ Book of Longing, an exhibition of Leonard Cohen’s artwork at the Athenaeum, and most recently, the commission of Mary Weatherford’s mural, “From the mountain to the sea,” and its installation at the Athenaeum.