Faculty Appointments for 2006 -07

Long-time Head of the History Department Charlie Griffith has been appointed a Dean of Students, beginning his tenure with the Class of 2010. Charlie was head of the department for nine years and will continue his teaching duties where he is popular for bringing history to life in the classroom. Charlie is a graduate of Middlebury College, where he was an All-College Scholar and earned his master’s degree in history from Yale. He came to Westminster in 1994 and is the 2001 recipient of the O’Brien Award, given to a member of the faculty who has been selfless and generous with time and care in the nurture and support of Westminster students.

The new Head of the History Department is Elizabeth “Betsy” Tanzosh. Betsy and her husband Drew came to Westminster in 2004 from Berkshire School in Massachusetts, where she taught Advanced Placement U.S. History and European History, and was a reader for the AP US exam. Betsy holds a BA from Middlebury College and an MA from Yale. In addition, Betsy and Drew will have a new addition to their family this summer, with the birth of a new baby. Betsy’s own life has been one of great experiences as she studied abroad in Australia, and at Oxford College, completed the Middlebury Year Abroad in France, and did a graduate program in Scotland at the U.S. Consulate.

Peter B. Ulrich is the recently appointed Head of the Mathematics Department and replaces Douglas Allen who has moved to the Development Office. A graduate of Middlebury College, Peter received his MALS from Wesleyan College. He was selected for the Klingenstein Summer Institute at Columbia University in 1986. Prior to coming to Westminster in 1996, Peter was the Head of the Mathematics Department at Dublin School in New Hampshire. He also taught at Robert Louis Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California. Peter is married to Siobhan Ulrich, is an administrative assistant in the Admissions Office.

The former head of the Mathematics Department Douglas Allen is changing focus to become Director of Planned Giving in the Alumni and Development Department. Douglas is no stranger to the world of finance, however, since he holds a JD degree from the University of Illinois, and has worked in the financial market in New York. Douglas was raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he attended Holland Hall School. He graduated from Yale with a double major in mathematics and philosophy. He has been a member of the Westminster faculty since 1993.  

Richard P. “Scott” Berry will be returning to a familiar position as the Head of the Science Department. He formerly served as interim Head during the 1991-92 school year.  Scott has taught Science at Westminster since 1971, including Biology, Physics, and Human Physical Anatomy. He returned full-time to the classroom this past year following nine years as the Athletic Director. He will be replacing Mark de Kanter ’91, who will still be teaching Biology and Chemistry, as well as coaching. Scott graduated from Amherst College and received his MEd from the University of Hartford. He was the Swayze Award recipient in 1998 for his outstanding contributions to the life of the school.
 
Back from a sabbatical year, Michael Cervas will return as Head of the English Department. Westminster's English Department Head for the past twenty years, Michael teaches all levels of English and serves as faculty advisor for The Martlet.  He is also the founder and director of the Westminster Poetry Series which annually brings a renowned poet to campus for a two-day visit. He is planning another exciting Poetry Festival for 2007.  Michael spent 2005-2006 on sabbatical, reading history, science, and literature, writing poetry, learning more about gardening, cooking, and photography, and playing basketball, tennis, and squash. He holds an AB from the University of Notre Dame, and an MA and PhD from Brown University.