History of the College

Sherman L. Burson Jr. was the inaugural dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Chancellor E. K. Fretwell named Burson as dean in 1980, forming the college by merging what were then three separate colleges: the College of Humanities, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the College of Science and Mathematics.

Schley Lyons served for twenty years as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, from 1985 until his retirement in 2005. The college was re-named to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS) with Nancy Gutierrez serving as dean from 2005 to 2022. Upon her retirement, John Smail, history professor and dean of University College was appointed as CLAS interim dean for a two-year term.

In the fall of 2021, the University announced it would launch a review of the structure of CLAS, with Jennifer Troyer, serving at that time as Dean of the Belk College of Business, leading the committee to assess the reorganization. After a short period with a divisional model, on July 1, 2023, the University announced a full separation of STEM departments, once again forming two colleges.

On September 27, 2023, the Board of Trustees approved names for the two new colleges forming from CLAS, and the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences was founded.

In April 2024, the Board of Trustees approved Christopher Boyer, Ph.D. to serve as the founding dean for CHESS, concluding a national search. Boyer began his term on July 1.