{"id":8065,"date":"2022-02-17T17:28:02","date_gmt":"2022-02-17T22:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/?p=8065"},"modified":"2026-05-12T13:42:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T17:42:08","slug":"julienne-empric-interim-vice-president-for-academic-affairs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/julienne-empric-interim-vice-president-for-academic-affairs\/","title":{"rendered":"Julienne Empric, Ph.D., to begin term as Eckerd College\u2019s interim vice president for academic affairs in July"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” row_position_desktop=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extraa-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” flex_gap_desktop=”10px” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”8068″ image_size=”full” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”Fade In” animation_easing=”default” animation_movement_type=”transform_y” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default”][vc_column_text]Professor Empric (far right) teaches a literature class outdoors. Photo: Sarah Richardson ’15<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” row_position_desktop=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”right” flex_gap_desktop=”10px” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]\n

Beginning in July, long-tenured Eckerd College Literature Professor Julienne \u201cJulie\u201d Empric, Ph.D., will step into the role of interim vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty.<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”32″ text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” row_position_desktop=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”right” flex_gap_desktop=”10px” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”2\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]Empric succeeds Suzan Harrison, Ph.D., an alumna of the Class of 1978, following Harrison\u2019s 10 years of service as dean of faculty<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs someone who has served on just about every faculty committee over the years \u2026 I\u2019ve had experience with the academic dean\u2019s most important interfaces with the faculty,\u201d Empric said in a note to faculty on Thursday, Feb. 17. \u201cI am immensely grateful that Dean Harrison has graciously offered her help. I hope to continue the momentum she\u2019s created in many wonderful directions over her past 10 years as our dean. And I hope to listen\u2014especially to all of you\u2014for what else needs to be done, as we head into the future together.\u201d<\/p>\n

President Dami\u00e1n J. Fern\u00e1ndez, Ph.D.<\/a>, had announced the appointment earlier that Thursday.<\/p>\n

\u201cJulie is known as a stalwart supporter of the College and a champion for the faculty; I am delighted that she accepted my invitation to serve in this role,\u201d Fern\u00e1ndez said. \u201cJulie is the right person to lead us through this transition and advance key priorities for the coming year. We will continue to pursue the multiyear initiatives in our Strategic Plan that will strengthen our problem-centered, place-based, purpose-driven education that is hand-built and hands-on for high impact.\u201d<\/p>\n

Empric\u2019s Eckerd College career began in 1974. The graduate of Nazareth College of Rochester received her Master of Arts degree from York University in Toronto and her Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame. Her primary teaching responsibilities at Eckerd include Shakespeare, English literature,<\/a> and the history of drama. Her experience began as a teaching assistant and instructor at Notre Dame before she was hired as the seminar director of the Summer Shakespeare Institute graduate program at the University of Bridgeport.<\/p>\n

Since joining the College, she\u2019s served in a number of roles outside the classroom: coordinator of Eckerd College Teaching and Learning Conversations; chair of the Letters Collegium; multiple terms as director of the Eckerd College London Study Centre<\/a>; and chair of the Foundations Collegium.<\/p>\n

Empric plans to finish teaching her Spring Semester courses\u2014Intro to Literature: Short Fiction; Children\u2019s Literature and the Environment; and Shakespeare: Page, Stage, Film\u2014before transitioning into the interim dean of faculty role this summer. During her tenure, the College will conduct a nationwide, faculty-led search for the next vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty.<\/p>\n

\u201cI find myself increasingly excited about the chance to do whatever I can in the upcoming transitional year to help continue our momentum,\u201d Empric wrote, \u201cand to capitalize on the hard work and resilience that everyone in this community has contributed, especially over the last two challenging and exhausting COVID years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harrison will return to her tenured position on the faculty after a sabbatical year beginning July 1.<\/p>\n

As vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty, Harrison:<\/p>\n