CONWAY, Ark. (November 1, 2013) – The Hendrix College Board of Trustees announced today
that Dr. William M. Tsutsui will become the 11th President of Hendrix
College beginning June 2014.
Dr. Tsutsui comes to Hendrix from Southern Methodist University where he led
Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, the largest of SMU’s seven colleges and
schools, as Dean and Professor of History. A specialist in modern Japanese business
and economic history, his published books examine topics ranging from banking policy
to the film icon Godzilla.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are extremely pleased and excited to
welcome Dr. Tsutsui as the 11th President of Hendrix College,” said Hendrix alumnus
David Knight, Chair of the Hendrix College Board of Trustees and Co-Chair of the
Search Committee. “We are very fortunate to have such an accomplished academician
and administrator to lead Hendrix into an exciting new era.”
Hendrix senior and President of the Student Senate Neelam Vyas served on the
Search Committee, consisting of students, faculty, staff, and trustees.
“Throughout the interview process, Dr. Tsutsui continued to engage and excite
the Search Committee,” she said. “He captivated us with his personality, humor,
and familiarity with the Hendrix story. His continued commitment to his own scholarly
pursuits embodies our community commitment to excellence in our academic core.”
SMU President R. Gerald Turner praised Tsutsui for his leadership. His collaborative
relationship with faculty allowed Dedman College “to achieve significant and rapid
progress in developing innovative programs, establishing new endowed chairs, and
advancing research.”
“It is not surprising that Dean Tsutsui would be tapped for a college presidency
as the next step in his distinguished career as an administrator and educator,”
Turner said. “We wish him the best of luck.”
Prior to joining SMU, Tsutsui served as Associate Dean for International Studies
in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Kansas where he was a
history professor and director of the Kansas Consortium for Teaching About Asia
in KU’s Center for East Asian Studies.
A Texas native, Tsutsui received a Ph.D. in history at Princeton University in
1995, and a Master of Arts in history there in 1990. He received a Master of Letters
in Modern Japanese History from Oxford University’s Corpus Christi College in 1988
and graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts in
East Asian Studies in 1985.
“I am deeply honored for the opportunity to serve as President of Hendrix,” Tsutsui
said. “Today, despite the challenges faced by all liberal arts colleges, Hendrix
holds an enviable position. Your Hendrix Odyssey has clearly energized
the campus and provided focus, identity, and national profile in a crowded academic
marketplace. I firmly believe that Hendrix is well prepared for the challenges ahead
and I look forward to working with the trustees, faculty, staff, and students to
make a real contribution to Hendrix’s future.”
Tsutsui’s wife, Dr. Marjorie Swann, received a Ph. D. in 17th Century British
Literature from Oxford University’s Corpus Christi College and will join the Hendrix
faculty in the English department.
Tsutsui succeeds Dr. J. Timothy Cloyd, who has served as president of Hendrix
since 2001.
W. Ellis Arnold, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Dean of Advancement,
will continue to serve as Acting President until Dr. Tsutsui’s presidency begins
in June 2014.
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is a national leader in engaged liberal arts
and sciences education. For the sixth consecutive year, Hendrix was named one of
the country’s “Up and Coming” liberal arts colleges by U.S. News and World Report.
Hendrix is featured in the latest edition of Colleges That Change Lives: 40
Schools That Will Change the Way You Think about Colleges as well as the 2014
Princeton Review’s The Best 378 Colleges, Forbes magazine's list
of America's Top Colleges, and the 2014 Fiske Guide to Colleges. Hendrix has been
affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. For more information, visit
www.hendrix.edu.