Professor Natalie McKnight to Step Down as Dean of the College of General Studies

From Dr. Gloria Waters, University Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Dean Natalie McKnight, who has led the Boston University College of General Studies (CGS) with distinction since 2013, has announced that she plans to step down from her leadership role at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 academic year and return to the faculty.

A nationally recognized scholar of Victorian studies, Dean McKnight has been a respected member of the CGS faculty since 1990, serving as chair of the Humanities Division and associate dean for faculty research before her appointment as interim dean in 2013 and as permanent dean the following year. Over the course of her deanship, she has expertly steered CGS through growth and change, guiding the college’s transition in 2020 from September to January admissions; expanding its curricular and experiential offerings, including its first minor in interdisciplinary studies; and helping develop its immersive six-week Boston-New England and Boston-London programs, the latter of which was singled out in 2019 for the Association for General and Liberal Studies’ Exemplary Program Award.

Dean McKnight’s leadership has likewise been felt at the University level, where she has been a valued partner and embodied the teamwork model of teaching and learning for which CGS is known. In addition to the many dean searches and classroom education committees she’s led or been actively involved in, Dean McKnight was pivotal to BU’s pedagogical efforts throughout the COVID pandemic, collaborating with faculty and administrators to deliver best practices for moving courses online and helping lead the initiatives that followed around remote staff work and the future of residential education. To all these endeavors, Dean McKnight brought immense dedication, creativity, collaborative energy, and institutional knowledge. The results are a stronger BU and a College of General Studies that consistently turns out talented, accomplished students well-positioned for success in the remainder of their undergraduate studies.

Dean McKnight will begin a sabbatical at the conclusion of the spring semester and return to the faculty following its completion. To ensure continuity in leadership as we move forward, I plan to appoint an interim dean for the 2026–27 academic year, with a formal search commencing at that time. My successor will then work with the search committee to identify the next permanent dean for the college following their appointment.

As we prepare for this transition, please join me in thanking Natalie McKnight for her leadership at Boston University and at the College of General Studies.

Professor Natalie McKnight to Step Down as Dean of the College of General Studies – 10.24.25