The chair of the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies will lead the search committee to find a new dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University, the university announced Thursday.

Professor Charles Morris III, who is also an affiliated faculty member in the LGBT Studies program, was appointed to the post by Interim Vice Chancellor and Provost Liz Liddy, according to an SU News release.

“In this time of transition, we need to focus on the college’s strengths and opportunities for even greater achievement with a new leader, and Charles will be able to provide important insight, counsel and leadership in this search,” Liddy said.

The previous VPA dean, Ann Clarke, announced in early September she is stepping down at the end of the 2015-2016 academic year. She plans to return to the VPA faculty in 2017 after taking a one-year research leave.

Morris has been a professor at SU since 2013. Before that, he was a faculty member at both Boston College and Vanderbilt University, according to the release.

“This is a significant moment of opportunity for VPA, the second-largest college in the University, and I am honored to be entrusted with chairing the search committee for the new dean,” Morris said.