June 4, 2026
Dear Colleagues,
Carissa Slotterback, who has served as the Dean of the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) since 2020, has shared with me that she will be leaving the University, effective August 3, 2026, to accept an exciting opportunity as Dean of the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions at Arizona State University.
During her tenure at Pitt, Carissa has provided thoughtful, strategic, and deeply collaborative leadership to SPIA. Her time as dean has been marked by lasting accomplishments that have strengthened the school’s academic mission, expanded its reach, and elevated its national profile.
Most notably, she led the successful development and launch of the school’s undergraduate program in public policy—an important milestone that has transformed the school. This achievement has created new opportunities for students and helped to position the school’s programs for success in the future.
Carissa’s leadership has also been defined by her unwavering commitment to public service, interdisciplinary collaboration, and student success. She has fostered a culture of innovation and engagement across SPIA while strengthening partnerships throughout the University and beyond. Her impact on the school and the broader Pitt community will be felt for years to come.
In addition to her work at SPIA, Carissa has played a central role in advancing the University’s Year of Discourse and Dialogue initiative and our important partnership with the Institute for Citizens and Scholars (C&S). Over the past two years, her leadership helped establish a strong foundation for this work through contributions to the general education update, enhanced faculty development through the Center for Teaching and Learning, strengthened co-curricular programs such as Welcome Week, and deeper connections among colleagues across the University around civic discourse and dialogue.
In the time ahead, I will provide additional information regarding an interim plan while we explore the next chapter of leadership for the school.
Please join me in thanking Carissa for her outstanding leadership and many contributions to Pitt and in congratulating her on this new opportunity. I am deeply grateful for her service to the University of Pittsburgh and wish her every success in her next chapter.
Regards,
Joe
Joseph J. McCarthy
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor
William Kepler Whiteford Professor
University of Pittsburgh