Former professor returns to UNL as Dean of College of Performing Arts

The Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts has selected Charles "Chuck" O'Connor  to replace former dean Giacomo Oliva.

O'Connor is eager to return to University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he began his career in 1993 as a professor in UNL's Department of Theatre Arts.

O'Connor was drawn to apply for the position because of his close relationship with Nebraska.

"I loved living in Lincoln and loved the university," he said.  

One thing O'Connor is excited about is the changes the university has gone through and its entrance into the Big Ten.

O'Connor is currently the dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Indiana University-Purdue University, located in Fort Wayne, Ind. O'Connor runs a program that emphasizes music and multiculturalism. In addition, he helped build a music technology academic program and brought in African and Chinese art as well as music to the Fort Wayne community.

"It helped foster a more diverse experience on campus," he said.  

O'Connor is a graduate of theater from California State University, Northridge. He went on to receive his Master of Fine Arts degree from University of Southern California,

One of O'Connor's fonder experiences at UNL involves film. He helped build the film department at UNL that eventually became the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film.

"Building the film program was really special," he said.

Robert Woody, associate professor of music education at UNL, sat on the 12-person-committee that hired O'Connor and was impressed by his vision. Woody continued that O'Connor articulated himself well in describing that vision and added that O'Connor would provide the leadership going forward for the college.

"He is very forward in his thinking for the future of the college," he said.

O'Connor said he wants UNL to have the next premier performing arts school.

"I want to find out what it looks like and how to create it," he said adding that his 10-year-plan for students of the college is to be not only premier students in the Big Ten, but also in the country.

Another quality that stood out to Woody is how O'Connor embraces new technology, while still finding a balance between that and the traditional arts.

O'Connor describes himself as a man of many hobbies, some of which include traveling, learning new languages and watching productions with his wife.

"I'm semi-fluent in Spanish," he said with a laugh.

O'Connor feels that his experience at Nebraska and other places will work in his favor as the new dean.

"I think I'll live up to the challenge," he said.

LARRYBROWN@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM