School of Arts and Sciences

Announcing Tasha Oren as Dean of Academic Affairs

Associate Professor of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies and Director of the Film and Media Studies Program Tasha Oren has been appointed as a Dean of Academic Affairs for the School of Arts and Sciences
Tasha Oren

Dear Colleagues, 
 
I write to share the exciting news that Tasha Oren, Associate Professor of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies and Director of the Film and Media Studies Program, has been appointed as a Dean of Academic Affairs for the School of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1, 2025. Her expertise and impressive research in arts and humanities along with her proven leadership and collaborative skills make her the ideal choice for this important role. 
 
As communicated earlier this spring, we are shifting our current academic deanship model to one where each of our three deans specializes in a broad disciplinary area. We are still exploring what configuration will best support our school and are considering the following groupings: (1) STEM, Laboratory Sciences, and Human Services or STEM and Human Development; (2) Social and Health Sciences; and (3) Arts and Humanities. We are also integrating the SMFA faculty affairs functions with the rest of A&S. Tasha will be joining fellow academic deans Sam Thomas and Nimah Mazaheri in this effort, and will supervise all arts and humanities departments and programs on both our campuses. Tasha will take on her SMFA-related duties on July 1, and the rest of the A&S arts and humanities portfolio on September 1, 2025. The deans will be in touch with departments and programs over the summer months to discuss this transition.
 
Tasha joined the Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies Department at Tufts in 2017 and took on the role of Director of Film and Media Studies in 2021. Her research and teaching areas include film, television, media industries, and culture. She is the author of two books, Demon in the Box: Jews, Arabs, Politics, and Culture in the Making of Israeli Television (2004) and Food TV (2023), and the co-editor of several books including The Handbook of Contemporary Feminism; Global Currents: Media and Technology Now; East Main Street: Asian American Popular Culture; Global Asian American Cultures;  and Global Television Formats – Understanding Television Across Borders, which won the Best Edited Collection prize from the Society for Cinema and Media Studies. Tasha has also published numerous articles on film, television, Asian American Studies, screenwriting, Neurodiversity, and food media, sits on the editorial boards of several journals, and is a former book review editor for Signs: The Journal of Women in Culture and Society. 
 
I would like to thank the A&S Advisory Committee, who provided helpful input on the nominations I received for this important position, as well as the interview participants for their time and thoughtful feedback on the candidates.
 
I am delighted to welcome Tasha to our leadership team! Please join me in congratulating her on this new role. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Bárbara M. Brizuela
Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences