Steve Hedden is stepping down as dean of Kansas University’s School of Fine Arts in order to pursue a dream he had as a KU undergraduate.

“I’ve had a great privilege to serve here as dean of my alma mater and give back to a school that has given so much to me,” he said. “As an undergraduate, I’d always dreamed of being a college professor.”

Now he’ll be able to do that as a member of the school’s music department.

Hedden will step down at the end of the 2007-2008 academic year. He came to KU in 2003 and has overseen a growth in the amount of scholarships and the number of degrees the school has offered, as well as the implementation of differential tuition.

KU soon will begin a nationwide search for Hedden’s replacement, with a goal of having that person in place by next August.

“Certainly this is going to be an exciting time for that dean,” Hedden said of his successor. “The way technology continues to change will be a source of great wonderment and great frustration.”

After serving in teaching and administrative roles at the University of Iowa and University of Arizona, Hedden said the time felt right to finally step down. He said he’s proud of a long list of accomplishments he’s helped the school to reach. He cited admission based in part on portfolio reviews, new awards for alumni and new degrees as particularly important.

Larry Mallett, the music department chairman, said Hedden’s decision to step down was bittersweet. On the one hand, Mallett is losing a valuable administrator and advocate. However, he’s gaining a talented new faculty member.

“I imagine he’ll be very involved in the graduate program in music education,” Mallett said, “but that’s not a conversation we’ve had yet.”

Mallett said the arrival of a new dean would be an opportunity to step back and look at what the school needs. Dawn Guernsey, art department chairwoman, agreed.

“Whenever you have this kind of change in leadership, it’s time for reflection and a true readjustment of goals,” she said.

Guernsey said she hopes the school hires a dean who has enormous vision.

“We need someone who is in love with the arts in a contemporary setting,” she said. “It’s often thought, at least in visual art, that if you’re in the middle of the nation, there must be something wrong with you.

“That, of course, is very, very silly.”