The college announced Music Department Chair Rosita Sands has been named interim dean for School of Fine and Performing Arts, according to a June 20 email sent to faculty and staff from President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim.

Sands will replace Onye Ozuzu, who accepted a position at the College of the Arts at University of Florida, Gainesville, last month, as reported May 30 by The Chronicle.

In her 18 years at Columbia, Sands has been an associate director of the Center for Black Music Research and taught in the Music Department. She also worked as the associate chair and interim chair of the Music Department until being promoted to chair in 2016, according to the email.

Sands will begin July 1, and serve for two years while a nationwide search for a new dean continues.

Story developments to come.