Matthew S. Santirocco became dean of the College of Arts and Science in 1994.

Santirocco is also Professor of Classics and Angelo J. Ranieri Director of Ancient Studies at New York University.

Before coming to NYU in 1994, Dean Santirocco was Professor and Chair of Classical Studies and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. He also chaired the Classics Department at Emory University and has taught at the University of Pittsburgh, Columbia University, and Brown University. At NYU, Santirocco founded and directs the Center for Ancient Studies, which promotes interdisciplinary and cross-cultural study of the past through undergraduate and graduate courses, annual conferences and colloquia, an international scholars program, and summer outreach seminars for faculty from throughout the United States.

With research interests in Latin literature, Greek poetry, and the classical tradition, Santirocco's publications include a book on Latin lyric poetry (Unity and Design in Horace's Odes), edited volumes of essays on the classical tradition (Latinitas: The Tradition and Teaching of Latin), and Horace (Reconsidering Horace), as well as many scholarly articles. In addition, Santirocco has been the editor of the American Philological Association's two monograph series, American Classical Studies and Philological Monographs, and is currently the editor of the quarterly Classical World.

Santirocco has served as Vice President for Professional Matters for the American Philological Association and is now Financial Trustee of the Association. He has received grants from the Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation, the American Numismatics Society, the American Council of Learned Societies, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Santirocco holds a B.A. (1971) from Columbia University, a B.A. (1973) and M.A. (1977) from Cambridge University, and an M.Phil. (1976) and Ph.D. (1979) from Columbia University.