Georgetown University Dean of Admissions Charles Deacon (CAS ’64, GRD ’69) will transition to a two-year role as dean of admissions emeritus and senior adviser to the interim provost beginning June 30, the university announced May 1. 

For 54 years, Deacon has signed the admissions letter for accepted students, reviewing nearly 800,000 applications and admitting 170,000 students to Georgetown throughout his tenure. Beginning July 1, the current director of undergraduate admissions, Melissa Costanzi (COL ’95, GRD ’18), will become the dean of admissions. 

Soyica Diggs Colbert (COL ’01), the interim provost, said the university community is thankful for Deacon’s career and dedication. 

“Please join me in congratulating Dean Deacon on his transition to Dean of Admissions Emeritus and Senior Advisor to the Interim Provost,” Diggs Colbert wrote in the announcement. “We are grateful for his leadership and stewardship of undergraduate admissions at Georgetown.”

Deacon originally joined the admissions office in 1965 and became dean in 1972. In 1978, Deacon oversaw the adoption of a financial aid policy to meet the full needs of eligible undergraduate students. 

Throughout his tenure, Deacon helped found the Community Scholars Program, a program supporting multicultural first-generation students through mentorship and resources, and the Georgetown Scholars Program, a cohort-based program for FLGI students.

Deacon also oversaw Georgetown’s admissions during major changes to the college admissions landscape with the end of race-based affirmative action, beginning with the Class of 2028. 

Still, Deacon was the head of admissions throughout an ongoing price-fixing lawsuit, originally filed in 2022 against 17 universities. The lawsuit alleges that a group of universities, including Georgetown, illegally colluded to use a shared financial aid formula that reduced students’ financial aid. According to court filings, Deacon allegedly sent an annual memo to admissions staff stating that certain students should be admitted because of special interests tied to donations and financial contributions. 

Georgetown has not reached a settlement in court, and the lawsuit could move to trial, though the universities still are contesting the claims and plan to appeal the decision to let the case go forward. 

When she becomes dean of admissions, Costanzi will oversee the first year of Georgetown’s three-year trial on the Common Application, a prominent college and university application website. Costanzi will also begin her tenure as dean amid changes in higher education regarding international policy that have already affected the proportion of international students on campus.