The search is on for a new dean of the Charles H. Lundquist College of Business. The current dean, Phil Romero, said he has decided to step down in June after accomplishing his goals for the school.
Two finalists have been selected so far from a pool of about 75 applicants from around the world, College of Arts and Sciences Dean Joe Stone said.
“We’re looking for someone who can provide strong leadership … both academically and for the faculty and students,” said Stone, chair of the business school’s dean search committee.
Kenneth Evans — associate dean of the College of Business at the University of Missouri-Columbia and a finalist for the position — met with a group of students on Jan. 6 to discuss his potential role at the University.
Senior business major Amanda Condon said she attended the meeting because she thinks it’s important for students to be involved in the process of choosing a new dean.
“I think he should be accessible so he knows what the students want,” she said about the individual selected as the new dean.
Senior business major Nick Bogen said the new dean should have a strong focus on undergraduate students in the college and added that students should be involved in the decision.
“I just feel it’s kind of my duty,” he said. “I have an interest to see further success of the business school.”
Evans told students at the meeting he is interested in solving the many problems an administrator faces, which he considers “an interesting puzzle.”
“I think the dean provides academic leadership to the college,” he said.
He said some of his goals for the college would be to bring more visibility to the school and more private funding for scholarships.
The second finalist, James Bean, University of Michigan’s associate dean for academic affairs at the College of Engineering, is expected to visit campus near the end of January, Stone said.
Throughout the hiring process, one person’s input will be missing; Romero said he isn’t participating in the search for his replacement.
“I am deliberately staying away from the dean search because I don’t want to introduce any of my biases in it,” Romero said.
Romero said now that he has accomplished his main goals for the college, it is time for some “fresh blood” to take over.
His largest goal, which Romero calls his “800-pound gorilla goal,” was the new building for the college of business.
Romero’s other goals included making the business school more competitive in order to keep up with the business-education industry.
“It’s critical that a program differentiates itself,” he said.
Romero said he also raised national and international visibility and ensured the school was re-accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business.
Romero said he isn’t sure yet what he will do after he steps down as dean at the end of June, but one option is to remain as a faculty member at the University and teach.
“I thought it was a good time to quit while I was ahead,” he said.