GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 05 Apr 2006
Affiliations: HHonors Diamond, BGS Honor Society
Posts: 5916
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2009
WE:Business Development (Consumer Products)
Re: Booth's dean goes to Yale
[#permalink]
21 Jan 2010, 06:58
To: Chicago Booth Community
From: Edward A. Snyder
I want to thank everyone who reached out after I announced last fall that I would end my responsibilities as Dean on June 30th of this year. Chicago Booth is an incredible community and I shall miss leading a school that has such high integrity and standards. That said, the tradition of Deans serving at most two terms is important to Booth’s culture, as it ensures new leadership perspectives and helps our community challenge itself even further.
In my earlier communication, I explained that my immediate plan after June 30th was to take a one-year sabbatical. Following that, I am pleased to have decided on the next phase of my professional career: I have committed to a “forward contract” to become Dean of the Yale School of Management beginning in the 2011-12 academic year.
As anyone who has contemplated leaving a great organization, such as Booth, for a new opportunity knows, one confronts many considerations and a mix of emotions. One consideration is timing. The advantage of this timeline is that I will be able to complete this academic year as Booth’s Dean without conflicts of energy. In this regard I have shared with my close colleagues, President Zimmer, our professional staff, and others, a summary of important goals and objectives that will guide me over the remainder of this academic year. A major component of this “game plan” is maintaining our strong focus on supporting our students and alumni in their professional and career development efforts.
Another consideration when making a change is career impact. This personal news represents, of course, my decision to continue as a business school dean. I consider myself to be some combination of academic leader, professor, and person with deep interests in business practice and public policy. For those reasons, I find the role of a business school dean extremely satisfying and unique. I will look forward to the opportunity to help the Yale School of Management build a stronger future. The greatness of the University of Chicago and the force of Chicago Booth, however, will always be a large part of me.
While a new challenge is exciting, it is balanced with my pride in Chicago Booth. Given our exceptional faculty and their impact on diverse fields, the unprecedented quality of our students and our applicants, the continuing and diverse achievements of our alumni, our momentum on the career front, our highly-regarded staff, and our excellent financial condition – I am confident that Booth will continue to move aggressively on a superb trajectory. I also believe that we are on track for a good transition that will enhance Booth’s goals.
I want to again express that it is a great privilege to be a part of this community of faculty, students, alumni, and staff and to thank several groups of people. Stacey Kole, Richard Leftwich, and Mark Zmijewski constitute the best team of Deans anywhere and they are supported by our superb Senior Staff: the Associate Deans who lead major components of our programs and the Executive Directors who run large parts of the Chicago Booth enterprise. I benefit greatly from the people to whom I report, including President Bob Zimmer, Provost Tom Rosenbaum, and those who guide and support Booth in their roles on the University’s Board of Trustees, our Council, and our Global Advisory Board. Finally, it is simply terrific to be around our great faculty, students, and alumni, whose energy and aspirations keep me feeling positive about our school and the world.
Ted Snyder signature
Edward A. Snyder