Finalists to become the next dean of the University of Oregon School of Law will be in Eugene this month to meet with campus stakeholders.
Faculty members, staff and students will be invited to meet with each of the finalists during the weeks of Feb. 10 and 17. Up to four candidates will be visiting campus, and each finalist will engage in a public talk, conducted in hybrid mode.
Details about the candidates will be released in advance of their visits on the Office of the Provost website, along with an online survey where community members can share their observations.
This is an important time for the law school, said Christopher P. Long, provost and senior vice president.
“In the past few years, the school has succeeded in growing critical programs, enhancing its commitment to diversity and inclusion, strengthening interdisciplinary research and collaboration across the university and community, adapting to a changing landscape in bar licensure, and enhancing student advising and support, which has resulted in improved rates of bar passage and career placement for graduates,” he said.
“The ideal candidate will be an authentic and collaborative leader with a demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching and research, who is capable of nurturing a culture of trust in the School of Law and across campus.”
Reporting to the provost and senior vice president, the dean of the School of Law is the chief academic and administrative officer for the school and is responsible for developing and implementing academic strategies; recruiting and retaining faculty, students, and staff; and managing organizational and financial structures that promote excellence in research, scholarship, creative practice and education.
The dean will work with university administration, faculty, staff, alumni and other internal and external leaders to promote the national and international visibility of Oregon Law and to ensure that resources align with its strategic objectives and potential. The dean is a member of the Provost’s Council and the president’s university leadership team.
Oregon Law’s 141-year legacy as a leader in legal education continues as a top-tier public law school. In the annual national ranking of law schools released by U.S. News & World Report, the school is the only law school in the Pacific Northwest to boast three nationally top-ranked specialty programs: legal writing, environmental law and dispute resolution.
The candidate search has been led by a committee composed of law faculty, staff and students, and cochaired by Sabrina Madison-Cannon, dean of the School of Music and Dance, and Stuart Chinn, Frank Nash Professor of Law.
The next dean will succeed Marcilynn Burke, who left Oregon last spring to become the law dean at Tulane University. Orlando John and Marian H. Hollis Professor of Law Jennifer Reynolds has been serving as interim dean.