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Michael
Bailey
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| Robert
S. Harris |
Harris
named Darden dean
Staff Report
Robert
S. Harris, a senior faculty member at the Colgate
Darden Graduate School of Business Administration and chief
learning officer for United Technologies Corp., was named dean
of the Darden School on Wednesday.
The
school’s seventh dean in its 47-year history, Harris succeeds
Edward A. Snyder, who resigned last May to become business dean
at the University of Chicago. As Darden’s dean, Harris will
become the Charles C. Abbott Professor of Business Administration.
“Bob
Harris’ strong teaching and research credentials, combined
with his global experience as a corporate officer for a Fortune
50 company, make him the ideal choice to lead the Darden School
at this promising time in both the school’s and the University’s
evolution,” U.Va. President John T. Casteen III said. “He
has articulated a vision that will build on the school’s
growing international reputation as a leader in addressing today’s
critical business issues.”
In
the coming year, the Darden School will complete a major expansion
of its facilities and technology infrastructure as it prepares
to increase enrollment in its MBA program in 2002. The school’s
executive education program last year involved more than 120 programs
worldwide.
“There
isn’t another graduate business school in the world that
has a stronger sense of mission than Darden,” Harris said
in accepting his new post. “What makes this truly a rare
opportunity is the chance to lead an institution that for all
of its nearly 50 years has been dedicated to developing leaders
who make the world a better place.
“The
key to meeting competitive and difficult marketplace challenges
is building upon a sound foundation. I have tremendous confidence
in Darden’s future as a global leader in management education,
based upon our sense of purpose, the strength of our people and
the quality of our partnership with a great university.”
Among
his near-term objectives for Darden, he said, are developing strategies
for increasing the school’s global capabilities and influence,
applying emerging technologies to enhance Darden’s professional
development mission, and expanding the role of its scholarship
in addressing crucial business issues.
As vice president and chief learning officer at United Technologies
since 1998, Harris has designed and directed the education, training
and development programs for a corporation of more than 150,000
employees with operations and facilities in all but four countries
of the world.
“This
is an unusual but highly significant qualification for a graduate
business school dean,” said C. Ray Smith, Darden’s interim
dean since May, who chaired the search committee that unanimously
recommended Harris. “He has a unique perspective on the match
between marketplace requirements and curriculum and research content
that will be invaluable to Darden’s future role in management
education.”
With
a $60 million gift from U.Va. alumnus Frank Batten Sr. nearly
two years ago, faculty and students at Darden’s Batten Institute
have begun to explore how new sources of economic and societal
value are created. As part of this effort, Darden is developing
a new series of executive education programs and conferences for
firms in Northern Virginia.
Harris,
51, whose research has concentrated on corporate finance, financial
markets, and mergers and acquisitions, has held the C. Stewart
Sheppard Professorship of Business Administration since 1990.
He has written financial textbooks, numerous articles in academic
journals, computer tutorials and a series of business cases and
teaching notes.
He
joined Darden’s faculty in 1988, having previously taught
at the Universities of North Carolina and Pennsylvania and at
the London Graduate School of Business Studies. From 1990 to 1993
he was Darden’s associate dean for faculty.
A
summa cum laude graduate of Davidson College, where he was elected
to Phi Beta Kappa, he earned his Ph.D. in economics at Princeton
University.
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