Michael Martin Named New Fordham Dean

In what must be called an unexpected turn of events, Fordham University has selected Michael Martin as the new dean of the law school.  Martin has been the interim dean since the departure of Dean Bill Treanor for Georgetown.  Why is the news unexpected?  

Check back to the recent updates to our dean search list.  There were three finalists for the Fordham deanship: Tom Lee, Robert Schapiro, and David Partlett. After a flurry of activity - including a declined offer and withdrawl - there were no candidates left standing.  So it appears that the university simply moved forward on Dean Martin.

From the university administration's point of view, this makes a ton of sense.  What university president wants a key college operating without permanent leadership?  He probably perceived that Fordham couldn't afford another year of dean searching. And by his actions, the president is telling us that he liked working with Martin and trusted him.  In any other college within a university, this decision would probably have been a no-brainer.

Of course, when it comes to law schools things aren't so simple.  Standard 206 of the ABA accreditation regulations requires that a law school dean  be chosen with the advice and consultation of the faculty or a representative body thereof.  And the dean cannot have substantial faculty opposition.  

It is not at all clear that a university administration must hold a vote or even consult with the faculty at large when picking a dean.  For example, if the president's move was approved by the dean search committee (and I don't know if it was), this might qualify as the necessary "representative body."  Similarly, it seems like he could probably conduct a straw poll of faculty to insure the absence of substantial objection. And my understanding is that the faculty broadly respects Dean Martin.  

But this story is sure to generate some interesting buzz.

Update: I have learned that Dean Martin's candidacy was considered and supported by the dean search committee.  The committee includes eight law school faculty members.

Comments

[anon]

Let the "Dean Martin" jokes begin! (Cf. "Back to School" with Rodney Dangerfield.)

[Anon]

The way this was made public is surprising to me. Fordham was on a roll under Treanor. I would have thought this opening would have attracted successful deans wanting to step up or leading professors with clear potential. Not that Martin won't be brilliant in the job, but the way this came about, with Martin not even being on the list of candidates, it has a stopgap feel to it. Even assuming that the faculty is one hundred percent behind and totally supportive of Martin, it has not been packaged in a way that helps him appear from day one as the best candidate who has emerged from a pool of strong candidates.