Arizona State University announced, yesterday, that it has appointed interim Dean Douglas Sylvester as the school's new permanent dean. Sylvester, who joined the law school in 2002, has a very contemporary CV: before teaching, he had a Bigelow Fellowship at the University of Chicago and was a lecturer-in-law at both Chicago and Northwestern, before moving to ASU.
At the same time, he represents the sort of dean I've blogged about repeatedly: the graduate of a non-elite law school. Doug received his JD from the University of Buffalo School of Law. Except for a few ultra-elite schools that count on reifying elite status via the decanal hire, the educational pedigree of a dean candidate appears less important than his or her ability to actually do the job well. And for better or worse, a person with a non-elite JD has to be particularly effective to make it in the academy. By all accounts, Doug fits this bill precisely.
I'm thrilled to hear this news. Every inter-action I've had with him reveals a deft and generous touch, and I think and hope he'll continue to lead ASU ably!
Posted by: Markel | March 27, 2012 at 11:43 PM
I tend to think that the university did him a disservice by highlighting the US News ranking as the main reason for his appointment. Right up front in its announcement, after saying he was appointed interim dean in May 2011, ASU indicates that he is the one who accomplished all the following in the 4 months between his appointment as dean and the voting on US News ballots:
"During his time as interim dean, the College of Law’s national academic rankings have improved significantly. According to U.S. News & World Report’s 2013 "Best Law Schools," the quality of ASU’s College of Law improved across the board – in the caliber of students it attracts, the quality of education students receive, its reputation among academic peers, the recognition among judges and lawyers around the country, and its employment track record."
Posted by: DL | March 28, 2012 at 10:39 AM