What's Up At Louisville Law? Interim Dean Extension Begs Other Questions

File this under a little bit unusual.  Interim Dean Susan Duncan of the University of Louisville law school has been given a three year extension of her position of interim dean.  The explanation is both odd and ominous.  According to Louisville Business First, Provost Shirley Willihnganz explained this decision as follows:

First, she said, the administration is pleased with the job Duncan, who is a candidate for the dean’s position, has done over the last two years. Also... the university “didn’t get the pool of candidates that we’d expect to get.  It’s a tough time to recruit for deans of law schools",  she said, adding that enrollments at many schools are down and universities are hesitant to commit additional resources to law schools with fewer students....U of L will suspend the its search for two years in hopes that the situation will improve, Willihnganz said, adding that she is pleased to have Duncan in place in the meantime.

Comments

[Chip]

I think her interim designation lasts as long as the average permanent one. I am reminded of Bud Selig, who was Acting Commissioner of Baseball from 1992 to 1998 before getting the permanent job he holds to this day.

[Terri S]

Really a slap in the face for her and maybe a way to keep the entire law school on a short leash. Don't know all the details, but I would turn that down if I were her.

[Jeff Harrison]

Tough one. Perhaps an interim appointment can be made without faculty involvement which raises the question of whether the Admin does not want to ask for a faculty vote. Very odd in any case.

[Anonymous]

Not an insider to this situation in any way, but my guess is that they don't want to give her or anyone else a long-term contract so that they can close the school more cheaply if it becomes necessary.

[Brian Clarke]

Probably more about not wanting to pay an executive search firm another absurd retainer. Does anyone seriously think that Louisville would close its law school? It has been in continuous operation since 1846 and is public. In short, not going to happen.

[MG]

My guess is that the administration of the university is happy with her but that some on the law faculty object to her association with legal writing. This compromise allows both to have what they want, but I'm not sure why Duncan, who is competent in the extreme, would go along.

[Prof C]

May be an attempt to control budget by not adding a new (outside)person. Rumors are other schools are doing the same.

[Tom B]

But couldn't they make her a full dean without adding cost? (Unless that move would come with a significant pay raise). This it is likely that there may be some push back from the faculty, as MG suggests. Agree with Brian, Louisville is likely not on the short list of schools likely to close. The expensive, private, low-ranked schools will be first to go.

[Prof C]

Tom is right, of course. And correctly notes the possible pay raise (though likely that's a relatively small aspect of this).
But choosing someone internally and giving that person permanent status are two different things.
I am by no means taking the university's side. But giving permanent status to someone who didn't go through the process has its own problems. And going through a process means you (the university) may not get what you want.

[Mark P. Yablon]

The issue appears to be a small applicant pool of potential deans currently rather than a doomsday scenario. There have been numerous recent dean announcements and some non-announcements aka University of Florida. In other words, ironically, more demand than supply of interested deans for now.