Texas A&M Law Names Andy Morriss New Dean

Texas A&M School of Law, the artist formerly known as Texas Wesleyan School of Law, has named University of Alabama Law Professor Andrew Morriss as its new dean.  He will take over this summer.  Morriss has a JD from Texas and a Ph.D in Economics from MIT.  This is great news for Texas A&M.  I imagine Andy will be a great dean and will lead the charge to move the school up in national rankings.

On the other hand, Texas A&M's President Mark Hussey has engaged in a little Texas-sized puffery when he states: 

Prof. Morriss has not only distinguished himself in his field of scholarship, but comes to us with unique perspective as a faculty member who was integrally involved in enhancing two previous schools of law. Serving (sic) at the University of Illinois as it advanced from the Top 100 to No. 23 and at the University of Alabama, which advanced from Top 80 to No. 23.

I cannot speak to whether Morriss was "integrally involved" in helping the University of Illinois or the University of Alabama with respect to their rankings during his four years at each institution.  The schools did indeed move up in US News during those windows.  But the moves were, perhaps, a bit less dramatic than the President suggests.  

When Morriss arrived at Illinois in 2006 it was ranked 27 (I suppose comfortably within the  "Top 100") and four year later, when he left,  it was ranked #21.  As to Alabama, when he arrived in 2010, it was ranked #38 (clearly in the "Top 80")  and it is now ranked #23.  

Not sure why Hussey felt the need to gild the lily.

 

Comments

[Spenny]

I think perhaps you are missing the more ironic point, Illinois had a scandal during those years, I believe, in which LSAT/GPA numbers were misreported, apparently by an admissions dean. When this was revealed, Illinois plunged in the rankings for a couple of years. So it is indeed strange to touting this rise as anything other than a result of scandal. (I am not saying Professor Morriss had anything to do with the scandal, but the rise was not the result of an enhancement if this school of law during that time, it was the result of now-admitted fraud).

[Jeff Harrison]

Perfect fit unless Baylor had been open. His application at Florida was the longest as he listed scores of op-ed pieces generally about the same thing.