A Richmond alumnus and professor from Northwestern University who on Friday was offered the dean's position at the Robins School of Business has declined because of financial considerations.
That's according to an e-mail today to faculty and staff from Steve Allred, University of Richmond provost and vice president for academic affairs.
The professor, Henry N. Butler, who earned his bachelor's in economics at Richmond in 1977, is executive director of Northwestern's Searle Center on Law, Regulation, and Economic Growth at the university's School of Law.
"I am very disappointed that Provost Allred and I were not able to reach a deal that made it possible for me to come back to Richmond," Butler wrote in an e-mail. "I was very much looking forward to becoming a part of the UR community. I am sure the Robins School and the university will continue to soar."
Butler did not directly address a reporter's e-mail question about whether the dean's position paid enough. Allred declined to elaborate about the financial reasons beyond the original e-mail to faculty and staff.
Butler would have succeeded outgoing dean Jorge Haddock, who announced in late December that he would leave on July 1 to become dean of the George Mason School of Management.
Richmond economics professor Robert B. Schmidt has agreed to serve as interim dean until the search committee finds a replacement.
"I took the position because I want to contribute to our continued success in any way I can," wrote Schmidt, a 28-year professor in the Robins School, in an e-mail. "I hope that we can keep the Robins School moving forward. That is more ambitious than it sounds."
In February, BusinessWeek Magazine ranked the Robins School the nation's No. 12 undergraduate business school -- an eight-spot jump from last year's ranking -- and also named the school No. 1 in academic quality. The school's MBA program was also ranked 14th nationally among part-time programs by BusinessWeek. In a few weeks, officials expect to break ground on Queally Hall, a $19.5 million, 33,000-square-foot expansion to the business school.
"These are lofty standards, and we don't want to lose ground in any area -- students, faculty, staff, alumni or cooperation with area and national business leaders," Schmidt wrote. "The Robins School has a lot on its plate."
He declined to discuss further details about the recent dean's search or speculate on the Robins School faculty on staff's feelings about it. A new search is expected to begin at the end of the summer.
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Said Allred: "I am confident that we will find an outstanding dean to lead the school."
This version of the story ADDS background and quotes from Schmidt and makes minor edits throughout.
Contact reporter Dan Petty at dan.petty@richmond.edu
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