Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/63444
profiles the characteristics that identify today's deans. A major new survey Meet Jo If you're thinking about becoming a dean, you might first look in the mirror to see if you fit the profile. pressures they face, and what they consider most important Today's typical dean is a patient 54-year-old male who has never been a dean before. He comes from almost any busi- ness school background and has already been a dean for about five years. And he's not looking at a deanship for the money—his main goal is to make a difference at his school. There's much more to deaning, of course, than these bare facts. A host of other complicated characteristics, motiva- tions, and rewards has been uncovered in a new survey, "Business School Deans: Their Careers, Roles and Responsibilities." The survey was conducted by Lee Dahringer, dean of The Sellinger School of Business and Management, Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland, and Frederick Langrehr, professor of marketing at Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana. The survey was sponsored by AACSB International Knowledge Services, and findings were presented at the first International AACSB International Deans Conference. A total of 419 deans from around the world participated in the electronic survey. The survey attempted to create an accurate picture of who deans are, why they decided to become deans, what kinds of 36 BizEd MAY/JUNE 2002 becoming a dean was to contribute to their institutions. Many also saw becoming a dean as the next logical step in their career progressions. Fewer gave much weight to the ed their most important tasks as managing faculty and staff, and handling strategic planning. But they weren't able to about their positions. A few highlights: ■ Most deans say their single most important reason for considerations of prestige and income. ■ Deaning is about management. Survey respondents list- money and satisfying their professors. The top four issues: setting the budget, determining the best way to attract and rate as unimportant anything on their long list of chores. ■ Their most pressing issues revolve around finding retain faculty, raising funds, and developing faculty. ■ They have many stakeholders to satisfy. While they feel sandwiched by the sometimes conflicting concerns of faculty and the administration, they can't overlook the demands of accrediting organizations, students, the business community, and their advisory boards.