Provost Says Former Mayor Is 'Preferred' Memphis Law Dean Candidate, Seeks Faculty Input Via 2-Question Email

Memphis Commercial Appeal, Former Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland 'Preferred Candidate' for U of M Law School Dean:

Former Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland is the "preferred candidate" to be the next dean of the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis, according to an email obtained by The Commercial Appeal.

In an email sent to faculty Thursday by David J. Russomanno, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost for the University of Memphis, he said he took into account "all forms of feedback," in addition to reading up on "relevant (American Bar Association) criteria." He prompted faculty to read a paper he found in his research "regarding traditional and non-traditional candidate pools."

"I concur with the perspective that at this point in our Law School’s history we need a dean who is best prepared to advance the 'everything else' category summarized above," Russomanno wrote regarding the excerpt from “Non-Traditional Law Deans: Their Experiences and Those of the Law Schools that Hire Them,” by T. Fisher [Former UConn Dean (2013-2020)]. ...

The email sent to faculty members of the law school stated that Strickland would not be seeking a typical tenured position as dean. "Jim Strickland is not seeking a tenured appointment but rather an appointment as Dean and Clinical Professor; therefore, a vote on tenure is not applicable to his candidacy," the email said. ...

Faculty members will be tasked with answering the following questions regarding Strickland by the end of the day Friday, according to the email:

1. Is Jim Strickland suitable to serve as dean to advance the finances, administration, facilities, fundraising, human resources, admissions, student services, careers, and external relations mission of the Law School?
2. If Jim Strickland is appointed as dean, would you support his administration to advance the finances, facilities, fundraising, human resources, admissions, student services, careers, and external relations mission of the Law School?

ABA Accreditation Standard 203. DEAN ...

(b)  Except in extraordinary circumstances, a dean shall also hold appointment as a member of the faculty with tenure.

(c)  The dean shall be selected by the university or the governing board of the law school, as
appropriate, which shall have and follow a procedure for decanal appointment or
reappointment that assures meaningful involvement by the faculty or a representative body of
the faculty in the selection of a dean.

Interpretation 203-1 Except for good cause, a dean should not be appointed or reappointed to a new term over the stated objection of a substantial majority of the faculty.

Interpretation 203-2 In the appointment of an interim or acting dean, the university or the governing board of the law school, as appropriate, should follow a procedure that assures meaningful consultation with the faculty or a representative body of the faculty.