Former Katz Dean Jumps To Kogod School

American University’s Kogod School of Business today (April 19) named the former leader of the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business as its new dean. John T. Delaney, who was Katz dean from 2006 to July of 2015, will take on his new job at Kogod effective July 18, 2016.

Meantime, St. John’s University also announced that Norean R. Sharpe, currently senior associate dean and director of the undergraduate program at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown, will takeover as dean of its Peter J. Tobin College of Business.  She will begin her tenure this summer. Two big searches for new deans at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business remain forthcoming. Announcements on both of those schools are expected shortly.

During Delaney’s stint as dean of the Katz School, enrollment increased by over 20%, student quality, as measured by undergraduate and graduation admissions test scores, improved, and, through systematic efforts, greater diversity was achieved. Stronger student pipelines and alumni donations resulted from expanded alumni engagement across the U.S. and abroad.

Kogod said that Delaney’s administrative work has generated significant financial resources. Annual fundraising increased from $1.7 million annually to an average of $6.2 million per year from FY 2013 to FY 2015, and the school’s $50 million capital campaign goal was surpassed a year ahead of schedule. As a result, the school was able to expand the faculty, renovate facilities, and provide new faculty and student support.

RANKINGS IMPROVEMENT ACROSS THE BOARD AT KATZ

Also under his leadership, the Katz program saw dramatic improvement in rankings. Since 2011, the Katz MBA program rose 37 points in the U.S. News & World Report index. Poets&Quants named Katz the “most improved” MBA, the Economist magazine ranked the MBA #1 in the U.S. for return on investment, and the Financial Times listed the MBA as #1 for salary gain.

“Dean Designate Delaney clearly understands the changing environment faced by business schools and the special opportunities that exist for urban schools willing to differentiate themselves. I am confident that John Delaney will take Kogod to the next level,” said Scott A Bass, Provost of American University in a memo to the AU community.

“His success at stimulating curricular innovations and enhancing student satisfaction at Iowa, Michigan State, and Pitt gives him a strong understanding of the nature and focus of a business school seeking to balance research and practice.”

A NOTED SCHOLAR AND TEACHER

Delaney is a noted scholar and teacher, authoring or co-authoring six books and reports along with almost 75 articles, many in peer reviewed journals. He has given expert testimony to the National Labor Relations Board and the U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources Subcommittee on Labor. Sought out by the media, he has lent his expertise to The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, CBS News, The Financial Times, and National Public Radio and wrote a monthly blog on the Huffington Post. 

Delaney succeeds Interim Dean Erran Carmel. “Erran’s leadership over the past two years has extended KSB’s reach and enhanced its position, allowing AU to attract an outstanding pool of candidates interested in serving as the next dean,” said Provost Bass.

Delaney holds A.M. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois and a B.S. from LeMoyne College. Before joining Pitt, he held faculty positions at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business, University of Iowa, and Michigan State University. At Iowa, he also served as Director of the Industrial Relations Center, University Ombudsperson, and Chairperson of the Department of Marketing. At Michigan State, he served as associate dean for MBA Programs.

A 35% JUMP IN APPLICATIONS AT GEORGETOWN’S UNDERGRAD PROGRAM UNDER SHARPE

As senior associate dean at Georgetown since 2010, Sharpe oversaw  a 35% jump in applications and an increase in the average SAT scores and yield rate of accepted students, helping the McDonough School of Business to be recognized among the top-tier of all undergraduate business schools in the U.S. (see The Increasingly Global McDonough School of Business).

As dean of the Tobin College of Business, Sharpe will oversee multiple undergraduate programs with enrollment of approximately 2,700 students and graduate programs, including six M.S. degrees, a full-time MBA degree, and a part-time MBA degree, with approximately 140 faculty and staff supporting these programs. The University offers business degree programs at three New York City locations (Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island) and in Rome, Italy. St. John’s is a Catholic and Vincentian university that prepares students for ethical leadership in today’s global society.

Prior to joining the faculty at Georgetown, Sharpe was chair of the Division of Mathematics and Science at Babson College where she taught as a professor of statistics and operations for 14 years. She earned her B.A. in Mathematics and German from Mount Holyoke College, M.S. in Biomathematics from the University of North Carolina, and Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia. She also served as a MacArthur Post-doctoral Research Associate at Yale University.

DON’T MISS: A BUSINESS SCHOOL DEAN LOOKS TEN YEARS FORWARD AND TEN YEARS BACK