Kelley professors weigh in on new dean

The first thing Kelley School of Business Dean Dan Smith did once he was officially named to the top spot within the institution was meeting with several members of the faculty and business students to discuss the future of the school. Though Smith has held the position on an interim basis for a year, he has not been able to put his mark on one of the top business schools in the nation. \nSmith said that is going to change as quickly as possible because he wants to move forward in a positive fashion. \n"My promise to the faculty, staff and students is that I will serve with integrity, passion and complete dedication to the best interests of the school," he said. "We have an extraordinary culture that I intend to nurture and support. This is truly a special place."\nJohn Hill, who is a professor and associate dean at Kelley, has worked with Smith for several years and in several different capacities. \n"I have had considerable opportunity to observe him in a variety of administrative capacities, and it was an absolute pleasure to have served in his interim administration," Hill said. "We have several issues that I am confident Dean Smith will address -- and soon. One is ensuring the continued high quality of our academic programs. Another is promoting our highly successful foray into distributed education through our Kelley Direct Programs. Yet another is meeting our aggressive fund-raising goals."\nFrank Acito, chair of doctoral programs and professor of marketing, said Smith is one of those people who seems to do everything well, including play golf.\n"I would like to see Dan develop a comprehensive strategy to guide the Kelley School for the next five to 10 years," Acito said. "We are already a strong school, but the competition is tough and we need to build on current strengths to insure success in the future. I am confident that Dan is the right person to take us into the future."\nInterim Associate Dean of Academics and William L. Haeberle Professor of \nEntrepreneurship Patricia McDougall said Smith is a leader who dreams big dreams and has a clear and compelling vision for helping the Kelley School realize those dreams.\n"While most new deans would need a year to assess the situation before he or she could develop a strategic plan, Dean Smith has the advantage of already having a deep level of understanding of the Kelley School's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats," she said.\nChairperson of the MBA Program and Professor Idalene F. Kesner said Smith will face many challenges in his new position. \n"Like all parts of the University, resource issues are among the Kelley School's highest priorities," she said. "I would like to see the Kelley School maintain and even rise in the various rankings conducted by external publications. But to do this we have to have the resources to compete. Resources to retain and attract talented faculty, scholarships to attract the best students, dollars to invest in our programs -- all of these are needed to serve the University and the State."\nSmith, who is from Cleveland, has held several other positions within the business school such as professor, MBA program chair, marketing department chair and associate dean of academics.\nHe received his doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh and he has held a professor position at his alma mater and University of Wisconsin-Madison.\nAccording to a statement from the University, Smith has received the Eli Lilly Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award in five of the last seven years. Also, he received a "four-star" rating in three consecutive issues of Business Week's Guide to Leading Business Schools. \nHe also has experience as a consultant to many industrial and consumer good companies including 3M, IBM, Alcoa, Kodak, Oscar Mayer, R.J. Reynolds, Mack Truck, Eli Lilly, Samsung and Saab USA. \n"Dan Smith has demonstrated strong leadership and organizational skills during the period he has served as interim dean," IU President Adam Herbert said in a statement. "He has won the confidence of both the Kelley School of Business faculty and the business community we serve. I look forward to working with him as we continue to elevate the school to higher levels of national distinction"