"Adventures of a Dean: A Primer on Business School Management" examines the interpersonal, professional, and financial aspects of being a dean, and illustrates how politics continually impacts a dean's goals and strategies.
"Adventures of a Dean" is both autobiography and textbook, chronicling author Howard Frank's eleven years as dean of the Smith School, during which time he doubled its facilities, quadrupled its revenues, added over one hundred faculty members, and led the school to the top ten in the world in research.
Beginning with the university's search for a dean, the book moves on to detail all aspects of the actual work done by the dean. This starts with forming a plan to increase enrollment, and encompasses such critical tasks as dealing with accreditation, creating a financial model, improving teaching quality, and maintaining successful relationships with all parts of a campus. Readers will learn about major challenges facing a top-level university administrator, such as developing international programs, and minor ones, such as dealing with a campus catering monopoly. This inside view is both engaging and informative.
"Adventures of a Dean" is a candid discussion of the opportunities and the risks facing deans, as well as a lesson in business school financial planning and strategy
. Howard Frank, Ph.D., is a professor of management sciences at the University of Maryland. From 1997 to 2008 he served as the dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business, doubling the size of the school, increasing its revenues four-fold, and leading the school to the top ten in the world of research. Dr. Frank has also served as director of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's Information Technology Office, and as the Chief Executive Officer of three technology companies. He has been a member of the board of directors of public, private, and non-profit corporations. Dr. Frank is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Department's highest civilian honor, by the Secretary of Defense.