DeanWuBlog

Career Services

Career placement is crucial to our students’ success, and therefore to our institutional success. As enthusiastic as I am about Detroit, it is as important to be candid. In my three years back here in my hometown, I have seen many positive changes. I’d like to believe we have made improvements here, whether in amenities such as the wireless network and the food cart, or the enormous number of new faculty who have been hired, or fundraising successes. Yet I also know that the economy here has suffered a downturn, and it continues to present serious challenges. It is not easy to find good jobs even for individuals who are talented and hardworking, with roots in this region and a desire to stay.

Over the past several months, I’ve had meetings with managing partners and hiring partners at firms large and small, to discuss the marketplace and how we can work together to face the issues. I’ve also sought to promote our students, all of them, to these prospective employers. From the Dean’s Suite, we’ve engaged in a direct mail marketing campaign with major firms throughout the Midwest and in Washington, D.C.

Most importantly, I am pleased to announce that we have allocated additional financial resources to the Career Services Office. Assistant Dean Krystal Gardner has decided to use these funds, totaling $50,000 as an increase to the annual budget of the office, to add another full-time career counselor. Furthermore, Ms. Felicia Thomas, Director of Academic Success, of the Dean of Students Office will be assisting the Career Services Office on special projects.

Recent Issues: Wireless and Financial Aid

I believe it is important to discuss publicly not only our many successes but also our occasional failures. As Oscar Wilde once said, experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes. As I work with the many wonderful people who ensure the Law School is able to educate and advance knowledge through research, I have emphasized how important it is for me as both a leader and a manager (knowing not every leader is a manager, and vice versa), to address problems in a productive manner, asking what can be done to improve, rather than in a destructive manner, allocating blame – except in the rare instances it is necessary to do so.

There are two particular failures that, whatever their origin, ultimately are my responsibility: (1) the recurring problem with our wireless system; and (2) the recent delay of a number of financial aid checks.

As to the first issue, I’d like to assure everyone that there is not any intention to turn off the wireless network, and if that were ever done deliberately (e.g., for system maintenance or upgrades), we would provide advance notice. It turns out that some recent renovations inadvertently affected some of the hardware for the wifi, and that problem has been corrected. The nature of the problem meant that the central C&IT department believed, erroneously, the wifi was operational when in fact it was not. I’ve worked with the central C&IT department to ensure that prior to the roll-out of full-scale laptop exams, and then on a regular basis at the end of each semester, the wireless system is tested.

As to the second issue, I’ve discussed it at length with the appropriate authorities within the central administration. It appears to be a one-time problem arising from the processing of the mail. I have requested they consider, and they are amenable to investigating the possibilities of, either direct deposit or in-person pick-up. I expect to continue working with the central administration.

Thank you.

What a Dean Does: Central Administration

Our Law School is an integral part of a comprehensive urban research university, enrolling more than 33,000 students and offering doctoral level programs in a wide range of disciplines. It is important to recognize our role within a larger structure. As Dean, one of my responsibilities is to oversee our interaction with the central administration that coordinates the many units on campus and engages in overall strategic planning. This interaction occurs in many forms.

Every other week, the Council of Deans – consisting of a dozen deans and chaired by the Provost – meets to consider issues of common concern. We also invite senior administrators to discuss these matters: for example, at a recent meeting, the new head of communications and public relations attended, as did the General Counsel and Senior Vice President for Advancement. Alternating with the Council of Deans is a one-on-one meeting with the Provost. I have enjoyed working with our Provost, Dr. Nancy S. Barrett, who is not only the chief academic officer but also has responsibility for the budget.

Many of our administrators work regularly with counterparts in the central administration. In some respects, we depend on the central administration. For example, while we have an Information Technology staff and maintain our own servers, the central Computing and Information Technology (C&IT) office maintains our wireless network. In other respects, we have individuals dedicated to the Law School but reporting elsewhere. For example, our Advancement Office works solely for the benefit of the Law School and closely with me, but the Director is technically supervised by an advancement office located in Beecher House (and hence the entire operation is often referred to as “Beecher House”). In yet other respects, we enjoy considerable autonomy. Almost all other units have a class scheduling and room assignment system that is controlled by the central administration. The Law School handles its own class schedule and maintains its own room assignment system (making Partrich Auditorium available to other constituencies).

At some institutions, the Law School and the central administration have a relationship that is almost adversarial. Here, I have believed that the Law School benefits from a central administration that is supportive, and I intend to ensure the Law School remains on the best terms with Wayne State University as a whole.