A new top office for Jim Dean

As Jim Dean reflected on his first day as executive vice chancellor and provost July 1, he said he was humbled.

“After 16 years, I knew everything about how (Kenan-Flagler Business School) worked,” said Dean, the former dean of the school.

“I have an awful lot to learn about how things work in this role. I’ve gone from an expert to a novice overnight.”

Dean began his tenure as provost Monday after serving in a variety of leadership roles in the business school.

Jack Evans, who has served as interim dean of the school twice before, will serve in the role again until a new leader is chosen.

Dean’s salary in his new position is $445,000, while former Provost Bruce Carney earned $350,000.

Carney, who spent much of his tenure dealing with a series of stringent budget cuts, stepped down at the end of June to return to the faculty.

Dean said he is expecting the University to suffer more budget cuts this year, and he said dealing with them will be among his biggest challenges.

He also said working with Chancellor Carol Folt will be a welcomed challenge because both leaders are new to their positions.

“(I’ll be) working with Chancellor Folt and many, many others to forge a new direction for the University,” Dean said.

“I think when you have this much change in the top, you have a rare opportunity to decide where the University should go.”

Folt said she is equally excited to work with Dean.

“A provost and a chancellor need to be working really closely together,” she said.

“So I think we’re both excited about that. I can really draw on his experience here, and he can also have some of my experience, having been in that role.”

Carney said Dean will face a number of challenges throughout his career as provost.

“He has to make hard decisions as a dean, and he’ll have to make hard decisions as provost,” Carney said.

“But the more (he) can understand the facts, the finances, the people, the opportunities — the better off he’ll be.”

Susan Cates, head of executive development for the business school, said in May that Dean is accustomed to making hard decisions and bold moves.

“Jim thinks through the implications and ripple effects of his decisions,” she said.

“And he’s not afraid to take a position that he believes is right for the institution even if not everyone agrees with it.”

LaChaun Anderson, executive assistant to the dean in the business school, said Kenan-Flagler is adjusting to life without Dean.

“We definitely miss Jim Dean, but things are going very smoothly with Jack in office.”

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