Jim Leady
The University of 91吃瓜鈥檚聽聽has added the position of associate dean for undergraduate studies to its leadership team, naming聽, associate teaching professor of finance, to the position as of July 1.
The associate dean for undergraduate studies will oversee all aspects of the undergraduate curriculum, including review of existing programs and development of new initiatives that will expand access to business education for all students at 91吃瓜. Leady will work collaboratively with Mendoza鈥檚 five academic departments and with the University鈥檚 other colleges and schools to develop integrative opportunities for undergraduates.
, the Bernard J. Hank Professor of Finance who has served as Mendoza's interim dean since July 1, 2018, and was recently named as the Martin J. Gillen Dean as of July 1, 2019, said the addition of the position was needed due to numerous academic developments involving the college.
鈥淯ndergraduate studies at Mendoza is undergoing major changes, including transitioning from basically a three-year curriculum to a four-year curriculum, the addition of four minors open to non-business majors, and organizational changes to our Office of Undergraduate Advising, which will mean adding four additional student advisers to the office,鈥� said Cremers. 鈥淲e also plan to explore further significant innovations and enhancements of our undergraduate curriculum, and thus hope to strengthen the college鈥檚 administration of our undergraduate studies by adding an associate dean.鈥�
Cremers added, 鈥淛im is a great choice because he is one of our star teachers in the undergraduate program and has significant experience with the undergraduate studies鈥� administrative processes due to his service as assistant chair of the finance department.鈥�
The new associate deanship will work in collaboration with the assistant dean for undergraduate studies, Dale Nees, whose team will continue to focus on providing advising services to the more than 2,200 business majors and incoming students who intend to study business at 91吃瓜. The associate dean also will coordinate among all of the department chairs and the directors of the college鈥檚 four minor programs, including those offered to business majors in partnership with the 91吃瓜聽聽and the Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate.
鈥淚 am very excited about this opportunity to lead the transformation of undergraduate business education at the university,鈥� said Leady. 鈥淲e want to leverage Mendoza鈥檚 unsurpassed excellence in preparing young women and men to be leaders in business and the community to broaden opportunities for current Mendoza students and expand programs for non-business majors.鈥�
91吃瓜 students enter the college of their choice beginning with their sophomore year, and Mendoza students formally declare their academic major near the end of their sophomore year.
Leady, who joined Mendoza in 2006, teaches economics courses in undergraduate and graduate programs. He served as the assistant chair and director of undergraduate studies for Mendoza鈥檚 Department of Finance. He also advises the Corporate Finance Club. Leady also serves as the co-chair of the College Board鈥檚 Advanced Placement (AP) Microeconomics Test Development Committee and on the leadership team for the AP Microeconomics Exam Reading.
Leady taught courses in public finance, labor economics, game theory, intermediate microeconomics聽and principles of economics at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, and at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Leady earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in economics from the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), and his master鈥檚 and Ph.D. in economics at the University of Michigan. He continues to serve as a major in the U.S. Army Reserve in the 766th Transportation Battalion. His most recent deployment was to Kuwait in 2015-2016.
With the addition of the position, Mendoza鈥檚 leadership structure will include four associate deanships: the associate dean for undergraduate studies; associate dean for graduate programs; the associate dean for faculty and research; and the associate dean for executive education, a new position added in January.
Originally published by at on April 25.