Whitman School appoints new senior associate dean

Whitman School appoints new senior associate deanJune 17, 2009Amy Schmitzaemehrin@syr.edu

Randal J. Elder, professor of accounting and director of the Lubin School of Accounting in the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, has been appointed the new senior associate dean of the Whitman School, effective July 1. In his new role, Elder will be involved in the day-to-day operations of the Whitman School, including overseeing faculty, the Whitman School operating budget, the Whitman Career Center and Technology Services; mentoring faculty; and being the primary point of contact in the dean’s office on a range of issues. He also will help develop and implement the school’s strategic plan and aid in the launch of new programs.

Elder succeeds Clint Tankersley, who has served as Whitman’s senior associate dean since 2005. As associate dean of undergraduate programs and associate professor of marketing, Tankersley will continue to oversee Whitman’s nationally recognized undergraduate program and return to research and teaching in the Department of Marketing.

“It has been my honor to work alongside Clint Tankersley for the past four years,” says Melvin T. Stith, dean of the Whitman School. “He has been an exemplary role model for Whitman faculty and administrators and has been a committed and enthusiastic leader of the Whitman School. I am grateful for his dedication and service, and I am so pleased that one of Whitman’s best professors will continue to shape the minds of tomorrow’s business leaders.

“I am equally pleased to welcome Randy Elder as the new senior associate dean of Whitman. A leading thinker and researcher in the field of accounting, Randy has worked tirelessly to ensure that Whitman students majoring in accounting are among the top choices for corporate recruiters. I look forward to working closely with him to ensure that Whitman remains a successful, nationally recognized business school.”

The restructuring at Whitman also includes the appointment of David G. Harris, professor of accounting, as the chair of the Lubin School of Accounting, supervising the accounting curriculum and faculty. William Walsh, assistant professor of accounting practice, will assume the role of director of the Lubin School of Accounting and will oversee outreach to corporate partners and alumni.

For more information, contact Amy Schmitz, director of communications in the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, at (315) 443-3834 or aemehrin@syr.edu.