Announcement from Dean Joyce McConnell
Dear Friends,President E. Gordon Gee has asked me to serve as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. This has been a difficult decision – one I never anticipated I would have to make.
As I hope you know, my six years as dean have been a labor of love. I have been one of the most fortunate deans in the United States to have excellent and dedicated faculty and staff colleagues, students, alumni, and supporters. You have made it possible for me to awake every morning excited at the prospect of moving legal education at the College of Law forward and enhancing the College of Law’s reputation for talented faculty educating lawyers and leaders for West Virginia and beyond. After much thought and discussion with my family, I have decided to serve the University, the College of Law, and West Virginia as Provost starting July 1.
It is an exciting time at West Virginia University under the leadership of one of the nation’s top university presidents. President Gee loves West Virginia, as do I. As a team, we will work tirelessly to make WVU an even more exemplary land-grant university.
Current Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor Gregory Bowman, has agreed to serve as Interim Dean effective July 1. A national search will be held for a permanent dean.Professor Bowman is a nationally recognized scholar in international trade and remedies. Moreover, he is an excellent teacher, recognized by the 2011 graduating class as Professor of the Year and with the 2014 WVU Foundation Outstanding Teaching Award.
Professor Bowman and I will work together to provide continuity in leadership. As Provost, I will have the opportunity to promote the College of Law’s significance to the University, West Virginia, and the nation. Finally, I will remain a tenured member of the College of Law faculty as the Thomas R. Goodwin Professor of Law.
Thank you – all of you – for everything you have done to make this an excellent law school. We did this together and will continue to be a team.
Your friend,
Joyce McConnell
