Assoc. Neeley dean steps down to teach
By Anthony Kirchner
Staff Reporter

Administrators in the M.J. Neeley School of Business said they will begin discussions about a search for a new associate dean for the school next week.

Robert Lusch, dean of the Neeley School, announced Tuesday that this will be Chuck Williams’ last semester as associate dean for the business school.

Williams said he will not be leaving TCU but will become a full-time professor here in the fall.

Williams decided over the holiday break to return to full-time teaching and research at TCU in the fall of 2002.

“Being an administrator is an all-consuming full-time job,” Williams said. “Department chairs and administrators are some of the hardest working people at this university.”
Lusch said he will be in charge of the search for a new associate dean.

In an e-mail sent to faculty and administrators in the Neeley School, Lusch said that William’s presence will be missed in the dean’s office.

Williams said that being a member of the teaching faculty will allow him a more flexible schedule.

“For me this decision was about my family. I have a son at TCU, a daughter in high school and a son in junior high. I only have a few more years with them around so I want to spend as much time with them as possible,” Williams said.

He said people need to understand that it’s common for faculty members to work in administration and then go back to being a faculty member.

Williams has been associate dean for three years and has been at TCU since 1991.

Williams said he was instrumental in initiating The Wall Street Journal program at TCU.

The newspaper is used as a teaching tool in every business class and TCU was the first school in the nation to enter into an educational partnership with The Wall Street Journal, he said.

Williams said that everyone at the Neeley School agrees there must be a dean in the school whose sole responsibility is to focus on the undergraduate education at TCU.

Bill Moncrief, senior associate dean for the Neeley School, has worked with Williams since 1999. He said William’s performance has been beneficial.

“Williams did a great job and the Neeley School owes him a debt of gratitude for his time as associate dean,” Moncrief said. “Fortunately he’s not moving away, just changing responsibilities.”

Brian P. Barker, junior marketing major, has had a course with Williams and said he has a lot of respect for him.

“Dr. Williams presents students with challenging scenarios to get them thinking outside the box,” Barker said.

Barker said Williams interacts with students very well and even though he is the associate dean, he always has his door open to students.

Williams said he is excited that he will be able to share with students about his experiences in the administration at TCU.

Anthony Kirchner
a.l.kirchner@student.tcu.edu

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