Alfredo Garcia Named Dean Longtime Faculty Member and Administrator Takes <strong>the</strong> Reigns
As <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Thomas</strong> <strong>University</strong> began preparing for a national search for a new dean for <strong>the</strong> Law School, <strong>the</strong> faculty met to discuss who from <strong>the</strong> faculty should sit on <strong>the</strong> search committee. But ra<strong>the</strong>r than sending search committee recommendations over to President Monsignor Casale, <strong>the</strong> faculty sent over a nearly unanimous recommendation to appoint Alfredo Garcia dean of <strong>the</strong> law school. This is an excerpt from <strong>the</strong> faculty’s recommendation: “Dean Garcia universally is held in high esteem for his personal and leadership qualities. Within a diverse and in <strong>the</strong> past somewhat fractious law faculty, no one, ei<strong>the</strong>r publicly or privately, expresses any reservation regarding his appointment. His decisionmaking is guided by a firm religious foundation with that tolerance for diverse perspectives characteristic of great leaders. Capable of making tough decisions and forceful expression when necessary, he is none<strong>the</strong>less slow to anger and mindful of admonitions in <strong>the</strong> book of James about <strong>the</strong> tongue. The law faculty to a person all trust Dean Garcia to listen and to represent <strong>the</strong>m to <strong>the</strong> <strong>University</strong> and o<strong>the</strong>r communities faithfully as well as to communicate <strong>the</strong> concerns of o<strong>the</strong>rs to <strong>the</strong>m in a productive <strong>way</strong>. Such universal trust is rare.” Rev. Monsignor Franklyn M. Casale, President of <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Thomas</strong> <strong>University</strong>, agreed. “I am extremely pleased to appoint Alfredo Garcia permanent Dean of <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Thomas</strong> <strong>University</strong> School of Law,” he said on January 26, 2007. “He is a consummate scholar, an excellent teacher, and well regarded by his colleagues, members of <strong>the</strong> <strong>University</strong> family, and most especially his students.” Dean Garcia, who was appointed Interim Dean of <strong>the</strong> School of Law following <strong>the</strong> resignation of Bob Butterworth, has served <strong>the</strong> law school for 18 years as an Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Interim Associate Dean, and tenured faculty member teaching Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Torts, Sixth Amendment, and Clinics. Born in Santiago, Cuba, Dean Garcia immigrated to <strong>the</strong> U.S. at <strong>the</strong> age of ten, earned his Bachelor’s degree from Jacksonville <strong>University</strong>, and both his Master’s degree and Juris Doctor degree from <strong>the</strong> <strong>University</strong> of Florida. Upon his appointment, Dean Garcia became <strong>the</strong> nation’s first Cuban-born Dean of an American Bar Association (ABA) approved law school, and one of only seven Hispanic law school deans in <strong>the</strong> United <strong>St</strong>ates. “I am honored and humbled by <strong>the</strong> support <strong>the</strong> faculty, students, staff, and Monsignor Casale have shown in giving me this tremendous opportunity,” said Dean Garcia. “My appointment shows that you can come to this nation not knowing a word of English and through opportunity and hard work rise to unimaginable heights. I also believe my appointment is a reflection of <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Thomas</strong> <strong>University</strong> School of Law’s unique mission to give opportunities to underserved populations and will inevitably provide our students with a firsthand example of where <strong>the</strong>ir education can lead <strong>the</strong>m.” As an educator, Dean Garcia’s experience is extensive and includes visiting professorships at Nova Sou<strong>the</strong>astern <strong>University</strong> Shepard Broad Law Center, American <strong>University</strong> Washington College of Law, <strong>Thomas</strong> M. Cooley Law School, and Southwestern Alfredo Garcia through <strong>the</strong> years: As a faculty member, 1993; teaching, 2004; and as dean, 2007
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