CUA Cover Winter 2004 final (Page 2) - Columbus School of Law

More documents

Recommendations

Info

$Connected Minds,Connected Cultures:\ Connected Minds$

FRESHPerspectives“I want excellence to be our bottom line”A Conversation with the DeanIn July 2003, at the request of theVery Rev. David M. O’Connell,President of The Catholic Universityof America, William F. Foxaccepted the deanship of theColumbus School of Law for what willbe at least a two-year appointment.Dean Fox becomes the 24th dean ofthe Columbus School of Law. Heassumes the helm at a time of shiningpromise for the school, but also a timeof sobering challenges. During arecent chat with CUA Lawyer, ournew dean outlines his thoughts, plansand above all, enthusiasm for leadingthe law school he loves.Connecting to students has always been atop priority for the law school's new dean.CUA Lawyer: YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN ANEXTREMELY BUSY MAN, AND THESE DAYSYOUR WORK LOAD IS HEAVIER THAN EVER.WHEN THE INVITATION TO ASSUME THE DEAN-SHIP WAS EXTENDED, WHY DID YOU SAY YES?Dean Fox: I have spent roughly onehalfof my life at this law school. I firstcame here as a student in August1970 and became a member of thefaculty five years later. When I firstheard about Dean Kmiec’s resignation,it seemed to me that we desperatelyneeded a period of stability andequilibrium after the turnover in thedean’s office over the past severalyears. When Father O’Connell,the university president, askedme to take the position I was veryhappy to say yes.CUA Lawyer: AS STUDENT, PROFESSORAND ADMINISTRATOR, YOU’VE BEEN ASSOCI-ATED WITH THE COLUMBUS SCHOOL OFLAW FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS. YOU’VEDECLINED OFFERS TO LEAVE IN THE PAST.WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS LAW SCHOOL THATKEEPS YOU HERE?Dean Fox: This is a veryspecial place. Its “specialness”is confirmed for mewhen I have occasion to goelsewhere and to see otherlaw schools and otherplaces where lawyers work.I have always beenimpressed by this lawschool’s dedication to themission of the universityand to the Roman CatholicChurch. We make faith andreason two of the mostimportant pillars of the lawschool. We have thecourage to address, discuss anddebate those crucial issues that intersectlaw and religion. At many lawschools, such discussion is eitherignored or deprecated.We also have a culture of hardwork, commitment, civility and generousnessof spirit that is lacking in mostother places where I’ve spent time. Ihave a little mantra that I use when Ispeak to groups outside the lawschool: I think we have the best facultyon the East Coast; I think we havethe best students in the UnitedStates; I think we have the best staffin the world. That combination isimpressive and compelling. The buildingthat we occupy is magnificent. Ilove showing it off to strangers. Ienjoy seeing their jaws drop whenthey first walk into the atrium. We areplanning a large-scale celebrationaround October 1, 2004, to commemoratethe 10th anniversary of the building.But we’re not just a pile of bricksand mortar. The most important andvaluable part of this law school is thepeople who are part of our community.It’s the people who make mehappy to come to work every day.They are the reason I’ve stayed onwith no regrets whatsoever.CUA Lawyer: WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHSOF THE COLUMBUS SCHOOL OF LAW?WHAT ARE ITS BIGGEST CHALLENGES?Dean Fox: I’ve already articulatedsome of the strengths in my earlieranswer. Another considerable sourceof strength is our alumni. I love teachingand I never want to be too far froma classroom. Teaching has alwaysbeen a source of great satisfaction forme. But another source is simplywatching all the great things that ourgraduates accomplish when theyleave here. One of the easiest waysfor me to become re-energized is toget out with our alumni and just sitand talk for a while.One of my big challenges isimproving the law school’s fundraisingprofile. Development herehas been static for too many years.One of my primary tasks as dean israising money. That’s something I’mhappy to tackle, but it’s not anythingthat I can do completely on my own. Iam enlisting the help of staff, faculty,students and graduates. We need6 CUALAWYER /Winter 2004
“The most important and valuable part of thislaw school is the people who are part of ourcommunity. It’s the people who make mehappy to come to work every day.They are the reason I’ve stayed on withno regrets whatsoever.”As the public face of CUA law, Dean Fox projects its standard of excellenceto the outside world.money for financial aid, for a loanrepayment program and many otherthings. Unlike most other law schools,we have no properly endowedprofessorial chairs. I hope to bedean when we get our firstfully endowed professorship.Another considerable challengeis improving our bar passage rate. Wehave launched a full court press onthis problem. I won’t sleep until ouroverall pass rate is at least 85 percentin all the jurisdictions where we sendour graduates.I also want to work assiduouslyat raising the external profile of thislaw school. I’ve been troubled foryears that the individual reputations ofour faculty, staff, students and graduatesis actually greater than the reputationof the law school as a whole.We’ve been too circumspect and toomodest in touting our accomplishments.Too many people don’t knowwho we are and how good we are. Iintend to rectify that.CUA Lawyer: YOU HAVE A LONG TRACKRECORD HERE AND STRONG RELATIONSHIPSWITH MANY PEOPLE. HOW DOES THIS HELP?Dean Fox: I know all the faculty members.I’m getting to know the entirestaff. I’ve had the privilege of teachinga substantial percentage of our graduates.So I’m a familiar quantity here.I’m comfortable with everyone. I thinkmost people are comfortable withme. At the same time, I can say “no”when it’s important to make harddecisions. I think just about everyonehere understands that my basic goal,my personal mission so to speak, is tobe supportive and helpful, rather thannegative.CUA Lawyer: DO YOU HAVE A PHILOSO-PHY OF LIFE AND WORK THAT YOU BRING TOTHIS JOB EACH DAY?Dean Fox: Two weeks after I camehere as a student in 1970, I felt like Ihad come home. I still feel that way.CUA Lawyer: IT IS NO SECRET THATMANY PEOPLE IN THE CUA LAW COMMUNI-TY, WHETHER THEY ARE STUDENTS, FACULTYOR ALUMNI, ARE CONCERNED WITH MAIN-TAINING STABILITY AND CONTINUITY IN THEOFFICE OF THE DEAN. WHAT DO YOU SEE ASTHE SOLUTION?Dean Fox: I intend to stay in thisjob as long as the president ofthe university and this faculty wantme to stay.CUA Lawyer: WHAT IS YOUR VISION FORTHE COLUMBUS SCHOOL OF LAW?Dean Fox: I want excellence to be ourbottom line. Excellence in everythingwe do, whether it be classroomteaching, scholarship or internaladministration. I want this law schoolto be constantly mindful and fully supportiveof the mission of the universityand the mission of the Church. Iwant this concept of excellence topermeate even the walls of this place,to be so infectious that no one canenter without being impressed andenthused to be a part of it.CUA Lawyer: WE ARE BACK IN THE U.S.NEWS SECOND TIER RANKINGS, AND HAVEADMITTED ANOTHER STRONG CLASS THISYEAR. WHERE DO WE GO NEXT?Dean Fox: I want to see that rankingconstantly improve. Part of that improvementis making sure that theoutside world understands how goodwe are. But I don’t want to be so fixatedon rankings that we forget whowe are. I don’t want pursuit of thingsthat U.S. News deems important todrown all the special things that keepso many of us here.CUA Lawyer: WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DOIN YOUR SPARE TIME, IF ANY EXISTS?Dean Fox: I like flying airplanes. Ioccasionally jump out of them (with aparachute, of course). On those rareSunday afternoons when I can spendtime in my shop, woodworking mesmerizesme. One nice thing aboutbecoming dean is that I can justify flyingmy own plane to some of myexternal appointments, and I nowhave control over three large rooms inthe dean’s suite that desperately neednew, hand-made pieces of furniture!Winter 2004 / C UALAWYER 7
Page 1 and 2: cualawyerThe Catholic University Of
Page 3 and 4: cualawyerThe Catholic University Of
Page 5 and 6: Y OUR OpinionsDEAR EDITOR,The tribu
Page 7: IRREPLACEABLEPeopleProfessor of Law
Page 11: With a growing support staffand a p
Page 14: A L T E R N A T I V E C A R E E R S
Page 19 and 20: A L T E R N A T I V E C A R E E R S
Page 25 and 26: L A W Y E R S I N L I T E R A T U R
Page 27 and 28: L A W Y E R S I N L I T E R A T U R
Page 29 and 30: M Y T A K EThe Moral Flawin the Pro
Page 31 and 32: M Y T A K Ethat doubt in favor ofCo
Page 33 and 34: M Y T A K Epediatrics, including tw
Page 35 and 36: The most recent rankings of America
Page 37 and 38: FACULTY NewsPublicationsProfessor H
Page 39 and 40: FACULTY NewsProfessional Activities
Page 41 and 42: ALUMNI Newsserved as assistant to t
Page 43 and 44: ALUMNI NewsCross CountryAlumni gath
Page 45 and 46: ALUMNI Newscation. Her husband is t
Page 47 and 48: HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2002-2003Dear
Page 49 and 50: HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2002-2003Karen
Page 51 and 52: HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2002-2003Raymo
Page 53 and 54: HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2002-2003Thadd
Page 55 and 56: HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2002-2003Abby
Page 57 and 58: HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2002-2003Krist
Page 59 and 60:
HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2002-2003Harry
Page 61 and 62:
HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2002-2003Cathe
Page 63 and 64:
HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2002-2003Micha
Page 65 and 66:
HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2002-2003Mr. G
Page 67 and 68:
C ALENDAR OF EventsAlumni Events Ca
show all

CUA Cover Winter 2004 final (Page 2) - Columbus School of Law

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?