For the fifth time in three years, a Northwestern undergraduate school will undergo a search for a new dean as John Birge, head of the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, announced Monday he will step down in August 2004 at the end of his first term.
Birge, who came to NU in Fall Quarter 1999, said Tuesday that he will remain at NU to resume his teaching and research.
“I feel that I have accomplished all my goals — or at least I will by the time I’ve completed my term,” Birge said. “I’m looking forward to being able to get back to my research, getting back to do some of the things I had to put on hold.”
Birge also said he plans to return to a full-time faculty position in September 2004. He hopes to work more closely with students and expand a fledgling program in the developing field of financial engineering.
“For a lot of people generally their whole life is not administration, which a dean’s job primarily is,” Birge said. “They miss research, they miss being in the classroom — it’s increasingly hard to be able to relate to students in the same way you do when you’re a faculty member.”
Faculty members at McCormick said they will be pleased to have him on board.
“He’s a very talented researcher,” said industrial engineering Prof. Gordon Hazen. “If he has more time for research it’d be a plus — it’s not really a loss from that point of view.”
Nonetheless, faculty members and administrators said they will be sorry to see Birge leave his administrative post.
“I think he made many contributions in a relatively short time — a tremendous impact in the direction of the school, university and the morale of the faculty and staff,” said Joseph Holtgreive, assistant dean of student affairs. “Hopefully (the new dean) will continue in the direction Dean Birge has taken to improve the reputation and quality of the engineering school.”
In a Monday e-mail to McCormick students, faculty and staff, Birge said Provost Lawrence Dumas will soon assemble a committee to search for a successor. Birge and Dumas will serve on the committee.
He will be the eighth undergraduate or graduate school dean NU has had to replace in a little more than four years. Since the 1998-99 academic year, deans have been replaced from the Kellogg School of Management, Feinberg School of Medicine, School of Continuing Studies, Medill School of Journalism, School of Communication, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, and the School of Music. Many of the outgoing deans became faculty members at their schools after stepping down.
Colleagues said Birge’s tenure focused on making McCormick “the school of choice” for prospective students and faculty by increasing the number of accepted students who enroll and developing a better curriculum for engineering design, which Birge said is a top priority for putting McCormick at the forefront of engineering.
His initiatives also included improving communication within the school through creating forums for faculty and staff to give input.
“He’s really helped to create a sense of community in the school, which can be very challenging,” said Ellen Worsdall, McCormick’s assistant dean of student affairs. “He’s a great leader and I think he leads by example — he has done a lot to improve the experience (of faculty, staff and students).”
One student, McCormick junior Tracy Chenoweth, said students do not have as much contact and she would like to see. She hopes interaction with students is a priority of the new dean.
“(Birge) was more administrative. He doesn’t really interact with student groups too much,” said Chenoweth, internal vice president for the Society of Women Engineers.
Birge said one of the most enjoyable aspects of his tenure as dean involved working with those dedicated to improving the school.
“The most satisfying thing has been working with the faculty, staff and the students,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed being able to partner with people, to get to know them and be able to help them realize their goals.”
The Daily’s Shruti Kumar contributed to this report.
