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View Full Version : Attn: University of Michigan Business School Students, Friends, and Alumni


KuyaDanny
May 12, 2001, 06:11 PM
We have a new Dean

From: Nancy Cantor
Sent: Friday, May 11,
To: The UM Business School Community
Subject: Selection of the Dean of the Business School

Good Morning,

It is with great pleasure that Lee Bollinger and I report to you that Robert Dolan has accepted our offer to become the next Dean of the School of Business Administration. His appointment will be effective July 1, 2001, pending Regental approval. He will also be appointed Professor of Marketing, with tenure, and the Gilbert and Ruth Whitaker Professor of Business Administration.

Dr. Dolan, currently the Edward W. Carter Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, received his Ph.D. from the University of Rochester in 1977. He began his professional career at the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business in 1976 where he was promoted to Associate Professor in 1980. He later joined the marketing area at the Harvard Business School and served as its chair from 1986-1994. He was recently appointed Senior Associate Dean and Director of the Division of Research to be effective July 1, 2001. His professional service includes terms on the review boards of the Journal of Marketing (1978-1984, 1990-1998) and Marketing Science (1982-1994), where he served as an Area Editor from 1989-1994. He is currently completing a six-month appointment as a Visiting Professor at IESE in Barcelona, Spain.

Dolan's research interests include new product development, product policy, and pricing policy. He has published numerous articles on these topics in leading academic journals, including the Bell Journal of Economics, the Journal of Marketing, the Journal of Business, Marketing Science, and the Harvard Business Review. He has received international recognition for his contributions to scholarship in the areas of non-linear and dynamic pricing. He has also authored or co-authored several influential and widely-used textbooks including Managing the New Product Development Process, Strategic Marketing Management, and Power Pricing: How Managing Price Transforms the Bottom Line. His current research interests include the societal impact of marketing. In particular, he has conducted extensive research on the marketing practices of tobacco companies and their impact on consumers. He is a member of the Harvard University Tobacco Control Group. He continues his research in the pricing area with a focus on the high technology and electronic commerce arenas.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to Joel Slemrod who chaired the Search Advisory Committee, and the members of his committee for their outstanding service. The President and I are delighted that Bob has accepted the deanship, and are confident that his high standards will help to build the research culture and continue the exciting intellectual and educational activities underway in the School.

For those of you who might wish to congratulate Bob and extend a welcome to him, his wife Kathleen, and their children, Nick and Hilary, his email address in Spain is Rdolan@iese.edu. If you need any additional information, please let me know.

Nancy

Nancy Cantor Provost & Exec VP for Academic Affairs
University of Michigan
3074 Fleming Administration Building
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1340
(734)764-9292
necantor@umich.edu

Q
May 12, 2001, 08:55 PM
So you're a Michigan MBA, huh? Excellent!

Michigan is one of my top choices for grad school. Did you get a chance to study under CK Prahalad?

Michigan has a great campus, but the winters can be brutal. They have a great sports tradition too, which probably explains your knowledge of college football. Hope you guys get a good replacement for the QB you lost (Henson).

In terms of value for money, I think it's a pretty fair deal (pricey, but not as expensive as private schools). How do you feel about your Michigan experience?

KuyaDanny
May 12, 2001, 09:19 PM
Yes, I did, Q, and in my opinion, one semester with the man was worth the entire two years' tuition I paid. The man helped shape my thinking. He is a sage.

Unfortunately, he's in semiretirement. He founded Praja, Inc (http://www.praja.com/), a company which sells software which helps companies use operating data to formulate strategy. While he continues to be listed in the faculty roll, he limits his teaching appearances to Executive Education programs and occasional talks to MBA students. He has also put his house in Ann Arbor up for sale.

Actually, when I did my MBA in the 80s, Michigan was a far better value than it is today. Consider that it was the only school ranked in the Top 10 (of nearly all major rankings) where tuition was 50% of the average, even for out-of-state students. Only Berkeley and UCLA were cheaper, and they weren't always in the Top 10. ;)

As to the loss of Drew Henson - it's tough, but there are people on the bench, including the Mormon who transferred from San Diego State. I'm more excited about the defense, which I think will win more games for the team this year. I also think it's good that the team isn't thought of very highly this year; that means they won't get cocky and choke early in the season the way they usually have done.

You asked how I felt about my Michigan experience. I am one very satisfied customer. No other time in my life has been as influential in my career development as the two years I spent there. I always recommend the school to anyone interested in attending, including you. Thanks for considering it. I hope you choose to go there when (not if) you are accepted.

aldogucci
May 13, 2001, 07:26 PM
Originally posted by KuyaDanny

You asked how I felt about my Michigan experience. I am one very satisfied customer. No other time in my life has been as influential in my career development as the two years I spent there. I always recommend the school to anyone interested in attending, including you. Thanks for considering it. I hope you choose to go there when (not if) you are accepted.

"....when you are accepted"? Is it that easy to get accepted to Michigan now? Are their standards such that anyone who applies will get in?

[Edited by aldogucci on 05-13-2001 at 06:48 PM]

KuyaDanny
May 14, 2001, 01:57 AM
Michigan accepts one of every seven applicants, or about 380 students every year out of 2,700 applications.

I think Q is good enough to get in if he wants to get in.

aldogucci
May 14, 2001, 02:40 AM
Originally posted by KuyaDanny
Michigan accepts one of every seven applicants, or about 380 students every year out of 2,700 applications.

I think Q is good enough to get in if he wants to get in.

On what basis are you making this comment? As far as Q's post goes, Q said nothing about his academic background, his work experience, his GMAT scores, etc. I'm just wondering how you are certain he's good enough to get into Michigan....unless the admission standards there have gone down.

By the way, based on the latest US News and World Report article, Michigan B-school's acceptance rate into their MBA program in 2000 was 20.8%, not quite the 14% you claim.

KuyaDanny
May 14, 2001, 03:11 AM
Thanks for doing the research, aldogucci. I was using 1996 numbers for my statement.

My comment was based on my assessment of Q's quality of thinking, which he has demonstrated in many posts in this forum, and certainly not just the one above. Of course, I do not represent the Business School admissions committee, so I cannot speak for them. I also can't say if their standards have gone down. I think only somebody from the inside can tell us that.

aldogucci
May 14, 2001, 04:34 AM
As I'm sure you're aware, because of self-selection, the applicants to top MBA programs such as Michigan are all the cream of the crop. Even candidates with high GPAs and GMAT scores over 700 only stand a 15% chance of getting into schools like Harvard and Wharton.

I think to assume that Q will get into Michigan, even if you assume his stats are consistent with the average Michigan applicant, is extremely premature. Advising Q that he will get into Michigan if he wants to may prompt him to not invest time in his application and essays - your advice may be a disservice to him.

Q
May 14, 2001, 07:50 AM
Thanks for the *encouragement* and the *vote of confidence*, Kuya Danny! :)

(*ahem*)

Though I truly admire UM, obviously one has to keep their options open. However, I'm pretty confident my credentials, achievements, and committment to the admissions process will get me into a good program.