After a tenure longer than most deans at other law schools around the nation, the dean of the Law School at University of Wisconsin announced his resignation from the post Wednesday.
Kenneth Davis said stepping down is the right thing for him at this time in his career.
“I think I’m at the point where it’s time to turn over the reins to a younger generation,” he said.
After holding those reins for 13 years, Davis said he is unsure what will happen next. He is considering re-joining the faculty of the law school, but if he decides to do so he will take a sabbatical between stepping down as dean and teaching, he said.
If he chooses to return, Davis said time off would be necessary to allow him to rest after his long stint as dean, and also for him to focus on teaching after being away from it for so long.
The announcement was a surprise to UW Law Professor William Church, who said he was disappointed to hear of Davis’ decision.
The primary reasons for Church’s feelings are Davis’ “low-key style” and his ability to determine and respond to the challenges facing the law school, he said.
With Davis at the helm, Church said morale in the law school “is generally quite good,” but did not see that as a potential issue for Davis’ replacement.
Provost Paul DeLuca also pointed to Davis’ ability to inspire and encourage faculty and staff.
“My own personal opinion is that he has recognized the need to reward faculty for their accomplishments,” DeLuca said.
While he did not have specific goals when he took over as dean, Davis said he developed a strategy as time passed, trying to focus on elevating the school’s national stature.
“When I started I didn’t have a kind of big vision for the school,” he said. “I thought it was a great law school and I wanted to do what I could…to make it better.”
Of the goals he eventually set for his tenure as dean, Davis said he accomplished three-quarters of them, but the remaining goals will fall to the younger generation left behind.
Davis said the most rewarding part of his job is interacting with alumni and seeing the paths their lives have taken since graduating with a UW law degree.
In terms of challenges, Davis did not expect how heavy the burden of dean would be when he accepted the position.
“When you’re a faculty member you really are in many ways like an individual business person,” he said. “As dean you’re vicariously responsible for a lot of people you don’t have direct control over…and that’s something I really wasn’t ready for.”
Davis said he would serve as dean until September 2011, during which time UW will start a nationwide search for his replacement.
The search will take some time to start, DeLuca said, but he believes the process will begin in a few months time after he and Chancellor Biddy Martin gather input from the law school and establish a committee.
