UNM taps next dean of Anderson School of Management

Jan. 11—The University of New Mexico has named a native of Romania and a top business school leader from Bentley University as the next dean of the Anderson School of Management.

Alina Chircu will take over her new position on April 8. She currently works as a professor in the Computer Information Systems Department at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts. During her time at the institution, she also served as interim dean of Business.

Chricu said she was intrigued by the UNM position because of the quality of the Anderson School of Management and because UNM is a minority- and Hispanic-serving university.

"At UNM, you are not just a dean, you're in a place where you can give back," she said in an interview.

She at one point has managed all aspects of the Bentley business school, which has more than 150 full-time faculty members in nine academic departments. She was a member of the university president's Cabinet and involved in high-level decisions and strategy sessions during that role. As an associate dean at Bentley, Chircu stabilized an enrollment decline and increased revenue by 12%, according to a UNM news release.

She said she was excited to work to expand connections between UNM and industry, government and community partners.

"I have personally experienced and have a deep appreciation for the transformational value of public education and its power to break socio-economic barriers," she said in a statement. "It will be an honor and privilege to give back by serving in an institution that offers a quality, affordable education and has the power to unleash the potential of so many talented students."

Chricu signed a 5-year contract and will make roughly $326,000 per year.

UNM Provost James Holloway said the Anderson School of Management is critical if the university wants to achieve its long-term goals.

"Supporting our state's business environment through training the business and management professionals needed to drive our economy and creating the research and business process development that will enable New Mexico to realize our huge opportunities is key to our impact as a university," Holloway said in a statement. "I am so excited to bring a professional of Alina Chircu's expertise and talents to our state to lead our amazing Anderson School of Management. The faculty and staff in the school rock it, and Dr. Chircu is just the leader we need to take the school to the next level."

Chricu's teaching and research interests include business process and value chain management, design thinking, digital transformation and other topics.

She has a Ph.D in business adminsitration from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, and bachelor's and master's degrees in computer systems modeling and simulation from the University of Bucharest in Romania.

"The Anderson School of Management and its exceptional faculty, staff and students have a long history of working collaboratively with alumni and the larger business community in New Mexico," she said. "I look forward to continuing and amplifying these efforts and helping Anderson play a lead role in education, entrepreneurship, and economic development not only in New Mexico but also regionally and nationally."