Washburn prepares to open new School of Law building but still has no permanent dean

Rafael Garcia, Topeka Capital-Journal
Updated ·2 min read

As Washburn prepares to open its new School of Law building Friday, the university continues to search for a permanent dean for the school, as well as a few other executive level positions.

The law school has been without a permanent dean since late spring 2022, when former dean Carla Pratt resigned to return to her home state and serve as an endowed chair at the University of Oklahoma School of Law.

Since then, longtime Washburn law professor Jeffrey Jackson has been interim dean.

Washburn has yet to begin formal search for law school dean, provost positions

Washburn's School of Law has been without a permanent dean since Carla Pratt left over a year ago, and a decision on a successor is still likely months away.
Washburn's School of Law has been without a permanent dean since Carla Pratt left over a year ago, and a decision on a successor is still likely months away.

Washburn has contracted with Anthem Executive, a national search firm with extensive experience in higher education leadership, to search for a permanent law school dean, as well as a new permanent vice president of academic affairs, who would also hold the title of provost.

Washburn has not had a permanent vice president for academic affairs since current president JuliAnn Mazachek departed that post for the presidency at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, in spring 2022. Laura Stephenson has been serving as Washburn's interim vice president for academic affairs.

Both of those searches have yet to start, although Washburn anticipates beginning the provost search later this summer, and a law school dean search in the fall. Officials said the search timelines are intended to align with academic calendars to allow for a better candidate pool.

Search committees will narrow down finalists from a pool of candidates identified by Anthem Executive. For the provost search, president JuliAnn Mazachek will determine the best candidate to recommend for hiring by the Washburn Board of Regents, while Mazachek would work with the future provost to make a hiring decision on the law school dean.

Other executive and dean level positions not currently filled with permanent staff include dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and dean of Washburn Institute of Technology. Kelly Erby is interim arts and sciences dean, while Washburn Tech is being led by Judy Korb and Tim Clothier.

The university in April appointed Alan Bearman as its vice president for strategic enrollment management and dean of student success and libraries.

More: Washburn University will give the late Sen. Bob Dole one of its biggest honors

Washburn Law's Robert J. Dole Hall will formally open Friday

Washburn will have a grand opening Friday afternoon for its $33 million School of Law building, which has been in planning and construction for much of the past decade.

The Washburn Regents earlier this month voted to name the building Robert J. Dole Hall, in honor of the late alumnus U.S. Sen. Bob Dole.

Saturday marks what would have been Dole’s 100th birthday.

Rafael Garcia is an education reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached at rgarcia@cjonline.com or by phone at ‪785-289-5325. Follow him on Twitter at @byRafaelGarcia.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Washburn University looking for several dean, executive positions