Neil Seitz, dean of the John Cook School of Business at Saint Louis University, will resign from his position on June 30, returning to the finance department faculty this fall. Seitz has served as dean since 1993.
“Building a new building, raising funds and moving the school forward is tremendously hard work,” Seitz said. “I want to hand the baton to a fresh runner, with fresh ideas, while the momentum of the school is excellent.”
University Provost Sandra Johnson said that some of Seitz’s numerous contributions include improving the business school’s relationship with the local business community, as well as increasing levels of productivity from faculty. She added that Seitz’s return to the faculty is a benefit for the finance department, though as dean, Seitz continued teaching.
“He’s never really given up teaching entirely,” Johnson said. “His heart’s always been partly in the classroom with the students. I think that’s what’s made him an effective dean.”
Economics professor Patrick Welch also characterized Seitz as “extraordinarily effective.”
“He has the combination of having a vision and having the ability to implement it,” Welch said.
Welch agreed with Johnson that, under Seitz’s tenure, the quality of teaching and faculty research has improved. Also, the visibility of the school has increased, Welch said, referring to the addition of the 60,000-square-foot John and Lucy Cook Hall in October 2000.
Seitz said that one of the most memorable events during his tenure occurred at a breakfast meeting where benefactor Cook asked whether or not construction on a new building could begin immediately if Cook donated $5 million. “That one sentence not only converted the building from dream to reality, it also opened the door to most of the other improvements that have occurred here,” Seitz said.
He added that welcoming new students in October and seeing them graduate in May are meaningful and memorable events for him every year. “After 30 years as an academic, I have not tired of sharing those moments of anticipation and excitement with our students,” he said.
Seitz, who joined the business faculty in 1975, said that he plans to bring those experiences gained as dean into the classroom setting. “Students have not been bashful about sharing their joys and frustrations with me,” he said. “Business people who hire our students have also shared with me the positives and negatives of the students they hire.”
Dealing with students, employers and alumni reinforced the importance of educating the whole person is a lesson Seitz said he expects to use when teaching.
“I have been around to support and encourage some wonderful people while they worked together to increase the quality of the school,” Seitz said.
His greatest satisfaction as dean came from a Jesuit priest who observed that the spiritual level of the school had grown. “We worked hard for that, and I am pleased that someone noticed.”
Johnson said that a search committee will be identified in the next few weeks, and the actual search process will most likely begin in the fall. An interim dean will be announced after June 30.