Former Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland 'preferred candidate' for U of M law school dean
Editors note: This story has been updated to include that current Dean Katharine Schaffzin announced in an email to students and staff that she would be stepping down as dean in August 2023.
Former Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland is the "preferred candidate" to be the next dean of the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis, according to an email obtained by The Commercial Appeal.
In an email sent to faculty Thursday by David J. Russomanno, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost for the University of Memphis, he said he took into account "all forms of feedback," in addition to reading up on "relevant (American Bar Association) criteria." He prompted faculty to read a paper he found in his research "regarding traditional and non-traditional candidate pools."
"I concur with the perspective that at this point in our Law School’s history we need a dean who is best prepared to advance the 'everything else' category summarized above," Russomanno wrote regarding the excerpt from “Non-Traditional Law Deans: Their Experiences and Those of the Law Schools that Hire Them,” by T. Fisher.
Russomanno went on to say existing faculty at the law school already excelled in "traditional" strengths.
"We have reached an extraordinary moment with a tremendous need for a collaborative dean who will demonstrate exemplary leadership and focus on initiatives and priorities to significantly increase enrollment, bar passage rates, and philanthropic support to our Law School to ensure its continued viability and vitality," he said.
Strickland earned his bachelor's degree and law degree from the U of M and worked as an attorney in Memphis before running for office. He was first elected to the Memphis City Council in 2007 and was elected mayor for the first time in 2015, winning a second term in 2019.
The email sent to faculty members of the law school stated that Strickland would not be seeking a typical tenured position as dean.
"Jim Strickland is not seeking a tenured appointment but rather an appointment as Dean and Clinical Professor; therefore, a vote on tenure is not applicable to his candidacy," the email said.
The email went on to say that there is "very strong support expressed for Jim Strickland," as the school's next dean.
The current dean, Katharine T. Schaffzin, emailed university officials and students at the law school on Aug. 18, 2023 to say she would be stepping down from the post. The University of Memphis has not made any other statement that Schaffzin would no longer be dean.
"My family and I have made Memphis our home for the past fourteen years and plan to remain Tigers. I will continue my service as dean throughout this academic year and, after a sabbatical, plan to return to the classroom preparing competent litigators for the practice of law," Schaffzin wrote in the email.
Schaffzin is the first woman in the history of the law school to serve as dean.
'Tragedy and triumph': A look back at Jim Strickland's 8 years as Memphis mayor
Russomanno said in the email to faculty that there were also three "traditional" candidates under consideration for the position. They were not named in the email.
Faculty members will be tasked with answering the following questions regarding Strickland by the end of the day Friday, according to the email:
Is Jim Strickland suitable to serve as dean to advance the finances, administration, facilities, fundraising, human resources, admissions, student services, careers, and external relations mission of the Law School?
If Jim Strickland is appointed as dean, would you support his administration to advance the finances, facilities, fundraising, human resources, admissions, student services, careers, and external relations mission of the Law School?
In a statement, the University of Memphis said: "Once a decision has been made regarding the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law dean, a notification will be sent."
Strickland could not be reached for comment by the time of publication.
Reporter John Klyce contributed to this report.
Brooke Muckerman covers Shelby County Government for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at (901) 484-6225, brooke.muckerman@commercialappeal.com and followed on X, formerly known as Twitter @BrookeMuckerman.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Jim Strickland frontrunner for University of Memphis' law school dean
