Message from President Garrison
As President of West Virginia University, and an alumnus of the College of Law, I?m acutely aware of the role this school plays in the life of our University, our state and the legal profession across the country and around the world. My wife, Heather Malone Garrison, is also a proud graduate of the College, so it has, indeed, shaped our family?s life in many ways.
John W. Fisher, II, who has announced his intention to step down at the end of the current academic year, has led the School ably for the past 10 years. He has served as a teacher and mentor to aspiring attorneys for nearly two generations. We are fortunate that he has agreed to remain on the faculty and to continue his teaching and research.
The next dean will inherit a vibrant professional school, with a faculty that is active in the intellectual life of the University, respected in the scholarly circles, and treasured by students past and present. To head this outstanding group of legal scholars, we will seek a candidate who can provide innovative and creative leadership, who can secure new sources of funding for our College, and who demonstrates a firm grasp of the mission of a law school within a public university.
A nationwide search for a new dean is under way. I have appointed a search committee that includes faculty, staff, alumni, the legal community, a representative of the student body and my administration.
But they cannot do their work alone. The Search Committee intends to engage the members of the profession and the College alumni in this process. I invite everyone who cares for this College to participate by spreading the word in the legal profession, and by forwarding to the Search Committee the names of legal scholars and professionals who might be suitable candidates for this post.
You may send your nominations and suggestions, in confidence, to the College of Law Dean Search Committee, c/o Valerie Lopez, PO Box 6201, WVU, Morgantown, WV 26506 or valerie.lopez@mail.wvu.edu. Further, if you are acquainted with one of the members of the Search Committee, do not hesitate to contact him or her directly with your thoughts.
Very truly yours,
Michael S. Garrison
President