New dean plans to raise the bar
Caryn Beck-Dudley is the first female dean for Utah State University’s College of Business.
The search for the new dean was national and Beck-Dudley was very pleased to be given the position July 1.
As the new dean, Beck-Dudley is actively involved in raising money for academic programs and selling the College of Business to stake holders.
Evelyn Lee, one of the administrative assistants to the dean, said Dudley is an asset to the college.
“There is a difference with a woman as the dean. She is well-organized in her thoughts and very innovative on her approach to the deanship,” Lee said.
Among many of the new dean’s goals, the College of Business is working on developing a Creative School of Opportunity along with the Shingo Prize for Excellent Manufacturing, Beck-Dudley said. This project involves providing opportunities for students to work with professionals in businesses from around the world.
They have also raised the required GPA for admittance to the College of Business so the standard of the college will be higher.
“We want to lower the number of student-to-faculty ratio so the students can work more closely with the professors,” Beck-Dudley said.
Beck-Dudley hopes the college can also offer a doctorate in business at USU next year.
Lee said Beck-Dudley is very interested in all aspects of college and instigating interactions with other units and organizations across campus.
“She is decisive, thoughtful, thorough and kind in everything she does. I would not even want to begin to keep the schedule that she keeps. She is always busy but she still takes time to get better acquainted with the people she works with in the college,” Lee said.
Beck-Dudley is native to Utah and she graduated magna cum laude from USU in political science. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho College of Law.
Before coming to USU she was an attorney for a Salt Lake City law firm. She was a professor of business and employment law and business ethics in the department of management and human resources at USU, where she served as department head.
Beck-Dudley has also published articles in the American Business Law Journal, Journal of Business Ethics, Employee Rights and Responsibilities, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, Journal of Energy Law and Policy, as well as others. She is currently engaged in research on natural law jurisprudence, employment law and creating ethical organizations. She has received the Homes/Cardozo award and Ralph C. Hoeber Award from the Academy of Legal Studies in Business for her research. She is married to Lynn Dudley, professor in soil chemistry at USU.
David Luthy, senior assistant dean for graduate studies, said Beck-Dudley is doing wonderfully well and has pointed the college in a very positive direction.
“She has instilled new energy in the faculty, staff and students,” Luthy said.
He said the new dean is very open to receive comments and suggestions.
“She is providing very positive leadership for other members of the administration. She has been doing a nice job, and with a lot of energy it’s a new day in the college of business,” Luthy said.