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Dean's Column
Beat Stanford. Imagine that!
Beating Stanford is the annual goal of the Cal Bears against the Stanford Cardinal in football at the Big Game -- a 100-plus year rivalry between two great Bay Area universities. And the trend over the past five years is leaning toward Cal, with three wins and two losses.
But what about a goal of Haas School of Business beating the Stanford Business School, which for years has finished ahead of Haas in nearly every major ranking and is regularly considered one of the three best business schools in the world? Stanford is extraordinarily competitive, and we have lost a lot battles against them.
The good news is that things are changing for the better -- rapidly. And the time has come when we finally have the means to achieve the goal.
In recent years, Haas has been assembling the elements and resources necessary to be considered one of the world's very top business schools. Early evidence: Haas ranked #6 this year in US News – its highest showing ever. I believe we can match and eventually overtake Stanford on the key measures of success for elite business schools. While the effort will take years to achieve, the time is not nearly as important as our commitment to follow it through.
Here are some structural changes that have suddenly put us in a winnable game:
- Haas can now hire faculty with its own funds, rather than having to wait for state-funded slots. As a result, we are expanding from 60 to 90 full-time, tenure-track positions to achieve parity with our competitors. We are one-third of the way toward our hiring goal.
- Haas can now pay market salaries to attract and retain the best professors. How important is this? For the first time in years, we were successful this spring in hiring a faculty member away from Stanford.
- Haas can now charge market rates for most of its graduate masters programs, and soon for all. Freedom to set prices at market supports a level of excellence we couldn't afford before.
- These structural changes and the improvements they have enabled have got alumni and friends supporting Haas as never before, providing resources on a par with our ambitions. The magnificent gifts chronicled on these pages are proof. This is only the beginning.
The bottom-line: Haas is entering a new era in which it can compete with the Stanfords of the world on a level playing field. If we believe in the goal, and we get your help, we can beat Stanford.
Imagine that!
Richard Lyons
Dean (acting)
About the Dean
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