University of Michigan Ross School of Business Dean Scott DeRue announced Friday he would be stepping down from his position on May 23 to take on a new role as a senior executive in the private sector.
There is currently no replacement dean following DeRue’s departure. University Provost Susan Collins will appoint an interim dean at the end of the semester, who will work closely with DeRue to ease the transition.
DeRue became the Business School Dean in 2016. In the time since, every program in the Business School rose to a Top 10 ranking while others made it even further. In a personal message to the Business School community, DeRue said he felt very fortunate to have had this role.
“Serving as your Dean for the past five years has been the greatest professional honor of my life,” DeRue wrote. “Because of your commitment to excellence and passion for our mission, over the past 5 years, we have been able to achieve great things, for which I am extraordinarily proud of and grateful for all of you.”
While DeRue has been Dean, he wrote the Business School also made significant strides to become more inclusive, with an 20% increase in enrollment and introducing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion requirements into the core curriculum.. However, many students have called out the business school for its lack of diversity.
Moving forward, DeRue wrote he was confident that the Business School is heading in the right direction.
“The road ahead will be full of new opportunities and challenges, all of which I am excited about, especially knowing that I will continue to have the University of Michigan and Ross School community in my corner, supporting me every step of the way,” DeRue wrote.
In his message, DeRue said Collins will release more details about the interim dean soon.
Daily Staff Reporter Lily Gooding can be reached at goodingl@umich.edu.