Leadership Transition at the Marxe School

Dear Colleagues,

I write to share information of a leadership transition at the Marxe School. David Birdsell, PhD, Marxe Dean of the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, has informed me that he will be appointed Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Kean University in Union, NJ. Dean Birdsell will be retiring from Baruch College in July, after 35 years of distinguished service. Shortly, Interim Provost Myung-Soo Lee will announce the appointment of an interim dean as we launch a national search for a permanent leader for the Marxe School.

Thank you, Dean Birdsell, for Your Service to Baruch

David has been a valued member of the Baruch faculty since 1986 and has served with distinction as one of the College’s three deans since 2006. He has also been very helpful to me during my first year as Baruch’s president, and I know he will be missed across the College and throughout CUNY.

Under David’s leadership, the Marxe School has roughly doubled in size, expanded to include a Master of International Affairs degree, and attracted the largest gift in the College’s history—$30 million—to name and endow the Marxe School. To support our globalization efforts, he has also led Baruch and CUNY’s work with the World Cities World Class University (WC2) consortium.

Owing to David’s vision and curricular innovations, the Marxe School has ascended the U.S. News & World Report “Best Graduate Schools” rankings to top slots across its program offerings. As a scholar, David is widely published on communication theory and practice and is a regular guest commentator on debates and other aspects of political communication for local, national, and international media. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), and his work has been supported by the Annenberg Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Lyndon B. Johnson Foundation, the Clark Foundation, and the United Way of New York City, among other funders.

Associate Dean Transition

Also, Patria de Lancer Julnes, PhD, Marxe associate dean of academic programs and professor, let us know that she has accepted a position as the Rosenthal Endowed Professor of Public Administration and Director of the School of Public Administration at the University of New Mexico. Her last day at Baruch will be July 15. Patria joined Baruch in July 2019 and quickly became a valuable member of the Presidential Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, in addition to other School- and College-wide initiatives. We wish her success in her new position.

Next Steps: Marxe Leadership Transition

Please join me in thanking David Birdsell for his exemplary service to Baruch and wishing him well in his provost role with Kean University. It is a testament to Baruch’s stature and reputation that David is being tapped for such a high-profile role. For the faculty and staff of the Marxe School, a change in leadership can feel uncertain and cause anxiety. Be assured that the College is fully committed to the continued success of the Marxe School—the leadership transition also creates new opportunities for incoming Provost Essig and myself to develop the next generation of leadership at Marxe.

Thank you in advance for your assistance, dedication, and collaboration as we move through this transition period and continue to advance the outstanding work of the Marxe School. Please reach out to me at president@baruch.cuny.edu with your questions and suggestions along the way.

Sincerely,

S. David Wu
President, Baruch College