Judy D. Olian, Dean of UCLA Anderson School of Management, to Become President of Quinnipiac University

UCLA Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

To: Administrative Officers, Deans, Department Chairs, Directors, Faculty in the Anderson School of Management, Vice Chancellors and Vice Provosts

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to share news — exciting for her and sad for us — that Judy Olian will be leaving UCLA at the end of this academic year to become president of Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. She has served in the role of dean of UCLA Anderson School of Management and John E. Anderson Chair in Management since January 2006, and has left an indelible mark on the school.

During her time here, more than half of Anderson’s current faculty were hired, bringing outstanding new scholars and content into the research and teaching programs; four new research centers, the social impact initiative and the Anderson Venture Accelerator were launched; degree programs were introduced and expanded; and hybrid coursework combining online and face-to-face learning delivery became part of the school’s teaching portfolio. Under her leadership, gender diversity among faculty and students increased significantly. Chancellor Block and I agree that Judy has shown extraordinary skill in increasing Anderson’s global recognition, and through her tireless efforts, she has created a loyal, engaged and effective alumni network.

Also during Judy’s tenure, UCLA Anderson created an innovative, self-supporting financial model that is unique for the University of California. As a dedicated and highly successful fundraiser, Judy, and her team, attracted $400 million in philanthropic support. She has been vital in creating very influential boards around the school and its centers, and enabling the naming of three research centers, 13 term and endowed professorships, numerous student fellowships and programs, and the new Marion Anderson Hall, which is currently under construction.

The chairman of Anderson’s Board of Advisors, Robert S. Murley ’74, vice chairman of Credit Suisse, shared this statement on behalf of the board: “This is a bittersweet day for UCLA Anderson. We are proud of Dean Olian and the opportunity that she has been given to leverage her many capabilities and assume the leadership of a wonderful university. At the same time, we are sad to see Judy leave. She has been an exceptional dean for Anderson, and the school has flourished under her vision and inspirational leadership. We wish Judy all the best as she begins the next chapter of her impressive career.”

Judy’s impact has been felt not just at Anderson, but across the university. She is a global thinker, advancing the campus’s global strategic priorities alongside Anderson’s expanding international footprint. She served for 10 years as chair of the Council of Professional School Deans, is a member of the board of UCLA’s Technology Development Group, and was involved in many campus-wide strategic initiatives, committees and advisory groups. She is also a close friend to many of us on the UCLA leadership team.

I will appoint an interim dean to ensure a smooth leadership transition, and my office will be initiating the search for a permanent dean very shortly.

Chancellor Block and I are extremely grateful for Judy’s outstanding leadership as dean and for the many transformative initiatives and activities she led on behalf of the school and UCLA. We wish her every success in her new leadership role at Quinnipiac.

Sincerely,

Scott L. Waugh
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost