Usc'S Dean Drama: High-Paid Leader Shifts Roles Amid Faculty Uproar

New Role Amidst Faculty Backlash

It's been a dramatic scene for University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business, where Dean Geoffrey Garrett has made headlines for his quiet transition into a new advisory position. After a storm of criticism from the faculty over his leadership, Garrett is now taking on the role of Special Advisor to the President for Global Strategy and Engagement. The move comes after a fiery reaction from 52 faculty members who penned a critical letter on April 4, pointing fingers at Garrett for declining enrollment and graduate program cuts.

From Town Halls to Tension

To quell the growing unrest, Garrett held a town hall in May, which backfired spectacularly, leaving professors even more disgruntled. "It's incredibly tone-deaf to waste the time of 260+ people," expressed one frustrated faculty member. The discussion also peeled back the curtain on Garrett's hefty $1.16 million salary, adding fuel to the fire. "It felt like in the movies, where you need to rush onstage and pull the person off because it’s getting worse and worse," described a staff member who witnessed the chaos.

“It’s incredibly tone-deaf to waste the time of 260+ people,” one professor said.

New Beginnings for USC

Despite the turmoil, USC's president Beong-Soo Kim remains optimistic about Garrett's new role. "He's someone who thinks globally and has as good a sense as anyone as to how things are going to unfold geopolitically," Kim stated, emphasizing Garrett's potential to enhance USC's global engagement. This strategic shift allows Garrett to sidestep a vote of no confidence that was lurking around the corner, scheduled for July. Meanwhile, Andrew Call steps in as interim dean, steering the business school ship as Garrett embarks on his new journey.