5 questions for ... Alan Leberknight

Photo by Kanji Takeno

Managed growth one of TU’s critical issues, says returning business executive

by Stuart Zang

Alan Leberknight returned to TU this fall ready for a new challenge—as chairperson of the accounting department.

Can you briefly describe your working relationship with TU?

From spring 1995 to summer 2001 I was dean of the College of Business and Economics. Weeks before I left for retirement, I was asked to become president and CEO of the Port Discovery Children’s Museum, and stayed there for two years. In the summer of 2005 I was asked to act as TU's interim vice president for Administration and Finance and chief fiscal officer, a post I held until January 2006. I had more or less retired until this fall, when I joined the accounting department as interim chair.

Tell me about your recent consulting experience.

I came back briefly last winter to advise the administration on how to effectively manage work and classroom space as we experience significant enrollment growth. Over the past few years we’ve had a major influx of new students and, in response, a considerable number of additional faculty members, adding to an already acute need for more classroom and office and space. Every part of the university thinks it needs more space, facilities and resources—they all probably do! Managed growth is, and will continue to be, a critical issue as TU moves toward 2010.

What prompted your most recent return?

I wanted to help CBE as it enters a crucial period, when both the college and the accounting program itself are undergoing reaccreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). This process occurs every five years. Our accounting department is one of only two accounting programs among Maryland's public colleges and universities accredited by AACSB, an important distinction we wish to maintain. I’m also teaching two courses this term: Principles of Accounting and Principles of Management.

Do you find teaching more or less challenging than your past positions?

It presents challenges different from those in administration. When I was dean of CBE and working in Administration and Finance, I knew department chairs and faculty had many specific, immediate issues to deal with, but it’s always different when you encounter those issues firsthand. It’s given me a new appreciation for and perspective on faculty concerns.

Do you have plans to retire?

I’ve had lots of plans to retire. I’ve gotten very good at it, having done so three times. I plan to do so in 2008. It’s a course I’ve taken several times, but for some reason I keep getting incompletes.

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