DePaul’s Department of Finance and Real Estate names new chair following merger
Following the administrative merge of DePaul’s Department of Finance and Real Estate, Thomas Berry was appointed as the new department chair, effective July 1. Berry previously worked as an associate dean of students and faculty success in the Driehaus College of Business.
“I am honored and humbled to have been selected for this position and follow the history of great leadership in both departments,” Berry said.
Thomas Donley, interim dean for the Driehaus College of Business, appointed Berry for the new position. Berry was one of three nominees considered for the position.
“Misty and I interviewed all three and also reviewed feedback on their candidacies that was gathered through an anonymous survey of finance and real estate faculty, staff and affiliated advisory board members conducted in May,” Donley said in a statement.”These factors and Tom’s demonstrated leadership in advancing the strategic priorities of our college led to his choice.” Donley said in a statement
Previously, Finance and Real Estate were two separate departments under the Driehaus College of Business. The new combined Department of Finance and Real Estate brings multiple advantages for faculty and students. With the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) five-year review for reaccreditation coming up in the fall, the merge allows for departments to meet their standards such as a smaller class size.
“A larger, combined unit also strengthens the potential for course size and credit hour growth, which are necessary for the college to hire future faculty members to teach in these disciplines,” Donley said in a statement. “For students, the merger will provide more opportunities for cross-disciplinary study.”
Valerie C. Johnson • Jul 19, 2020 at 12:25 pm
I am infuriated that the only black department chair in the College of Business (Elijah Brewer) was pushed out without any regard for racial equity or his fine record of accomplishment in the Department of Finance. “Anonymous survey of finance and real estate faculty, staff and affiliated advisory board members”? Really? Sounds good, but how about following the usual process for selecting chairs– a vote of the department faculty? It’s egregious to solicit anonymous comments outside the normal channels of transparency and accountability. This is a perfect example of the manner in which structural racism takes place. Donley and Ghanem should be ashamed. This appointment and the manner in which it was accomplished is antithetical to ethical practices, particularly in this era of social unrest. DePaul’s good ole boy way of operating will be the source of our undoing. If we want to become the stellar university that the times demand, we will need new leadership and new thinking. We are no longer the little university under the El. We should stop acting like we are.
It is a misnomer to refer to the The Departments of Finance and Real Estate as a merger. It was an absorption of one small department into a much larger and vibrant one. Elijah Brewer had been chair of the larger department for seven years. The Finance Department included “15 full-time tenure and tenure-track faculty members, five full-time clinical professors and a wealth of highly qualified adjunct instructors.” The Department of Real Estate? Two tenured faculty and one term line faculty– a total of three faculty members. Why was a change in leadership necessary? I smell a big fat rotten stinking rat!!
When the College of Education eliminated a department that had eight faculty, four went to one department and four went to another. There was no change of leadership for the destination departments. To condone this appointment in silence is nothing short of shameful!! We must do better at DePaul! Our core Vincentian values demand it.
Valerie