A MESSAGE FROM THE FORMER DEAN

It has been my honor to lead Berkeley Haas for the past five-and-a-half years and to travel the world meeting our amazing alumni and donors. I thank everyone in the Haas community for their support of our school.

As you know, I stepped down as dean at the end of July, but I look forward to remaining on the faculty to teach Haas students and conduct research.

I want to take one last opportunity to convey the magnitude of your generosity since I became dean in 2019. Because of you, we raised over $236 million during this time period, and Haas has continued to thrive.

We have embedded a sustainability mindset into all of Haas’ programs and operations. This resulted in a sustainability certificate and a dual degree in business and climate solutions with the Rausser College of Natural Resources at the MBA level as well as a summer minor in sustainable business and policy for undergraduates.

We launched a major diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging (DEIJB) effort that broadened the profile of the school’s faculty, board, and student body and created learning opportunities and anti-bias training for the entire Haas community.

And we enhanced our efforts in innovation and entrepreneurship with a new faculty group and an entrepreneurship hub (called the eHub), which will open this fall for students from across the Berkeley campus to envision new companies and products.

Academically, we have increased access to Haas. Our undergraduate program has transformed from two to four years, thanks to the largest single gift in the school’s history—$30 million from Ned Spieker, BS 66, and his wife, Carol, BA 66 (political science). And the Flex online MBA cohort draws a geographically diverse set of students eager for the ethical leadership taught at our school.

None of this is possible without a strong faculty, and we have hired 42 new ladder faculty, 19 of whom are women. We also nearly doubled the number of faculty positions that are funded by Haas or by philanthropic funds.

You helped realize these incredible accomplishments. Thank you so much for keeping Haas at the forefront of business education. You are in great hands with Interim Dean Jennifer Chatman. With our focus on innovation, sustainability, and inclusion, Berkeley Haas is the heart of what’s next.

With gratitude,

ANN E. HARRISON
Bank of America Dean