College of Business dean resigns, vice-dean fills position

Sudyen Navarrete/ Contributing Writer

news@fiusm.com

As a result of the notice of resignation of Dean David Klock, the acting-dean position at the University’s College of Business will be assumed by Jose Aldrich.

Aldrich joined the University in 2013 as vice dean of the College of Business. With his new appointment, Aldrich will now have greater responsibilities.

“You have to move the College forward to keep it going,” Aldrich told Student Media. “It involves more interaction with the faculty.”

In 2012, Klock came to FIU from his position as dean of the School of Business for the University of Alabama to comply with a purpose he set for himself.

“I wanted to go someplace that had a very special mission,” Klock told Student Media. “[FIU] has a mission for opportunity.”

According to him, he decided to step down as dean because he had already completed the mission he had set for himself.

“I was asked to come here and accomplish some things, and I told them it would probably take three or four years,” Klock said.

By the time he hit the three-year mark, Klock had seen vast changes.

“[I noticed that] the undergraduate student body of business had grown from 6,000 to 7,000,” Klock said.

Klock also helped the College earn top ranks for the category of best business schools in the country.

As reported on the College’s website, the College is ranked as number 15 in top business schools for International MBA programs, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 edition.

The College also ranked among the top five percent of elite business schools by the Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business and number seven for undergraduate marketing programs for 2013, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

University Provost Kenneth G. Furton, along with a committee, is working on choosing a permanent dean by the upcoming fall term.

“We have a great faculty, a great administration, excellent programs [and] our rankings are very high,” said Aldrich.

As of now, Aldrich wants to find strategies to keep the College growing internationally and culturally.

“[I] want to focus on international student success [and] creating a cultural experience for students,” said Aldrich.

According to Aldrich, he has maintained good communication with his students and faculty and he wants to continue doing so as acting dean.

“I’ve always had students come in and I’ve been able to help or refer them to the right person,” Aldrich said. “I love interacting with students, I wouldn’t want to cut that out.”

Aside from being the acting dean, he also teaches a tax course, a result of his background in accounting and his international experience.

Aldrich has two children who are alumni of the College of Business.

“When I saw the experience my children have had and the commitment FIU has for success, I felt this is the place I wanted to be,” Aldrich said.

Lianne Gregori, a junior accounting major, was particularly interested to see the new changes and plans for the upcoming semester, now that a new dean is set to take over.
“The College of Business has been a great program. I haven’t had any problems and I believe the dean has done a great job,” Gregori said. “I have no doubt that [he] will do great and I’m sure the business program will keep growing – both culturally and internationally.”

Klock agrees with her and thinks highly of Aldrich.

“Jose Aldrich is a great man,” Klock said. “He has tremendous world experience. He’s spent a lifetime working for a major accounting firm, he’s spent decades working in South America, he’s Hispanic and he loves it… we love him and I feel really proud of him.”