J. TAYLOR SIMS TO LEAVE DEANSHIP, RETURN TO TEACHING

After six years as dean of Old Dominion University's College of Business and Public Administration, J. Taylor Sims announced recently that he will leave the deanship and return to teaching.

"The six years that I have served as dean has to be one of the most satisfying periods in my academic career," Sims said in a letter to his faculty, noting the successes the college has achieved under his leadership. "With these accomplishments in place I feel that it is now time for me to return to full time teaching, research and service in the college for the remaining years of my career."

Sims will step down July 1 and, after a sabbatical, will return as a professor of marketing in the college.

"Over the last six years, Dean Sims has moved the college forward in dramatic ways," noted Jo Ann Gora, provost and vice president for academic affairs. "We have expanded enrollments, increased the faculty size, designed a new building, implemented a fund raising campaign for the new building, reorganized the departmental structure , revamped the entire curriculum and introduced innovative new curricula, such as e-commerce. He has much to be proud of!"

Sims was named dean of the college in 1994, after serving as senior vice president, acting president and provost and vice president for academic affairs at Cleveland State University. Prior to that he was dean of the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at Memphis State University, dean of the College of Business at Bradley University, associate dean of the College of Business Administration at Wright State University and vice president for research services at Market Research Corporation of America in Chicago.

Sims earned a Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Illinois and received his M.B.A. and bachelor's degrees from Texas Technological College.