This story originally ran in the daily.
Weatherhead School of Management Dean Manoj Malhotra has announced that he will not seek a second, five-year term to lead the school. In a message to the school’s faculty and staff, Malhotra wrote that he had made this decision “after considerable thought and reflection.” He will continue to serve as dean through Aug. 31.
“The goals that were established for the school at the beginning of my tenure have now been met or exceeded by our faculty, staff and alumni working together over the past five years,” he said. “Their attainment has built the foundation for the next phase of growth and development at Weatherhead School of Management.”
An accomplished scholar of supply chain and operations management, Malhotra came to Case Western Reserve after 27 years at the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business—including more than 16 as chair of the management science department.
When he arrived at Weatherhead in 2017, Malhotra made growing undergraduate enrollments and increasing engagement with alumni and business leaders among his top priorities. Both efforts yielded significant results throughout his tenure; this fall, the school is projected to enroll the largest first-year class in its history, and annual fundraising for this fiscal year is expected to reach its highest level in more than two decades. These achievements, Malhotra said, will provide resources needed to enhance student support and teaching, strengthen research, and advance the school’s diversity through hiring of additional faculty and staff.
The school also grew its research prominence, moving from being unranked in 2017 to achieving 85th position this year among the top 100 research universities in the U.S. in the University of Texas at Dallas listings based on publications in top-tier management journals.
“Manoj has done an exceptional job of realizing the outcomes he articulated at the beginning of his tenure as dean,” Provost Ben Vinson said. “These accomplishments are particularly impressive given the lengthy and devastating impact that the pandemic had on all aspects of daily life. I am grateful for his tireless efforts.”
Last year, the Weatherhead School launched its first online degree program, a Master of Business Administration focused on healthcare management. Enrollment for the inaugural class met expectations, and applications for this fall are already well ahead of 2021’s total. The school also completed an ambitious strategic plan designed to capitalize on its existing strengths and respond to the growing importance of data, technology, and social responsibility across nearly every industry.
“Manoj recognized the need for Weatherhead to adapt to evolving expectations of students and employers,” President Eric W. Kaler said. “His proactive approach has positioned the school for strong success in the future.”