Pamplin dean to lead international workshop on recession's impact on business schools

Richard E. Sorensen, dean of Virginia Tech's Pamplin College of Business, will help lead a workshop for business school deans at an upcoming international conference to address the possible financial impacts of the global recession on business schools.

The workshop was recently added to the Deans Conference in response to the rapidly changing global economy, Sorensen said. The conference, scheduled on Feb. 4-6 in San Francisco, is an annual gathering of business deans sponsored by AACSB International-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Sorensen, a past chair of AACSB’s board of directors, said the workshop offers “a forum for business school leaders across the nation and around the world to work face-to-face with each other to understand the issues, think strategically, and develop action plans that respond effectively to the challenges brought on by shifting markets and contracting economies.”

The topics to be addressed — all within the context of declining university budgets and a shaky economy — include program funding needs, fundraising, faculty recruitment and retention, enrollment management, student placement assistance, and services delivery to business and government.

Sorensen will lead the workshop with Gail Naughton, business dean at San Diego State University.