Ed School Dean Murphy to Step Down Next June

Just three weeks after President Neil L. Rudenstine said he will resign at the end of next year, Dean of the Graduate School of Education (GSE) Jerome "Jerry" T. Murphy announced his intention to step down on the same day--June 30, 2001.

Murphy told his colleagues of the decision at yesterday's Faculty meeting, saying he will remain at the school, viewed as the best in the nation, as a professor. They honored him with a standing ovation which Murphy called "very moving."

GSE faculty members expressed regret at his departure as dean.

"He has had a tremendous deanship," said Pforzheimer Professor of Education Susan Moore Johnson. "Obviously, we're sad to see him go."

Johnson said she was surprised but not shocked at Murphy's announcement. She said since he has served in school's administration for more than 15 years, it is understandable that he is ready to step down.

Murphy said that no particular event prompted his decision to step down as dean.

Instead, he said, the conclusion of the recent University-wide capital campaign, which raised $111 million for GSE, makes it an opportune time for a new dean to take over.

Several important long-term decisions, including the integration of distance learning into the school and the expansion of the campus across the Charles into Allston, need to be made by a new dean who will be at the school for a significant period of time.

While these reasons are quite similar to those given by Rudenstine for his decision to retire, Murphy said he came to his decision independently, although he did discuss his plans with Rudenstine.

"Jerry has brought vigor and insight to the School, and I am personally grateful to him for the exceptional ability and collegial spirit with which he has served Harvard and the School of Education," Rudenstine said in a prepared statement.

Murphy said he believes the school is currently in a very strong position after the completion of the capital campaign and the other improvements made while he was dean.

"Leaving when the school is in great shape is a better time to leave than when in bad shape," Murphy said.

The recently completed campaign was the first in the school's history and enabled it to increase the number of endowed professorships from eight to 24, thereby decreasing the student to faculty ratio.

Murphy said he considers the completion of this campaign one of his most significant accomplishments as dean of the school, and what he hopes he will be remembered for.

"I'm less attached to the actual money than what it has allowed the school to do," Murphy said. However, he admitted that raising money took more of his time than he expected when he took the job.

Additionally, he said he is proud of the faculty appointments he has made during his term, the school's commitment to working on education of urban and poor students and the establishment of several new masters' degree programs. Overall, seven new masters programs were added during his time as dean.

"I had a great time as dean," Murphy said. "It is a great time to be a [education school] dean, with education the number one issue facing the nation."

Murphy has been a member of GSE's faculty since 1974 and became a tenured professor there in 1982. He served as an associate dean at the school for eight years before becoming dean, a position he has held since 1992. He also earned a Ph.D. from the GSE in 1973. Before coming to Harvard, Murphy served in Lyndon B. Johnson's administration.

Murphy said he plans to take a year-long sabbatical after stepping down in order to do some writing he has neglected as dean. He will come back in the 2002-03 academic year to teach. He expects to teach courses on educational leadership and educational policy, his areas of expertise.

"I'm not necessarily assuming that going back to teaching will be a lighter load," Murphy said. However, he did say he hoped to have more time for some of his favorite hobbies such as biking and claming.

No definite plans have been made thus far to find Murphy's replacement, according to Murphy. He said he believes the process will be determined by the central administration over the summer. He said he is not sure whether it will be Rudenstine or the new president to make the final selection.