Vice Dean Courtney seeks to improve Smith curriculum, community

Dr. Hugh Courtney has recently taken a lead role in the Robert H. Smith School of Business as Vice Dean. His real life practice as a consultant, his teaching experience and his current involvement in economic literature make him a valuable asset to the administration.

            Courtney has worked as a consultant for companies such as Nextel, IBM, McKinsey & Company, Black & Decker and Lockheed Martin. He has worked on six continents and was recognized in Consulting Magazine as one of five "Up and Comers" in the consulting industry in 2001. As a "Professor of the Practice," Courtney works in the field, instead of conducting research, while teaching. This has made his lectures a combination of theory and practice, an approach that has won him numerous awards, including the Krowe Award for teaching excellence.

            The new Vice Dean has big plans for Smith's future, including the development of a new undergraduate and MBA curriculum. While he says the university couldn't have a better admissions process he believes the requirements "are not rigorous enough for both faculty and students, which is difficult for a big school."

            Networking and building a sense of community are the biggest themes in Courtney's plan. If students attend classes with the same group of peers through their undergraduate experience, they will grow and learn together.

"Technology has been a huge help at Maryland but nothing can replace direct human interaction," Courtney said.

Courtney is not setting any plans for himself in stone, "I don't know what my future goals are, to be honest. I enjoy change and for now I'm enjoying the change of being in administration. I'm keeping my options open."