Douglas Sylvester was named dean of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law on Monday after nearly a year as interim dean.
The former faculty member and associate dean has been with ASU for 10 years and said he is thankful for the opportunity.
“I’m very excited, humbled and looking forward to working for the students and the faculty to move the law school forward,” Sylvester said.
ASU President Michael Crow said in a statement that the University had searched for and interviewed “outstanding” external candidates for the position, but decided the best candidate was already on campus.
“As both interim dean and associate dean, Doug Sylvester has been responsible for major advances at the College of Law,” Crow said. “Under his leadership as dean, those upward trend lines will continue into the future.”
Sylvester said he chose to accept the position because he wanted to lead an already excellent school.
“I want to be part of an institution that had all of the pieces in place — great faculty, great students, great alumni,” he said. “That’s ASU.”
Sylvester said while the law school already excels, he hopes he can make it “even greater.”
“We’ve reoriented our career services offices to aid students in placement,” he said. “We’re exploring creation of post graduate legal experiences that would be for pay and we want to do a better job of getting students the final link they need to better their education and the beginning of their experience through their programs and the law school.”
Sylvester also said the increasing cost of attending law school has posed a challenge for students.
“I’m working 100 percent to raise funds for scholarships to reduce the cost of attendance,” he said.
Reach the reporter at kmmandev@asu.edu
Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook. Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press email newsletter.
