The Heller School for Social Policy and Management hired Lisa Lynch, Ph.D., a former chief economist for the U.S. Department of Labor, as its new dean for next academic year. Lynch will replace current dean Stuart Altman. Lynch, the William T. Clayton Professor of International Economic Affairs at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, will enter her new position July 1, 2008, Provost Marty Krauss said. She served as Tufts' academic dean from 2001 to 2004, served at the Department of Labor from 1995 to 1997 and also held faculty positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ohio State University and the University of Bristol.

Altman, who was named one of the 100 most powerful people in healthcare by Modern Healthcare Magazine this year, took over as interim Heller Dean in September 2005 and was named full Dean in January 2006. The administration, however, has always considered him to be an interim Dean and expected to hire someone permanent for the position, Krauss said. Out of all of the applications Brandeis received for the position, "[Lynch] was the most exciting candidate," Krauss said. "We are thrilled that she is coming to Brandeis," she added.

Lynch said she is eager to come to Brandeis. "As a scholar/practitioner, most of my academic career has been spent in interdisciplinary departments where what binds researchers together is not a common discipline but rather a shared interest in questions and problems of public policy interest," she said. "The fact that Brandeis emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge and the solution of real-life problems is a big part of why I accepted this position."

Lynch said she wasn't looking for a job at the time that she was offered this position, but felt a strong connection with the social policy mission and goals of the Heller School. "To have an opportunity to work as the Dean of such an institution was something that I could not pass up," she said.

According to Krauss, the administration was looking to hire "A builder dean; Someone who would take the school to the next level." Krauss also said that she was impressed by Lynch's intelligence, creativity, and administrative prowess.

"Heller school is a terrific place. and what is expected of [Lynch] is to build on the rich assets of the school and to deepen its connection with the university at large, and to continue to build excellence and strong academic programs that continue to meet our needs," Krauss said.

U.S. News and World Report ranks Heller third in the nation among graduate schools for social policy. Former President Bill Clinton spoke on campus last Monday as the inaugural guest lecturer for the Eli J. Segal Citizen Leadership Program, an initiative within Heller which will be comprised of a lecture series and summer internships related to civic engagement for Brandeis undergraduate and Heller students.

"Heller has a distinguished record as one of this country's leading academic institutions for critical social policy research on issues including health care, income and asset disparity, children, youth and families' policy, aging, disability, and international development," Lynch said. "I look forward as Dean to working with the faculty, staff and student body to further strengthen these areas of expertise for both our teaching and research programs."

Lynch also said she looks forward to working with Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe, International Business School Dean Bruce Magid and Krauss to strengthen Heller's connections with the University at large.

Krauss said that Lynch had been recommended to Brandeis for years, but that the University needed to find a suitable job opening for her.

Lynch said she feels confident in her ability to manage and improve the Heller School. "I can't wait until July when I start," she said.