Baird new Law Dean; Glaser Acting Dean of Harris School

Douglas Baird, the Harry A. Bigelow Professor in the Law School and Director of the Law & Economics Program, has been named Dean of the Law School, effective July 1. Charles Glaser, Assistant Professor in the Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies, has accepted appointment as Acting Dean of the Harris School.

"I am delighted that Douglas Baird has accepted appointment as Dean," President Sonnenschein said in making the announcement. "His intelligence, good judgment, collegiality and commitment to excellence superbly equip him to guide the Law School. He is an outstanding scholar, a wonderful teacher and one of our most devoted University citizens."

President Sonnenschein also thanked David Currie, the Edward H. Levi Distinguished Service Professor in the Law School and the Arnold and Frieda Shure Scholar, who has been Acting Dean of the Law School since January.

"David Currie's service during this transition period has been nothing less than exemplary. We are grateful for his unselfish dedication to the Law School," Sonnenschein said.

Baird is one of the nation's leading experts on bankruptcy and corporate reorganization. His scholarly work involves the exploration of bankruptcy law in the context of modern corporate finance theory. In addition to his latest book, "The Elements of Bankruptcy" (1992), he has co-authored two casebooks, "Cases, Problems and Materials on Security Interests in Personal Property" (1984) and "Cases, Problems and Materials on Bankruptcy" (1985), both with Thomas Jackson.

Baird received his B.A. from Yale in 1975 and his J.D. from Stanford in 1979. While at Stanford, he served as managing editor of the Stanford Law Review. Before coming to Chicago, he was a law clerk to Judge Shirley Hufstedler and Judge Dorothy Nelson, both of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He joined the University faculty in 1980 as Assistant Professor. He became Professor in 1984 and was named the Harry A. Bigelow Professor in 1988. He served as Associate Dean of the Law School from 1984 to 1987 and has been Director of the Law & Economics Program since 1990.

Glaser has agreed to serve as Acting Dean for a period of one year, beginning with the autumn quarter, while a nationwide search for the next Dean of the Harris School continues. Glaser succeeds Robert Michael, the Eliakim Hastings Moore Distinguished Service Professor in the Harris School, whose term ends this summer.

"Charles will provide excellent leadership for the Harris School," Sonnenschein said. "He is especially respected for the careful and thoughtful nature of his scholarship, and he has worked most effectively to bolster the ties between the Harris School and other parts of the University. I am confident that he will skillfully carry forward the programs Bob Michael has initiated.

"All of us at the University are extremely grateful to Bob for his outstanding work as founding Dean of the School. He has successfully launched our efforts to build the Harris School into the pre-eminent public-policy school in the country. We all wish him well as he returns to full-time research and teaching."

Glaser is an expert on international relations, with a special interest in international security and defense policy. He has published extensively on U.S. nuclear weapons policy, including strategy, force posture and arms control. Among his works is the book "Analyzing Strategic Nuclear Policy," published in 1990.

Glaser received his B.S. in 1977 from MIT. He received his M.A. in physics in 1980 and his Ph.D. in public policy in 1983, both from Harvard. Before joining the Chicago faculty in 1991, he was a research associate at MIT, an assistant professor in political science at Michigan, a Peace Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace and a strategic analyst for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.