Starting from July 1st.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Rakesh Khurana will be the new Dean of Harvard College, starting July 1.
Khurana is currently the Bower professor of leadership development at the Harvard Business School – which has a new wing named in honor of alumnus Ratan Tata – and has the been the head of the school’s Cabot House since 2010. He will be succeeding Donald Pfister, who has been serving in an interim capacity since former dean Evelynn M. Hammond departed last year following an academic misconduct investigation.
In announcing Khurana as the successor to the Harvard College deanship, Michael D. Smith – dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences – had nothing but praise to shower upon Khurana.
“He brings to the deanship an intimate understanding of the Harvard College experience, a profound commitment to the values of a liberal-arts education, and a warm and compassionate personality that accompanies his belief in the importance of community and an inclusive approach to decision-making,” said Smith to the Harvard Magazine.
Khurana earned his B.S. degree from Cornell University in industrial and labor relations, then went to Harvard for his A.M. in sociology in 1997, and his Ph.D. in organizational behavior in 1998. He worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology briefly before coming to Harvard in 2000, where he has been ever since.
In a statement issued by Khurana after learning of his appointment, he said “I’m honored to have this opportunity to serve the College and work with the faculty, students, and staff to create a transformative educational experience for our students. I am convinced that, working together, we will have a significant and positive impact on the College.”
Founded in 1636, Harvard College is one of two degree-granting undergraduate schools that fall under the purview of what is commonly known as Harvard University. It is the oldest school of higher learning in the entire US and is considered arguably the country’s most prestigious college or university.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com