The Levin College of Law will welcome a temporary new dean in the coming months.
UF law professor George Dawson will postpone his retirement to take over as interim dean for the college starting July 15. He will replace current dean Bob Jerry.
Dawson’s appointment as interim dean comes after the controversial failed law dean search.
With $90,000 spent on the search and three finalists to choose from, UF President Bernie Machen ended the search without selecting a dean for the college.
Dawson, who has been a part of the law school for 33 years, said the position will be challenging, but he’s looking forward to it.
“I’m very invested in the law school, and I will do what I can to have it develop and progress within the next year,” he said. “Hopefully at the end of the year there will be a permanent dean.”
Dawson has previously served as the law school’s associate dean for academic affairs from 1996 to 2000.
Jerry wrote in an email that he believes Dawson will make a great dean.
“He is an outstanding colleague who will do a splendid job of leading the school as the interim dean,” he said. “I speak for many when I say President Machen made an excellent decision in proposing George.”
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 3/31/2014 under the headline "Law prof George Dawson to become interim dean after failed search"]
