UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 1, Page 1
August 31, 1995
Dean to return to classroom

     Kenneth R. Biederman, dean of the College of Business and
Economics, will return to the classroom effective July 1, 1996,
University Provost Mel Schiavelli announced today.
     Biederman, who has served as dean of the University's second
largest college since Sept. 1, 1990, was recommended by a campus
review committee to serve a second, five-year term as dean, but said
he wants to return to teaching.
     "Because of various reasons, including my long-standing interest
and desire to return to classroom teaching on a full-time basis
following a very long absence," Biederman said, "I thanked the provost
for his offer of reappointment and informed him that I do not wish to
continue for another term."
     Schiavelli said he will be meeting with members of the college
leadership to discuss plans for a search committee to seek a new dean.
     "Dean Biederman's leadership abilities will be missed by his
colleagues in the College of Business and Economics and by other
members of the University community with whom he has worked,"
Schiavelli said. "Under Ken's leadership, the college has made
significant progress in such areas as minority recruitment, initiation
of new programs, faculty hiring and alumni involvement and
fundraising. I am pleased he will remain a member of the University
faculty, and his students and colleagues will continue to benefit from
his wide-ranging experience and insightful leadership."
     During Biederman's tenure as dean, the college has developed
plans for a new business and economics building, expanded its MBA
program, initiated a Ph. D. program in economics, secured funding from
area financial institutions for the FORTUNE 2000 Program to assist
minority students, adopted a strategic plan for the college,
established four named professorships, increased the role of the
college's alumni board and established a College Visiting Committee of
top corporate leaders.
     Before coming to Delaware in 1990, Biederman was chairman and CEO
of Westchester Financial Services Corp., which was acquired by Marine
Midland Bank. Among his other positions, he worked as a staff
economist for the U.S. Senate Budget Committee and the U.S. Treasury
Department, and he was chief economist of the Federal Home Loan Bank
Board in Washington. He was senior vice president and chief economist,
and later executive vice president and chief financial officer, of
City Federal Savings in New Jersey, prior to becoming treasurer of the
state of New Jersey. Before his various positions in the private and
government sectors, Biederman was an assistant professor of economics
at Georgetown University.
     He received his bachelor's degree in economics from Miami
University of Ohio and his master's and doctoral degrees in economics
from Purdue University.
     In a letter to his colleagues announcing his decision, Biederman
wrote, "I am a firm believer that organizations are best served by a
change in leadership from time to time. No one is indispensable; fresh
ideas and approaches are not only helpful, but invigorating to an
organization, allowing for that organization to build upon past
successes.
     "My chance at the helm has been most enjoyable," Biederman wrote.
"I believe we have achieved some successes. I thank you all for your
support in the past and look forward to continuing to work with you
during this coming year."