LaVonda N. Reed was appointed as the seventh dean of the Georgia State College of Law on July 1st. She is the first African American to lead the College of Law and the first Black woman to lead any law school in the state. Prior to her appointment at Georgia State, Dean Reed served as Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs at Syracuse University from 2015 to 2021.
With the fall semester underway Dean Reed has spent time getting to know the students, faculty and staff that make the College of Law unique. Here, we get to know more about her vision for the College and her goals as dean.
What was your impression of GSU COL before applying for the dean’s position?
I had heard good things about the faculty and the university’s commitment to providing access to education for students of color and the successes the university had in closing economic and racial academic achievement gaps.
What are your short-term goals for the first semester as dean?
I will spend time getting to know the students, faculty, and staff in the College and engaging with our alumni and friends. Also, we will work to bring everyone back to campus and reengage with robust in-person education. It will take all of us working together and with respect for one another.
How do you see legal education changing over the next few years?
The number of applicants to law schools is up tremendously as compared with the period before the Great Recession of the early 2000s. There is great interest in legal education, including skills training and online options. We look forward to meeting that demand and positively impacting legal education generally.
How will you measure your success as dean?
In the short-term, reopening the campus. In the longer term, supporting student academic success and in securing meaningful employment. Also, supporting faculty scholarly and creative works and supporting staff professional career development.
What previous accomplishments are you most proud of?
I am most proud of advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives around faculty professional development and hiring; supporting teaching through the creation of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence; and mentoring many, many students and colleagues propelling them to higher positions in their careers.