The E.J. Ourso College of Business Administration is looking fora high-profile economics professor to fill its Ourso DistinguishedChair in Economics after the college recently received $400,000from the Board of Regents.
E.J. Ourso, the college’s namesake, first established the chairin 2001 when he gave a $600,000 gift to the school. Now, with theBoard of Regents’ money, the College is ready to fill theposition.
“This endowment will be used to attract a world-class economistto LSU,” said Business College Dean Robert Sumichrast.
Sumichrast said a search committee will come together in thefall to look for someone to fill the position. He said the goal wasfor the new chair to be in place for the fall semester in 2005.
The search committee will be comprised of faculty members in theeconomics department as well as one faculty member from outside thedepartment, Sumichrast said.
The committee will conduct a nationwide search to fill theposition and will use national trade publications such as the”Chronicle of Higher Education” to attract a professor. Sumichrastsaid the position will not likely be filled from within thecollege.
“We would be bringing someone in from another university,” hesaid.
Sumichrast said the new chair’s responsibilities will be to helppromote economic development in the state and help provide goodpublicity and prestige to the college and the University.
“[The new chair] will be a full professor in the EconomicsDepartment,” Sumichrast said. “On a micro level, we will have anexcellent teacher here at LSU. It might lead to Ph.D studentswanting to come study under this [new professor].”
He said the new chair fits in with the college’s overall plan topromote economic development and “Vision 2020” — Gov. KathleenBlanco’s economic development plan for the state.
The new chair, he said will fit in with other projects andservices, such as the business college’s current business plancompetition and the small business incubator, the LouisianaBusiness and Technology Center.
The chair will work in the community with entrepreneurs and withother groups in the college, like the division of economicdevelopment and forecasting, to fulfill that mission.
“We’re trying to encourage economic development and thischairmanship is another piece of ammunition to do that,” Sumichrastsaid.