Villanova University School of Law’s new dean is a familiar face on campus. University officials have tapped John Gotanda, the associate dean for academic affairs and faculty research, to assume the law school’s top position on Jan. 1. His appointment closes a 16-month search sparked by the departure of former Dean Mark Sargent in July 2009. Mr. Sargent, who led the Pennsylvania school for 12 years, stepped down after helping police build a case against an alleged prostitution house that he had patronized.
“It’s a very exciting time to be the dean at Villanova University Law School,” Mr. Gotanda said. “There are a lot of building blocks in place already. It’s a great group of students and faculty.” Mr. Gotanda said he has a number of initiatives in mind, including strengthening the law school’s career services department, adding more globally-focused classes and student experiences, bolstering interdisciplinary course offerings, sharpening the focus on community service and better bridging the gap between legal theory and the practice of law. Mr. Gotanda is also contemplating requiring third-year students to complete a capstone project that puts into practice what they have learned during their first two years of law school. That project could be a clinic or a semester-long simulation in which students play the role of a practicing attorney, he said.
