Qing Hu, a candidate for dean of the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship, speaks to faculty on Tuesday about what he plans to bring to the position. The presentation took place in the Borderlands Room in the Education Complex on the Edinburg campus. Angel Ballesteros/THE RIDER
Qing Hu spoke to UTRGV faculty and staff Thursday on his career qualifications for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship dean position in the Borderlands Room in the Education Complex on the Edinburg campus.
Hu serves as the dean of the Koppelman School of Business at Brooklyn College. Before Brooklyn College, he served as senior associate dean for Academic Affairs and Innovation at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College.
“We are in this business because of students,” Hu said. “So, we will do everything possible to ensure student success and that’s always my top priority and it’s always my decision criteria, especially in the situation that the resources are scarce, right? … Of course, in any university, any educational institution, student success must come from great faculty and staff.”
His educational background includes a Ph.D. in computer information systems from the University of Miami.
Hu also holds a Master of Science in computer information systems from the University of Miami and a Master of Engineering in mechanical engineering from the Chinese Academy of Machinery Science. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in mechanical engineering from Lanzhou University of Technology.
Additionally, Hu has a certificate in leadership development from Emerging Leaders Academy as well as leadership training from the City University of New York.
Hu said he learned a great leader needs to have a great vision.
“But that vision has to be a shared vision, it cannot be just my vision,” he said. “It has to be a vision that, you know, me working with all of you to come up with a very inspiring, ambitious, yet reachable vision for the college.”
If selected as the new dean, Hu said he will put time and effort into building connections with local businesses, global employers and global institutions.
“One part is about building entire relationships so that we can have wonderful internship opportunities for our students, employment opportunities and also building global networks for our academic programs and faculty research,” he said.
Hu plans to reach out to other universities to work together.
“I have lots of people I know from all over the world to say, ‘Hey, we are interested in working with you, let’s explore any possibilities that we can exchange our faculty, exchange our students, build degree programs at a master level or on an undergraduate level,” he said.
After Hu’s presentation, attendees had the opportunity to ask questions.
Peter-James Ehimika, director of Student Success Initiatives at UTRGV, asks Qing Hu, a candidate for dean of the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship, how he plans to retain students at the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship. Ehimika was among several members of the UTRGV community who attended Hu’s presentation Tuesday in the Borderlands Room in the Education Complex on the Edinburg campus. Angel Ballesteros/THE RIDER
Peter-James Ehimika, director of Student Success Initiatives at UTRGV, asked what he would do to retain students.
Hu replied there are many factors as to why students dropout of college, such as family difficulties, financial difficulties or lack of knowledge in the classroom.
To help retain students, Hu suggested creating a free summer boot camp and hiring tutors to help students pass their classes.
Maria Leonard, assistant professor of practice in the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship, asked about his fundraising experience and what he would do in his first year as a dean if selected.
Hu said he likes working with donors. He said he has raised $800,000 in his four years as a dean of the Koppelman School of Business at Brooklyn College.
If selected, in his first year as a dean, he would spend time listening to students, faculty and staff to build ideas on how to improve the college.
Zoom attendees also had the opportunity to ask questions.
Bryan Smith, program manager for the Office of the Provost, read one of the questions on Zoom stating there are studies that indicate faculty members at UTRGV are underpaid by 15% and what Hu would do to reduce that gap.
He said if selected, reducing the gap would be a top priority.
“Every college faculty believes they are underpaid,” Hu said. “I don’t think any college said they are overpaid, but that has to be on the agenda, has to be on the provost agenda. … You want us to become a top premier business school … we are all for it. But if you, you know, constantly underpay the faculty, we cannot retain [them].”
Giorgio Gotti, the last candidate for the dean position, will present his career qualifications from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday in the Borderlands Room in the Education Complex on the Edinburg campus. The presentation will also be available through Zoom for faculty and staff.
Gotti serves as interim dean of the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship. He has been in office since Aug. 2, 2023.
Smith told The Rider that after all the presentations are done, UTRGV President Guy Bailey and Luis H. Zayas, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, will select the dean but it would take “a couple of weeks.”
The audience listens to a presentation by Qing Hu, a candidate for dean of the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship, Tuesday in the Borderlands Room in the Education Complex on the Edinburg campus. Angel Ballesteros/THE RIDER
