Herdman named assistant dean of the Arthur Graduate School

Artificial intelligence, social media, declining attention spans, more competition – these are just some of the challenges facing higher education. Dr. Andy Herdman intends to take on these challenges as his title shifts from interim to permanent assistant dean of the Arthur Graduate School and Thomas D. Arthur Distinguished Professor. He does not want to be great at yesterday’s game. 

“While higher education, for the past 100 years, was largely immune to market forces, changes in consumer preference, and enjoyed an unquestioned value proposition, this is no longer true,” Herdman said. “We are joining the ranks of the modern organization where change comes fast and often. We must be clear in our value proposition and work relentlessly to enhance the value we deliver.” 

Herdman originally joined ECU in 2007 but left to lead the global human resources effort for Mayne Pharma in 2014. He would be an adjunct professor from time to time at ECU until he returned to ECU full-time in January 2023.  

“My first love is teaching, whether that was leader development in an industry setting or the classroom in an academic setting,” Herdman said. 

Herdman said the Arthur Graduate School has a lot of momentum right now and his goal is to continue growing its core online MBA and MSA programs, as well as to raise the bar and grow the impact of the immersive MBA program.  

“I am really excited to have Andy leading the Arthur Graduate School,” said Dr. Mike Harris, dean of the College of Business and W. Howard Rooks Distinguished Professor. “Andy brings his years of experience in industry and pairs it with academia to address the challenges facing higher education. I know we’re going to see increased student success moving forward. 

Herdman believes the faculty must continue to elevate the learning experience of the Arthur School’s students. He believes they can do that through emerging technologies, robust student-to-student and student-to-faculty contact, applied problem-solving, and employer partnerships. His goal is to deliver a best-in-class experience for students and create a noticeable differentiation in the COB’s students from the perspective of employers. Herdman enjoys the uniqueness of the graduate students and knows they have a lot riding on the quality of their education and experiences.  

“I love the students inside the Arthur Graduate School,” Herdman said. “They are generally employed, have families and are actively leading inside organizations across the world.” 

Herdman has two mantras that he believes will help him be successful in this new role: “Leave the people, places and organizations you encounter better than you found them,” and “Be of service, always.”