Manu Gupta named dean of the Graduate School

By VCU News staff

Manu Gupta, Ph.D., has been named vice provost and dean of the Graduate School at Virginia Commonwealth University, effective immediately.

Gupta has served as the unit's interim dean for nearly two years. The Board of Visitors approved the appointment at last week's meeting.

"I'm excited for this opportunity as I believe that VCU is well-positioned in the changing landscape of higher education," Gupta said. "With VCU's expanding research and creative capabilities and its diverse graduate student population, we have a distinct opportunity to assume a national leadership role in graduate education. As dean of the Graduate School, I will promote a culture that values creativity and innovation, builds strong relationships between graduate students and faculty members, celebrates diversity and ensures that graduate students have the resources they need to succeed."

Gupta began his academic career as a finance professor at the University of Missouri Columbia in 2004. The next year he held the same role at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville before joining the VCU School of Business in 2008.

Gupta earned tenure in the VCU School of Business, was promoted to professor, and became the chair for the Department of Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate while serving as a faculty advisor for the M.S. in finance program. Over the next decade, Gupta led major curriculum revisions responsive to market demands.

As the interim dean of the Graduate School, Gupta led the development of a strategic plan for graduate enrollment across the university and has worked with academic units across VCU's campuses to improve their processes for graduate program admissions. His leadership was instrumental in creating a tailored tuition plan to attract more out-of-state and international students.

"Professor Gupta has demonstrated himself to be a strong, collaborative leader with a clear vision to advance graduate education at VCU by growing enrollments, expanding diversity and strengthening the excellence and impact of our graduate programs," said Fotis Sotiropoulos, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. "He is also a compassionate leader dedicated to the success and well-being of all our graduate students. Simply put: Professor Gupta is the right person, at the right time, for this role and I look forward to working with him to take graduate education at VCU to new heights of excellence."

Gupta earned a bachelor's degree from S.V. National Institute of Tech (NIT) in Surat, India; a master's degree from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade in New Delhi; and a Ph.D. from the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University.