Academics are at the heart of all our programs, whether it's developing a new research center or a new elective course. We continue to recruit outstanding faculty in a very competitive job market, which is a very good measure of our stature in the marketplace. For the fall of 2000, we added nine new faculty members. Our current faculty continue to distinguish themselves, such as economists Edward Lazear and Paul Romer, who were elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences last spring. In addition, our doctoral program continues to produce future academic stars.
Applications continue to rise and graduates of the program are sought after by top universities.
Our course offerings change continually, reflecting the interests of our faculty and of the very talented group of visitors and practitioners who bring their expertise to the classroom. We plan to introduce another 15 courses in the current academic year including Startup Globalization Strategies, taught by Professor George Foster, and Electronic Architecture of Business, created by Professor Jim Patell. I have been very fortunate to recruit a team of extremely dedicated and talented senior associate deans to help oversee the ongoing operation of the School, including its core academic mission, its technical infrastructure, and its outreach to external audiences. Faculty members David Kreps, Joel Podolny, and John Roberts have agreed to serve as senior associate deans, along with Dan Rudolph, a 1981 MBA graduate with business experience in Silicon Valley, who has joined us as a senior associate dean and also as the School's first chief operating officer. George Parker continues in his position as senior associate dean for the MBA program.