The University of Connecticut has tapped operations and information management professor Robert “Bob” Day to serve as interim dean of its School of Business, as the university restarts its search for a permanent leader of one of its largest academic units. Day, a former associate dean and current chair of UConn’s Senate Executive Committee, will […]
The University of Connecticut has tapped operations and information management professor Robert “Bob” Day to serve as interim dean of its School of Business, as the university restarts its search for a permanent leader of one of its largest academic units.
Day, a former associate dean and current chair of UConn’s Senate Executive Committee, will assume the top post in mid-May when management professor Greg Reilly, who has held the interim role for more than a year, returns to the faculty. The announcement came Wednesday in a letter to employees and stakeholders from interim Provost Pamir Alpay.
“Executive level searches are, by nature, complex and often lengthy,” Alpay wrote. “It is essential that we take the time necessary to identify the right individual to lead the School into its next chapter.”
The School of Business serves roughly 4,500 students, including more than 3,300 undergraduates and more than 1,200 graduate students pursuing MBAs and specialized master’s degrees. The dean position opened in early 2025 when longtime dean John A. Elliott stepped aside.
Day said his immediate priorities will be preparing for a November accreditation visit by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business — the main accrediting body for business schools — and implementing the university’s new budget initiative.
On the academic side, he said he is focused on expanding artificial intelligence education in business, growing experiential learning opportunities and broadening access for students interested in the school’s programs. Student retention and recruiting, both domestically and internationally, are also central to his agenda.
“Our programs are in high demand because they are very good, they are transformative, and they deliver value,” Day said.
Day has deep roots at UConn. He served as associate dean for undergraduate programs from 2017 to 2022, and has since become increasingly involved in university-wide initiatives. In addition to chairing the Senate Executive Committee, he sits on UConn’s AI Governance Committee, helped shape a soon-to-launch AI Council and was active in developing the Senate’s new Common Curriculum.
Alpay praised Reilly for strengthening the school’s ties with corporate partners and alumni, advancing program initiatives and expanding employer-connected learning opportunities during his tenure. Alpay said he will hold a town hall-style meeting in the coming weeks to discuss the search and transition in greater detail.
