Arkansas Law Dean to Step Down From Role

The University of Arkansas School of Law is in need for a new dean.

The university announced that Margaret Sova McCabe, who has served as dean of the law school since 2018, will step down from her position at the end of the academic year in June 2022. McCabe will remain on faculty as a law professor, according to a press release.

“I would like to thank Dean McCabe for her leadership and recognize the School of Law’s many accomplishments under her direction,” Interim Provost Terry Martin says in the statement. “I’m very thankful that she will remain on faculty at the U of A, continuing to share her immense expertise with our students moving forward.”

MCCABE TO TRANSITION TO TEACHING

McCabe, who has given no official reason for stepping down, stated that she is looking forward to transitioning back into a teaching role.

“I’m excited to re-engage in my teaching and research interests while expanding my campus and national collaborations with a variety of faculty and administrative colleagues next year,” McCabe says in a statement. “The timing of this news ensures that the provost will have adequate time to consult with the faculty regarding the leadership transition so that we can remain institutionally strong. Despite changing roles at the end of the academic year, my enthusiastic support of our university and the law school community will not waver.”

WORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS

McCabe, who was appointed in 2018, is the third consecutive woman to serve in the dean role. Prior to Arkansas, McCabe was a faculty member of the University of New Hampshire (UNH) School of Law and served as the law school’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

As the 13th dean of the University of Arkansas, McCabe helped the law school achieve a number of accomplishments, including being named among the top 20 best values in legal education, ranking 13th for 2021 by National Jurist publication prelaw as well as launching a Summer Public Service Fellowship Program in 2019, with the aim of providing paid public service fellowships to promising law students interested in public service careers.

Sources: University of Arkansas, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, KATV