Author: Beheruz N. Sethna

Beheruz N. Sethna is President and CEO of The University of West Georgia, and Professor of Business Administration. He teaches undergraduate, lower-division students.

University characteristics: Approximately 10,200 students, 360 faculty, 22 percent graduate enrollment, nationally-accredited programs, national championship Debate team, nationally-recognized Honors College, a total budget of over $100 million, 111 programs of study, including 59 at the Bachelors level, 51 at the Masters and Specialist levels, and one Doctoral program.

The first person from any ethnic minority to become President of a predominantly white or racially-integrated University or College in Georgia.

Also, the first known person of Indian origin ever to become President of a University anywhere in the United States.

Education

• Ph.D. in Business, Columbia University, New York, NY -- 1976
• Master of Philosophy, Columbia University, New York, NY --1975
• M.B.A., I.I.M., Ahmedabad -- 1973
• Bach. in Elect. Engg., I.I.T., Bombay --1971
• Advanced M.I.S. Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN --1986
• Institute for Educational Management, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA -- 1991

Experience

In 1999-2000, served in an interim capacity as Senior Vice Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, with responsibility for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Policy & Planning, and Instructional and Informational Technology for the University System, which includes Georgia Tech, Georgia State, the University of Georgia, the Medical College of Georgia, 15 Regional and State Universities, and 15 two-year colleges. Made significant permanent contributions during this tenure.

Also served as 2000-2001 President of the Georgia Association of Colleges -- an association of Presidents of all 58 public and private universities and colleges in the State of Georgia.

Prior Academic Experience

1989-1994: Interim Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas (comprehensive university with over 9,000 students and more than 300 faculty, with bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs). Prior to that, Dean of the College of Business at Lamar. In both positions, also held a tenured and named professorship. 1976-1989: Professor (tenured) and Chairman of the Department of Marketing and M.I.S. at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York; previously Director of Graduate Programs.

Prior experience at a senior level in multinational companies such as Lever Brothers and Richardson-Vicks, now Procter and Gamble, and in Clarion-McCann Advertising.

Many national and international honors. Recipient of a Fulbright senior scholarship awarded by the United States Information Agency, for teaching and research overseas.

Unique distinction of national honors for instructional innovation by the Decision Sciences Institute for six consecutive years in Marketing, Product Management, Management Information Systems, Decision Support Systems, CAD/CAM/Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, and Communications Across the Curriculum. Recently received recognition for the seventh time for a Marketing course in the same national competition after a 15-year hiatus. Author of more than 50 scholarly papers and a book, Research Methods in Marketing and Management. Top-rated teacher in undergraduate, graduate, and executive courses. Research Areas: Marketing and Business; Information Systems; Gifted Education - started the Advanced Academy of Georgia; helped with the start of the Texas Academy for Leadership in the Humanities; worked with the Clarkson School.

External Recognition Since 1999

• Named Honors Professor of the Year by the Student Honors Council - 1999
• Named Carroll County Citizen of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce - 1999
• Named Honorary Alumnus of the University of West Georgia - 1999
• Named Distinguished Alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology - 2000
• Presented a Resolution of Commendation from the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia - 2000
• Along with UWG, Named #1 Mover, Shaker, & Newsmaker in Carroll County - 2002
• Named among 100 Most Influential Georgians - 2003
• Course instructor and research advisor for student team that won the #1 research prize in the country at the National Social Sciences Association Meeting - 2003
• Presented a Resolution of Commendation by the Senate of the State of Georgia - 2003
• Honored by the Decision Sciences Institute for one the three most innovative course submissions in the entire United States - 2004

Active in the community

Rotarian with perfect attendance for more than 21 years (since March 10, 1983), Paul Harris Fellow, former Board member, chaired several important committees such as Polio-Plus-Education and International Affairs. Boy Scouts of America: Executive Board of the Atlanta Area Council, previously District Board member, cub scout committee chairman, scoutmaster, and girl scout leader. Previously, Leadership Beaumont, P.T.A. President, Member on City panels and Mayor's task forces. Serves on several Boards, including the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Regional Advisory Council.

Relations with the media

Over 200 regional, national, and international media appearances, on television, radio, and in the press. These include the CBS Early Show with Bryant Gumbel and CNN's American Stories.

Family

Married more than 30 years to Madhavi Sethna, who has three Masters degrees (also currently in her second year of a doctoral program at UWG), national and university teaching awards, and is a faculty member and Program Lead for Southern Polytechnic State University's Bachelor of Information Technology Program at Floyd College. Children: Anita (graduate of Georgia Tech and Emory Medical School, and currently a first-year resident at Emory) and Shaun (Georgia Tech graduate; Kent Scholar at Columbia Law School).