UC Berkeley Law School Dean Christopher Edley is moving on from his term as dean. He will remain a faculty member, but will be on a medical leave of absence as of this week. His deanship will officially end in December, according to DiverseEducation.com.
Dean Edley wrote to law school faculty and staff and his own words talk of his health as “more than worrisome, but much less than dire.” He continues on to explain, “as some of you know, I had surgery for prostrate cancer in May but need further treatment. This must be my priority. I expect [doctors] will vanquish the malady within a few months [but] I am not prepared to return to the deanship.” The dean went on to explain that the lesson of minding one’s health can never be taken too seriously. He says he is reminded of “how short life can be” and that though he has devoted good time and mind to the school, there are other professional goals he would like to also pursue. “Chief among [those] will be public education equity and excellence,” he concluded.
Among the more stellar aspects of Dean Edley’s career were his positions in two White House administrations, as policy and budget advisor over the years. Mr. Edley spent more than two decades as a Harvard Law School professor, and is much lauded by academic circles and his peers.
Berkeley law professor Gillian Lester will serve as acting dean as the search for a new dean begins.