A Letter from the Dean
January 3, 2024
Dear Cox colleagues,
Welcome back and Happy 2024. I hope everyone had a good holiday and got a well-deserved rest. It is still somewhat quiet on campus, but with the new semester getting ready to commence it is time to begin planning the coming months, which means getting ready for the opening of the new David B. Miller Quad. The ribbon cutting is – yes- just four months away.
Here are a few items as we kick off the semester:
Building tours- A number of you have been through the construction project, and we’d like to get as many folks who’d like to see it visit the building before opening. We will set up several dates for those who are interested and we can have folks sign up accordingly. It’s exciting to see the building take shape and walk through the spaces, so please keep an eye out for a message with tour dates coming soon.
The Move Out-Move In- We are looking forward to getting everyone back together very soon. For those of you who have just become comfortable in your temporary digs, with the chandeliers, custom carpets, and scenic overlook of the former Cowboys’ practice field, it is time to think about coming back home. We are arranging a move choreography which is designed to make it as easy on everyone as possible, while at the same time utilizing space in the new building as it becomes available. We must also work with the rest of campus as they move into places we are moving out of, e.g.; Engineering and East Campus. So, please be sure to work with the move calendar once it is established. Your own move-out may be scheduled for after graduation (May 11th), and you may be asked to be prepared to move during late May or even June. Move-in with personal items may be more flexible. As someone somewhere once famously said: “Keep Calm, and Bubble Wrap.”
May 3rd- The dedication ceremony for the new David B. Miller Business Quadrangle is scheduled for around 11:30 a.m. on Friday, May 3rd after the conclusion of that day’s SMU Board of Trustees meeting. While we likely won’t have the letter of occupancy till a week or so later, we’ll be sure to make a big celebration of the opening on the 3rd, so I hope you all can be there.
Commencement- Graduation this year will be a little different, and we think better for everyone, including students. Cox graduate programs commencement will be on the afternoon of Friday, May 10th, while the BBA commencement will be on the afternoon of Saturday, May 11th, with the campus ceremony earlier that morning of the 11th. This arrangement will allow for less congestion and time stress on students, families, and faculty/staff. Please plan accordingly. More details to come as we get closer to May.
Fundraising- As you know, the entire building project has a cost of around $140m. To date, we have raised nearly $125m toward that number, and have several other interested donors. We are getting very close to our final goal. Overall, Cox has been the fortunate recipient of over $285m in philanthropic giving since 2017. This is a testament to how people feel about what you all are accomplishing and about the trajectory of the Cox School. We will continue to push hard in our development efforts not only for the building, but just as importantly for scholarships, programs, and research support.
Looking forward to seeing everyone very soon, and thank you for all you do.
Regards,
Matthew B. Myers
Dean & Tolleson Chair of Business Leadership
David B. Miller Endowed Professor in Business