Dean Latha Ramchand of the C.T. Bauer College of Business plans to continue in the steps of her predecessor, Arthur Warga. | Brianna Leigh Morrison/The Daily Cougar
By adding unique electives and collaborating with local businesses, the C.T. Bauer College of Business will continue to lead the nation as a top business school, said the newly appointed dean of UH’s business college.
Latha Ramchand, who was appointed Sept. 7, is taking over the position that was left vacant when former Dean Arthur Warga stepped down in March.
“I am honored to be in this position, and I am honored to serve this college,” Ramchand said.
“This institution has given me a lot and it is time for me to give back.”
She said she would like to continue to make Bauer high in national rankings by extending the classes offered in the college and adding electives that students are not being offered at other top business schools. She said that by differentiating its curriculum, Bauer will attract students from other cities. This will bring in revenue, which is a priority of hers since the decrease of state funding.
Ramchand also plans to reach to the business community, especially the energy industry, to support Bauer’s Global Energy Management Program and its global Energy Executive MBA. She said Bauer has the strongest energy program she knows of and that, given Houston’s strong, globally-recognized energy reputation, the collaboration benefits the community.
“Anything that can differentiate our product from others (means) we can attract the best students … and when we leverage that with the faculty we have, we create value for the community,” Ramchand said.
Since joining the University’s business school in 1993, Ramchand has served as associate dean of programs and administration and associate dean of graduate and professional programs. She has also been professor of corporate finance, risk management, mergers and acquisition and international finance.
Ramchand also worked as associate dean under the direction of long-time colleague of the finance department and former Dean Warga.
“He was clearly a colleague (and) my boss, but in many ways he was a mentor. I learned a lot from him in terms of institution building, of vision and in terms of what it means to take an institution to the next step… Everything that he has taught me has been about excellence,” Ramchand said.
Ramchand grew up in India where she received her master’s degree in economics from Bombay University and obtained a gold medal in economics. She received her doctorate in finance from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Northwestern University.
A noted expert in the field of international and corporate finance, she has published numerous works in finance journals and received the Best Paper Award for a publication she wrote in International Finance.
