Adventures of a Dean: A Primer on Business School Management examines the interpersonal, professional, and financial aspects of being a dean, and illustrates how politics continually impacts a dean's goals and strategies.

Adventures of a Dean is both autobiography and textbook, chronicling author Howard Frank's eleven years as dean of the Smith School, during which time he doubled its facilities, quadrupled its revenues, added over one hundred faculty members, and led the school to the top ten in the world in research.

Beginning with the university's search for a dean, the book moves on to detail all aspects of the actual work done by the dean. This starts with forming a plan to increase enrollment, and encompasses such critical tasks as dealing with accreditation, creating a financial model, improving teaching quality, and maintaining successful relationships with all parts of a campus. Readers will learn about major challenges facing a top-level university administrator, such as developing international programs, and minor ones, such as dealing with a campus catering monopoly. This inside view is both engaging and informative.

Adventures of a Dean is a candid discussion of the opportunities and the risks facing deans, as well as a lesson in business school financial planning and strategy.