In a brief interview Friday evening, Kaynama said she felt it was the "right time" to step down.
"I felt that I was experiencing diminished returns on my invested time and effort in the office," she said. "Basically I felt I wasn't getting the desired output or outcome that I was putting into the job."
She said the desired outcomes included recognition of the college's successes and achievements. When asked if she felt a lack of support and/or resources from the University, she said she wouldn't use those words, but that it could be interpreted that way.
"I don't feel comfortable talking about it," she said.
Kaynama shared her resignation letter with faculty at a meeting on Friday afternoon. She signed a three-year contract in 2003. She will not complete her third year.
While Brennan said Kaynama did a wonderful job as dean, he specified his intentions to identify a permanent dean for the college.
"Given that the MBA is almost secured, I had talked with the deans and the President about launching a national search for a permanent dean of CBE," Brennan said. "Dean Kaynama's decision does not really change our plans for the search for permanent dean."
The search will include both internal and external candidates. In the meantime, the University will appoint an acting dean to serve during the search.
Before Brennan boarded a flight to China Friday, he set up meetings to begin a "consultative process" with the leadership and faculty of the college.
"I think there are several talented people in the college who would do a great job as acting dean," he said.
Kaynama said she had not decided if she would continue teaching at Towson.
"I'm leaving the office and the college at the peak of its performance," Kaynama said. She said the college was at its peak in terms of program development, outreach to the community, and faculty achievements and accomplishments.
Finance professor Albert Avery, who served as acting dean before Kaynama, said he has been pleased with her progress.
"I think she's done everything that one could expect a dean to do in a short span of time," Avery said.
Stephanie Shapiro, co-president of the CBE Student Leadership Council, said Kaynama is the heart of the college.
"She has accomplished so much and has not fallen short on one promise she has made to the CBE. Most importantly, she cares about the students," Shapiro said.
Kaynama's resignation is the latest in a series of leadership changes for the college. Since Alan Leberknight left the University in August 2001, CBE has struggled to find long-term leadership.
Two candidate searches in 2001 and 2002 were unsuccessful, Avery recalled. After he spent a year as acting dean, Kaynama was signed to a three-year term.
Avery said the fact that the college lacked a master's program contributed to the difficulty of the searches.
"We're really an attractive school," Avery said. "We have wonderful students, we have wonderful faculty, we have great programs, we turn out solid graduates -- but at the undergraduate level. And that is not a career builder for a dean that is coming from another institution."
Going from a school with a master's program to a school with only an undergraduate program would not be a "big boost" for a resume, Avery explained.
During legislative testimony in March, President Robert Caret said the lack of an MBA degree makes it "almost impossible to attract a dean" for the college.
Towson University, in partnership with the University of Baltimore, is moving forward with its plans to introduce a joint Masters of Business Administration degree this fall. Morgan State University filed an objection with the Maryland Higher Education Commission last week, but Caret said TU still intends to offer the program in August. Kaynama graduated from Towson State University in 1976 with a degree in marketing. She earned her M.B.A. at the University of Baltimore in 1978 and her Ph.D. from George Washington University in 1991.
She became interim dean in September 2002 and was named dean in January 2003. Prior to becoming dean, she chaired the department of marketing and e-business.
"During this short tenure, along with the collaboration of the four department chairs, the College has set clear, actionable priorities; has redefined roles and responsibilities of various units and staff, and satisfactorily addressed many of the faculty and student issues," the resume on Kaynama's Web site states.
Last week, Kaynama was named one of 2005 Maryland's Top 100 Women by The Daily Record newspaper.
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