As the semester closes, I am writing to share bittersweet news. Roger Fairfax, dean of the Washington College of Law (WCL), informed me that he intends to step down from his position after the conclusion of the academic year. While we will miss Roger, we are excited for the unique personal and professional opportunity ahead of him. Roger is returning to his family’s educational home to become dean of the Howard University School of Law.

Roger’s impact at WCL and across our community is extensive. Under his leadership, WCL has delivered outstanding legal educational opportunities, reached deep in our community in Washington, DC and beyond, and connected our students with some of the pioneering legal leaders of this era. WCL’s first-year class boasted the strongest combined admissions metrics in the school’s history. To support our law students, Roger and his team launched a first-generation student orientation program and expanded bar preparation services. Roger has been instrumental in our preparation and response to the Supreme Court’s decision on race-conscious admissions in higher education, including leading two campus events that helped our community explore the impact of this critical case. He chaired the search committee for our incoming vice president of inclusive excellence and helped us recruit Nkenge Friday. And we will always remember Roger welcoming Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson for her first commencement address as a member of the Supreme Court.

Roger and his family have a long history and connection with Howard. Numerous members of Roger’s family have graduated from Howard and served as faculty and staff members.

WCL is a vital part of American University’s history and educational mission. It was the first law school in the world founded by women; the first to have a woman dean; and the first to graduate an all-female law school class. For more than 120 years, WCL has educated aspiring legal changemakers to play a crucial role in the development of society, business, government, and individual freedoms. Today, WCL programs in clinical legal education, international law, trial advocacy, intellectual property, and law and government, are consistently rated among the top legal educational opportunities in the country. 

Moving forward, we will continue WCL’s impactful legal education and service to the community as we identify its next leader. We will share more information on the WCL search process in January. A celebration for Roger will be held in the spring.

Please join me in thanking Roger for his many contributions to the AU community.