N.H. professor named UA law dean
FAYETTEVILLE — A University of New Hampshire law professor will be the next law dean at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, the university announced Friday.
Margaret Sova McCabe, 48, will begin July 1 as leader for a law school that enrolled 353 students this past fall, down from 2012 when enrollment topped 400 students. Over the same time period, enrollment of new law students has generally been decreasing nationally, according to data published by the American Bar Association.
Sova McCabe takes over from Stacy Leeds, who was appointed dean in 2011 and is continuing at UA as vice chancellor for economic development. Leeds began last year serving in the newly created role.
In a phone interview, Sova McCabe said that once on the job, she will “immediately begin by listening, and then spending time getting to know people” before starting any initiatives.
She said that because the UA law school is recognized as a good value and has emphasized good student quality, she has no concerns about future enrollment.
“It has good outcomes in terms of bar passage and employment, so it’s a good choice for law students,” she said.
In an April 5 talk at UA, Sova McCabe described how she defined excellence.
“Excellence is not necessarily just saying, ‘Hey, we’re great.’ It is every day thinking about what is in front of me, how do I do it well, how do I help others do well,” Sova McCabe said.
At the University of New Hampshire, Sova McCabe served as associate dean for academic affairs from 2014-17 and associate dean for academic administration and special projects from 2012-14.
She joined the faculty 2007 after working as an attorney in the New Hampshire Department of Safety.
Sophie Sparrow, a University of New Hampshire law professor who co-wrote the book What the Best Law Teachers Do, collaborated with Sova McCabe on a scholarly article about law education.
“She is extremely thoughtful, very hardworking and the kind of person who gets things done,” said Sparrow.
Sova McCabe will earn a yearly salary of $290,000, UA spokesman Steve Voorhies said.
At the time Leeds took on the interim economic development role, she earned a yearly a salary of $303,323, according to UA. Voorhies said any change to Leeds’ salary has not yet been determined.
Sova McCabe will be the third consecutive woman to lead UA’s law school. Provost Jim Coleman made the hiring decision based on a recommendation by a campus search committee, according to the university’s announcement.
The university invited three other finalists to campus: Asmara Tekle, professor at Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law; Robert Ahdieh, professor and director of the Center on Federalism and Intersystemic Governance at Emory University School of Law; and Brooke Coleman, professor and co-associate dean of research and faculty development at Seattle University School of Law.
Sova McCabe said she has long had an interest in regulatory systems. Her scholarly articles include work related to consumer protection and food regulations, a topic that is also of personal interest, she said.
“My older son, he’s lived his whole life with life-threatening food allergies,” said Sova McCabe. She said there is a community of concerned parents she’s been a part of, and hearing their concerns, as well as her own experiences, helped her as she researched the topic.