Here is the letter from Dean Slavkin that we all received through e-mail.
"Dear USC Trojan Dental Community,
On March 20th of this year, my family celebrated an important decade birthday of mine my 70th birthday. I found it a timely milestone upon which to reflect on my lifes passages to date, and to make decisions that support my hopes and dreams for the future. As a consequence of my reflections, and the input of my family, I want to share with you at this time my decision to resign as dean, effective the end of 2008. My plans are to pursue a sabbatical leave and to refocus my scholarly interests. I want you to know that I leave the deanship of the School of Dentistry with a strong sense of completion and high spirits, with pride in our common accomplishments and full knowledge that the individual who will follow me will find a receptive professional community in which to lead and flourish.
I became a Trojan when I first walked onto the University Park campus as an undergraduate in 1958. Thereafter, I was recruited by then-Dean John Ingle to join the faculty of the USC School of Dentistry in July, 1968 Forty years ago! Over these many years, I have had the pleasure of working with many outstanding people Board of Councilors, full and part-time faculties, postdocs, graduate students, residents, students, staff and alumni. I have been presented with so many opportunities to make contributions in the fields of dentistry, biomedical sciences, craniofacial developmental biology and health policy, of which I am very proud. However, a rich career such as I have enjoyed is also extremely taxing on ones family and personal life, with too much time over the years taken from Lois, our four children, eight grandchildren and close friends. And so, my friends, my reflections have brought me to the conclusion that it is time time to be present at little ones ballet recitals and soccer games, time to develop and revisit passions that have patiently awaited full expression, and time for Lois and I to enjoy our good health and blessed life.
Provost Max Nikias will soon form a search process to identify my successor. I will serve as dean fully and wholeheartedly through fall 2008, formally stepping down on December 31, 2008. At that time, I will take a one-year sabbatical from January 1 through December 31, 2009, and then return to USC as a faculty member to pursue education and research in January, 2010.
It has been a genuine honor to serve the USC Trojan dental community as the 11th dean of the School of Dentistry, and the first of the 21st Century. Since I arrived as Dean on August 14, 2000, we have, together, made significant progress in learner-centered education, innovation and discovery, patient and community health, and leadership in our professions and in the broader community. I thank you for your support and your friendship!
Cheers "
