To the editor:

In response to the recent articles about the KU School of Business’ use of differential tuition and Dean Bill Fuerst, I strongly disagree with the assertions made by MBA students.

I have served on six university and School of Business boards and committees and the school’s original differential tuition committee. It’s useful to understand that differential tuition benefits all business students in many ways as intended in the differential tuition proposal. While there was to be student oversight of these funds, and there needs to be again, I feel it grossly unfair to characterize Fuerst’s tenure as dean as lacking transparency. As a member of the board, we have had nothing but very transparent and open communication with the dean about the school’s activities and progress.

Dean Fuerst has accomplished a tremendous amount for the school and leaves big shoes to fill. We owe him our gratitude for launching the school into competitiveness with other top business schools and for helping make it a school from which employers can recruit top students who compete effectively against graduates from any business school. Dean Fuerst has positioned the school and its students for future success and has enhanced the value of a KU business degree.

I support the provost’s remarks in the Sept. 22 article and hope students share my sense of enthusiasm and pride in the accomplishments of this school. It’s a shame the efforts of a few cloud the tremendous accomplishments of many.

Howard Cohen,

Leawood