Courtesy of Morgan State University
Morgan State University President David K. Wilson and Provost Hongtao Yu, Ph.D., have appointed a new dean of the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management. Accomplished public accountant and award-winning professor Royce D. Burnett, Ph.D., CPA, CMA, CGMA, will assume leadership of the school on July 1, 2024, taking the helm of one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s foremost schools of business and a top 10 national producer of African Americans with degrees in hospitality and project management.
Dr. Burnett’s appointment comes at an opportune time, as the University continues to experience unprecedent growth in enrollment, academic degree programs, new facilities and research centers. As dean, he will lead a vibrant hub of academic excellence and innovation — a reputable school offering a diverse range of educational opportunities catering to student aspirations and the dynamic demands of the business world. In addition, among all Historically Black Colleges and Universities nationwide, Morgan’s School of Business and Management is one of only three to earn AACSB accreditation in business and accounting at all three levels of academic degrees.
“Following an extensive and comprehensive national search, I have the utmost confidence in our selection of Dr. Royce Burnett to serve as the next dean for Morgan’s rising Graves School of Business and Management. The real-world professional experience and scholarly gravitas that he brings to the University will benefit our students and strengthen our academic leadership team,” said President Wilson. “We welcome Dr. Burnett to the Morgan family and look forward to his continuing the success of our premier business and management school while advancing it to even greater heights.”
Dr. Burnett joins Morgan with more than 17 years of professional experience in public accounting and business, including work with “Big 4” accounting firms and two decades of teaching, conducting research and academic administration in higher education. Throughout his career, he has distinguished himself as an effective, thoughtful and innovative administrator, with a commitment to leveraging community engagement, fundraising and process management to overcome the ever-growing challenges faced within higher education today.
Prior to his appointment at Morgan, Dr. Burnett served for the past seven years at Old Dominion University, where he held the positions of professor and chair for the Strome College of Business’ School of Accountancy. He has also held administrative and/or faculty positions at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale (director, associate dean, University Provost Fellow and associate professor), University of Miami (assistant professor) and Oklahoma State University (instructor).
“Morgan’s recent designation as Maryland’s Preeminent Urban Research University, and the ensuing roll-out of a strategic plan to guide efforts in this regard, will collectively, work to create sustainable success for our students, faculty, and hiring and community partners,” said Dr. Burnett. “Hands down, I am honored to participate in this sojourn.”
Dr. Burnett’s work has been published in several top accounting research journals. In addition to his research endeavors, Burnett is an accomplished instructor, receiving various teaching awards at the higher education institutions he has served. His professional society memberships include the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants, the American Institute of CPAs, the American Accounting Association, the Institute of Management Accountants, the Government Finance Officers Association and the National Association of Black Accountants.
“We sought nationwide for a seasoned leader to helm our School of Business and Management, and we found one in Dr. Royce Burnett,” said Dr. Yu. “Dr. Burnett has a long, successful academic and administrative career spanning two R1 institutions and one R2 institution, as well as an entrepreneurial career in the private sector. We look forward to having him guide the ascendancy of our School of Business and Management and continue to propel it to the next level.”
Dr. Burnett received his B.B.A. and M.B.A. in Accounting from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, and a Ph.D. in Business Administration – Accounting from Oklahoma State University. His professional designations include Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified Global Management Accountant (CGMA).
In his capacity as dean, Dr. Burnett will report to the provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs and will work collaboratively with the University’s 10 other deans to advance Morgan’s mission. He replaces former Dean Fikru Boghossian, who retired following the spring 2023 semester after a decade of service in the role and 32 years overall at the University. Since Dr. Boghossian’s departure, the School of Business and Management has advanced under the interim leadership of Ali Emdad, Ph.D.
Housed within the $79-million, state-of-the-art Morgan Business Center, the Graves School, named in honor of Morgan State alumnus Earl G. Graves Sr., is among the 5% of schools worldwide that offer business degrees at the bachelor’s level or higher and are accredited by AACSB International. The Graves School offers 10 undergraduate and six master’s programs, and six specialized focus areas in its Ph.D. program. The undergraduate programs have 1,200 students enrolled in nine different majors. The Graves School manages three research centers — the National Center for Blockchain and FinTech, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Center for Data Analytics and Sports Gaming Research — that serve as bridges between academia and industry, fostering collaboration and ensuring that students are exposed to the latest trends and challenges in their chosen fields. The School’s mission is to prepare a diverse student population to succeed as business professionals and become engaged citizens. Founded in 1937 and established as a school in 1975, the Graves School is one of Maryland’s top producers of African American graduates with a business degree.
