USC Marshall Faculty Present Latest Findings at Annual Research Fair
Faculty from across five departments at the business school offered research on behavioral economics, data privacy, AI, gender participation, and causal inference.
Andy Call Officially Installed as Dean of Leventhal School of Accounting
Surrounded by his family and the Trojan Network, Andy Call joins the community of deans during USC’s traditional installation ceremony.
[USC Photo/Steve Cohn]
Andy Call Officially Installed as Dean of Leventhal School of Accounting
An exceptional scholar, leader, and teacher, Call is ready to Fight On! and advance the legacy of excellence as the sixth dean in Leventhal’s history.
Andy Call was formally installed as dean of USC Leventhal School of Accounting on Monday, January 27, 2025. In USC tradition, the installation ceremony at the Town and Gown featured a procession of current deans at the university before Call was welcomed into the Trojan community.
“I’m honored to be one of you. I’m honored to be part of the Trojan Family,” said Call during his speech. “Thank you for your commitment to this university and to the Leventhal School.”
Call was announced last summer as the next Leventhal dean following William Holder’s retirement, but it was USC President Carol Folt who recognized Call as the sixth dean of the nationally ranked accounting school in her opening remarks.
Reading through his bio of many accomplishments, Folt “checked” boxes in the air for each of the new dean’s impressive qualities: acclaimed scholar; entrepreneurial builder; forward thinker; impactful researcher; and most of all, a dedicated teacher.
“For 45 years, Leventhal has been synonymous with one word and that word is excellence,” remarked Folt. “And today we honor an exceptional leader, teacher, and researcher who now leads one of our finest schools.”
USC Provost Andrew Guzman joined Folt on stage for a presentation of Call’s chair — a miniature replica of the Alan Casden Dean’s Chair, symbolic of the title that Call now holds.
To begin his speech, Dean Call thanked those who helped guide his transition to USC, especially his wife, Charis, and four children, Mallory, Andrew, Dylan, and Gavin, all of whom were instrumental in making the move from Arizona.
As a native Angeleno and youngest child in his family, Call also gave a shout-out to his parents and siblings and made a confession: he grew up a dedicated fan of another illustrious L.A. university and Big 10 rival.
“When it came time to make a final decision about whether to make this move, I looked in the mirror and said to myself, you know what? It’s never too late to right a wrong. After all these years, I’m tired of being the little brother. Fight On!” Call exclaimed to the whooping crowd.
Leventhal Looking Forward
The crux of Call’s speech focused on his vision for Leventhal and the leading role it plays in the industry.
“The Leventhal School of Accounting is an institution that matters and I feel the weight of the responsibility to lead the school to continued prominence, continued excellence, and continued impact,” Call stated.
The new dean is “bullish” on accounting, speaking to its importance as a “bedrock upon which investment decisions are made and facilitates the efficient flow of capital.” Accounting offers boundless opportunities for Leventhal graduates to build a meaningful career.
Call highlighted the dynamics of three pillars he sees as essential for the profession and for cultivating the next generation of accounting professionals: the emergence of technology, the rise of sustainability, and the unmet demand for accounting talent.
According to Call, technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI) are not a threat to accounting, but an opportunity. The emergence of tech has automated low-level mundane tasks that once occupied young accountants early in their careers. Without that busywork, accounting professionals are more empowered to focus on the services that add real value to their clients.
“This type of client engagement asks more of our graduates and certainly of our academic offerings on campus,” remarked Call. “It requires students to develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and communication skills that they need in order to contribute on day one.”
In line with Marshall’s commitment to the business of sustainability, Call believes Leventhal and accounting play a major role in ensuring corporate America reaches its goals in disclosing certain Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) information.
“The reality is that firms are being asked and potentially mandated to take account of their efforts in these areas of sustainability,” Call explained. “You cannot have sustainability without sustainability reporting. Typically, this is done in the context of financial information, but increasingly, the call is for this to take place with corporate sustainability activities. The Leventhal School has already taken and will continue to play a leadership role in this area.”
The national shortage of accountants is well-known, but Leventhal will continue to find innovative ways under Call to attract interested students and prepare graduates to meet the demand for high-quality talent that companies, investors, and markets require.
“The imperative to address these issues is real, partly because of the leadership role this school plays and also because frankly, the quality of our graduates is unparalleled,” Call continued. “The depth and quality of the employers that come here on this campus to meet and recruit our students is unmatched. The more Leventhal graduates we can prepare and send into the profession, the better it will be for the entire industry.”
Call shared one last resonating thought for the business-focused crowd.
“Accounting truly is the language of business, and this is because it is the foundation upon which so many business decisions are made,” Call said.
It’s a new era for the accounting school, and Call is ready to continue the legacy of excellence at Leventhal.
Surrounded by his family and the Trojan Network, Andy Call joins the community of deans during USC’s traditional installation ceremony.
[USC Photo/Steve Cohn]
USC President Carol Folt (L) and Provost Andrew Guzman (R) present Andy Call with his "chair" — a miniature replica of the Alan Casden Dean’s Chair, symbolic of the title that he now holds.
[USC Photo/Steve Cohn]
Dean Call's family celebrates his installation at the Town and Gown on Monday, January 27, 2025
[USC Photo/Steve Cohn]
Andy Call addresses the invited audience of faculty, staff, alumni, and distinguished guests.
[USC Photo/Steve Cohn]
New Leventhal Dean Andy Call, Marshall Dean Geoff Garrett, and former Leventhal Dean William Holder gather for Call's installation ceremony.
[USC Photo/Steve Cohn]
USC honors Andy Call during the university's traditional installation ceremony.
[USC Photo/Steve Cohn]
RELATED
USC Marshall Faculty Present Latest Findings at Annual Research Fair
Faculty from across five departments at the business school offered research on behavioral economics, data privacy, AI, gender participation, and causal inference.
USC Marshall Announces $10 Million Gift from Andrew Tavakoli to Establish Center for Real Estate
As part of this gift, the Tavakoli Matching Challenge for Real Estate will inspire philanthropy and secure USC’s position as the premier center for real estate education, research, and innovation.
Quoted: Dean Andy Call in the Daily Trojan
Call, Dean of the Leventhal School of the Accounting, discussed his vision for the future of Leventhal with the Daily Trojan.
Marshall Faculty Publications, Awards, and Honors: February 2025
We are proud to highlight the many accomplishments of Marshall’s exceptional faculty recognized for recently accepted and published research and achievements in their field.
Quoted: Kimon Drakopoulos in The News Tribune
Drakopoulous, associate professor of data sciences and operations, discusses how companies need to consider AI ethics while understanding their own goals to avoid AI "hallucinations".