Michael Sant’Ambrogio will be recommended to the Board of Trustees to serve as the interim dean of Michigan State University’s College of Law, effective Jan. 9, 2024. He will succeed Linda Greene, who is stepping down as dean of the College of Law at the start of next year to return to the faculty.
Sant’Ambrogio currently serves as professor of law and senior associate dean for faculty and academic affairs in the College of Law. In his role as senior associate dean, he has led the college’s participation in the American Bar Association’s, or ABA’s, successful reaccreditation process, guided efforts that have diversified the ranks of the college’s adjunct faculty, helped increase the college’s curricular offerings so they are on the cutting edge of technology and the law, and initiated new programs to support students’ preparation for the bar exam. He recently chaired the ABA’s first professional development conference for associate deans since the COVID-19 pandemic. Before stepping into the role of senior associate dean, Sant’Ambrogio served five years as the associate dean for research, during which time he reinvigorated the college’s faculty workshop and increased institutional support for junior faculty.
“As senior associate dean in the College of Law, Michael has worked closely with Dean Greene over the past year and will provide continuity during this time of transition while continuing to advance the mission, momentum and aspirations of the college,” said MSU Interim Provost Thomas Jeitschko. “Michael’s demonstrated commitments to fostering academic excellence and student success in the college have inspired confidence in his leadership and reflect his dedication to continual improvement.”
A teacher and scholar of administrative and constitutional law, Sant’Ambrogio’s recent work focuses on the institutional structures, practices and procedures facilitating public participation in the federal regulatory process. His scholarship has been published in numerous national law reviews. He has served as a consultant to the Administrative Conference of the United States on several projects studying public engagement with federal agency rulemaking and the use of class actions and other aggregate procedures in agency adjudication. His work has been highly influential in improving the effectiveness, consistency and equity of federal agency decision-making.
Sant’Ambrogio is a graduate of New York University’s School of Law, where he was a Root-Tilden-Kern Scholar. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Columbia University and a master’s in American history from New York University. Before coming to MSU, he practiced law in New York City and taught at New York University’s School of Law.
“I am humbled and honored to be recommended to serve the College of Law during this time of transition and to work with our dedicated faculty and staff as we continue to pursue Dean Greene’s vision for what it means to be a Big Ten, land-grant college serving the diverse communities of Michigan and beyond,” said Sant’Ambrogio. “I look forward to implementing our strategic plan and building a community with a strong culture of equity, trust and collegiality among our faculty, staff and students.”