Broad College appoints new associate dean for undergraduate programs

Serving more than 3,000 students each year, the Broad College of Business’ undergraduate programs foster an environment where Spartans learn, grow, thrive and shape the future of business.

Richard Spreng

To ensure our programs and curriculum offer the best experiences for students, the college has selected Richard Spreng, associate professor for marketing, to serve as associate dean for undergraduate programs, effective August 2022. Spreng will replace Cheri Speier-Pero, Ernst & Young Professor of Accounting and Information Systems, who has held this role since 2019.

“I am excited and humbled to take on this role,” Spreng said. “We all owe Cheri Speier-Pero a deep debt of gratitude for her leadership during the challenges of the last few years. Even in the midst of these difficulties, she has been able to move the undergraduate programs of the college forward in many significant ways.

“Over the years, I have gotten to know some of those in the college who deal with undergrads,” he continued. “We are fortunate to have an extremely competent and caring staff, and I am very excited to work with these folks.”

Spreng has been with the Broad College since 1991 and has contributed to undergraduate and graduate programs in many ways. He co-founded the sales leadership minor, a joint program between the Broad College and the College of Communication Arts and Sciences that attracts many students from across Michigan State University, and serves as the academic director of the college’s top-ranked Master of Science in Marketing Research, a program he founded in 2010. He has also been an influential contributor to the college’s strategic theme of global mindset, developing and teaching a set of popular education abroad courses over the last several years.

His primary research interest is consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction and post-purchase evaluation. He has taken on projects and consulted for numerous government, education and business organizations.

Spreng previously served as the interim chairperson for the Department of Marketing from 2019 to 2021. As he steps into this new role as associate dean, he is looking forward to enhancing the undergraduate student experience and continuing to embrace the college’s strategic themes every step of the way.

“We can enhance the student experience by expanding experiential learning opportunities, innovating our curriculum so that it continues to be leading-edge, increasing interdisciplinary integration and building student engagement,” Spreng said.

“Our students need to have an appreciation for ethical dilemmas and a commitment to socially responsible leadership,” he continued. “As a longtime education abroad program leader, I am committed to continuing to build the global mindset of our students by increasing the number of Broad students who have an education abroad experience. Finally, we want our students to experience a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment where everyone is valued.”