Dean John DiPippa of the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law today announced plans to step down and return to the classroom effective June 30, 2012.

DiPippa will resume full-time teaching beginning with the Fall 2012 semester. Among his plans are working on a textbook on the law and public service and revising The Counselor-at-Law: A Collaborative Approach to Client Interviewing and Counseling.

In addition, he will work closely with the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service to develop further the Juris Doctor/Master of Public Service concurrent degree program.

During his three-and-a-half-year tenure, DiPippa led the school through a successful re-accreditation process with the American Bar Association, raising a total of $3.3 million in current and future funding commitments, and revitalizing the Bowen Alumni Association.

“I am particularly proud of the things we have achieved at Bowen during my tenure as dean,” DiPippa said. “We added concurrent degree programs with the College of Business and the UAMS School of Public Health, bringing to seven the number of partnered-degree programs Bowen offers. We’ve endowed numerous scholarships and increased alumni involvement significantly.

“We also adopted a comprehensive set of core competencies — focused on knowledge, skills, and values — that will ensure our graduates are prepared to practice law at graduation.”

Interim Provost Sandra Robertson will consult with Chancellor Joel E. Anderson and the faculty of the law school to begin the process for finding the next dean. The university will conduct a national search to replace DiPippa.

“I know that Bowen will continue to be a place for students to come for access to a high-quality legal education and unique opportunities in Arkansas’ capital city — at a reasonable cost,” DiPippa said.

“Our faculty and staff will continue to make sure that students learn professionalism and the value of public service, and the school will continue to provide access to justice for all members of the community well into the future.”