By Julia Barnes

Students of the D’Amore-McKim School of Business will temporarily say goodbye to associate dean Charles “Charlie” Bame-Aldred this semester following the announcement he will take a personal leave of absence for reasons unknown.

The announcement was made by Hugh Courtney, a professor of international business and dean of the D’Amore-McKim school of Business in late September and announced that Peggy Fletcher, who held the position from 1999 to 2010, will act as the interim associate dean.
The former associate dean will be on leave the rest of the fall semester, but plans to return this spring to resume his teaching position as a professor of accounting and will hold the title of academic specialist.

“I think he worked really well with his students,” Fletcher said. “He had very good ideas.”

A graduate of Johnson and Wales University, Bame-Aldred holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. He received his doctorate in accounting from the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst in 2004.

Bame-Aldred acknowledged the encouragement he has received from the Northeastern community.

“I appreciate all the strong support from students, faculty and staff,” he said in an email on Sept. 29. “I am excited to be going back into the classroom this January.”

Bame-Aldred declined to comment on his reasons for leaving his position.

While the business school searches for Bame-Aldred’s replacement, Fletcher will act as interim associate dean of undergraduate programs. Fletcher noted how involved and rewarding the job could be.

“Ten years was enough and it was time for someone new to take over,” Fletcher said.

Oliver Nabavian, a junior finance major, met Bame-Aldred when he spoke to Nabavian’s class to about volunteer work within the business school.

“Overall,I’d say that he was a great communicator,” Nabavian said in an email. “He once reached out to a group of students which included me about joining a volunteer organization teaching young children after school. It’s good to see that he will be coming back to teaching.”

Courtney stated in his email announcement that Bame-Aldred has championed the furthering of student engagement within the undergraduate program and has also advised curriculum changes over the years.

“He will bring [his] passion and dedication back to the classroom this spring and continue to serve and inspire our students” Courtney said.

Photo courtesy of Brooks Canaday , Northeastern University