Academic Affairs Leadership Update: J.D. Jayaraman Appointed Interim Dean of the School of Business

The university has evolved over the past two years to respond to challenges and to realign our efforts with our revitalized mission and first-ever Academic Master Plan. We are grateful that over the past year, NJCU’s School of Business has been led by a strong and caring leader, Dr. Marvin Walker. 

Dr. Walker graciously agreed to serve in a dual role, supporting the school while maintaining his role as the Dean of the College of Professional Studies. I sincerely appreciate his commitment to this institution and his dedication to our faculty, staff, and students.

Managing two colleges was always a temporary measure to ensure we had strong leadership for each. The fact that Dr. Walker managed this for a full academic year is extraordinary. As we begin the new academic year, Dr. Walker will now return to focusing his full attention exclusively on the College of Professional Studies. Please join me in offering Dr. Walker our sincere appreciation.

I am happy to announced that Dr. Jayadhurganandh (J.D.) Jayaraman, the chair of the Department of Finance, has graciously agreed to serve as the new interim dean for the School of Business. I am confident that the great work that our faculty and staff have done in the School of Business will continue under his leadership. 

Dr. Jayaraman brings a wealth of academic and industry experience to his new role as the interim dean. With a Ph.D. in Finance from Oklahoma State University and additional graduate degrees in Educational Psychology and Cognitive Science from Columbia University, Dr. Jayaraman certainly has a unique interdisciplinary background.

As the chair of the Department of Finance, Dr. Jayaraman has been instrumental in creating innovative undergraduate and graduate programs in Business Analytics, Data Science, and Financial Technology. His research spans financial literacy, educational data mining, AI for social good, and the application of machine learning in finance, with numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Before making the career transition to higher education and academia, Dr. Jayaraman gained over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, primarily in the areas of algorithmic trading, risk management, energy markets, and financial technology. His experience includes executive leadership roles at Bloomberg L.P., Citigroup, and several financial technology companies, where he specialized in risk management, quantitative modeling and financial trading technology. This blend of academic and practical expertise informs his approach to preparing students for the evolving business landscape.

Dr. Jayaraman is committed to community engagement and service. He serves on the board for various non-profit organizations. He has also served in leadership roles in professional organizations in New Jersey.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Jayaraman on his new role and wishing him well in leading our School of Business.

Best Regards,

Donna Adair Breault, Ph.D.
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs
New Jersey City University