Robert Pitts, the third and final candidate in the search for the new dean of the School of Business, promoted his idea that Ithaca College needs to lead the way to building a better world and to embrace the idea that business students have a role to play in American commerce and society.

Pitts voiced his vision for the business school at a presentation to about 20 faculty and staff today at noon in the Hockett Family Recital Hall in the Whalen Center of Music.

Like the two finalists before him — Mary Ellen Zuckerman and Susan McTiernan — Pitts gave a 30-minute presentation accompanied by a PowerPoint slideshow. He discussed his past accomplishments and future goals if chosen as the new dean.

Greg Woodward, dean of the music school and search committee chair, introduced Pitts. He said Pitts has a lengthy and impressive resume and the college greatly enjoyed having him here for the past few days.

Pitts is a professor of marketing at the School of Business and Economics at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. He was also a dean of the College of Business Administration at Creighton University and a professor and chair of the department of marketing at DePaul University

His research has appeared in several publications, including the Journal of Marketing and the Journal of Consumer Research.

Pitts discussed the role of business schools as a whole and how the college can be a part in leading the way in business education.

“We need to be engines of development and innovation, and we need to educate the next generation of business and social leaders,” he said. “That’s our big challenge.”

Pitts said a business school education needs to integrate  disciplines and should be geared toward  hands-on activity.

“Listening is probably the worst way to learn, and doing is the best way to learn,” he said.

He said the business school needs to be founded on a trusted faculty who is knowledge in the relevant issues of the business world today so they have the authority to properly inform the students.

“Every Ithaca graduate should have an understanding of the world of commerce,” he said.

Pitts also addressed the idea of sustainability. He said business schools of today need to come up with innovative ways to preserve the limited resources of the world, and the college has great potential to lead the way in that endeavor.

Throughout the three finalists’ presentations, student attendance has been low. Sophomore Pat McNally, a business major, was unable to attend the presentation but said he is still interested in the outcome of the decision. He said he hopes the new dean will become more involved with the students.

“Student relations are extremely important,” he said. “It would make me feel like more of a business student if [the deans] met with people.”

Pitts presented these ideas for the business school: semester-long collaborative projects for students to gain the experience of hands-on learning in the real world of business and partnerships with other universities in Europe, South America and Asia to develop working relationships with other institutions.

At the conclusion of the presentation, Pitts said he hopes to have the opportunity to make the college and community a better place.

“I greatly enjoy what I do,” he said. “I enjoy helping people find what is useful for them.”