A Legacy of Integrity and Excellence

I first met Jes Salacuse in 1989 when he was Dean of Fletcher and interviewed me for a position to teach human rights law and international organizations. The outcome was favorable (for both of us, I believe), and I remained a professor at Fletcher for 30 years. It was only later, given Jes’ experience in negotiation and conflict resolution, that I realized what an achievement it was that I was able to raise his initial salary offer.

Jes’ contributions to the Fletcher School and Tufts University were immense. He single-handedly set Fletcher on a path of academic excellence that surpassed the status quo that greeted him when he became Dean in 1986. From the beginning, his time as Dean was one of advancement, understanding, and openness. He was devoted to Fletcher, not merely doing his job, and that devotion continued within Fletcher and the wider Tufts community until his retirement in 2020.

Both as a Dean and a Professor, Salacuse set an example for all of us. He was supportive, thoughtful, kind, and treated everyone—faculty and staff—with respect. He also had a wonderful sense of humor. Most importantly, he was a man of integrity, intelligence, insight, good judgment, and humility. I think that everyone who knew him valued him as a friend who could be counted on.

On a couple of public occasions, Jes joked that one of his best decisions as Dean was to hire me as a member of the law faculty. While I never believed him, it is the nicest compliment that I have ever received in my professional life—because it came from him.