Albany Law School's president and dean Thomas Guernsey is stepping down when his contract expires on June 30, 2011.

"During my time here, we have all worked together-faculty, students, staff and alumni-to take Albany Law to new heights in academic excellence and fiscal stability," said Guernsey, the school's 16th president, in a statement. "My hope is that by letting the board know of this decision well in advance, the school will have enough time to conduct a comprehensive search for my successor and seamlessly appoint a new leader."

He has been at the school nine years, more than twice the national average length of time deans serve, according to Albany Law.

Guernsey's achievements include:

• Improving the school's financial condition;

• Reducing the student body - resulting in a $4 million decrease in tuition revenue-to enroll a more select, higher-achieving class and reduce the faculty-student ratio;

• Significantly improve the quality and quantity of faculty scholarship through implementing new standards and recruiting nationally renowned scholars

The school said his reforms led to more giving from the alumni both in dollar amount and percentage of alumni.