Joe Comprix

In the role of associate dean for faculty affairs, Comprix will provide leadership of faculty issues and efforts, including faculty development and mentoring, workloads, and reviews, leaves and contract renewals. He will work closely with Academic Affairs, department chairs, Human Resources and the Office of Research, among other offices. Comprix previously held the role of interim associate dean and has been the long-standing chair of the accounting department. He is also an award-winning teacher.

Willie Reddic

In the role of associate dean for business education, Reddic will provide leadership over the residential and online undergraduate and master’s programs, including student attraction, coordination of instructional needs, programmatic innovation and feasibility studies, and oversight of assurance of learning processes and teaching effectiveness. He will work closely with the faculty curriculum and teaching committees, department chairs, students and staff. Reddic is also one the Faculty Oversight Committee for Athletics and is a highly accomplished teacher and administrator. He held a similar position to this current role at DePaul University.

“I am very appreciative to both Joe and Willie for their willingness to take on these additional service roles for Whitman. Both have outstanding track records in these areas. Having them both as associate deans will help Whitman pursue our bold goals and expectations,” says Alexander McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School of Management.

Joey Gawrysiak

“Joey has the knowledge, the vision and the entrepreneurial approach needed to successfully launch the University’s robust esports degree program,” says Chancellor . “I am thrilled to have one of the pioneers in academic esports programming leading our efforts. I look forward to welcoming him to the Orange community.”

Says Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer , “As we invest in and grow the University’s sport-related academic disciplines and leverage this key area of distinction, Joey’s guidance and leadership will be crucial to our success. I look forward to working with him and the Falk and Newhouse deans to launch the new esports degree and expand our esports infrastructure.”

The esports communications and management degree, offered jointly by the and the , will launch this fall. Among the first of its kind at a major university, the program, taps into the rapidly growing, multibillion-dollar esports industry and builds upon work already happening on campus.

, special advisor to the chancellor on esports and digital transformation, led the effort to bring an esports major to ���ϲ�����. “This is an exciting time for ���ϲ�����,” he says. “Joey will grow recreational and competitive esports on campus and will also help implement and utilize the University’s new sports facilities.”

Gawrysiak will report to incoming Falk Dean Jeremy S. Jordan and Newhouse Dean .

“It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome Joey Gawrysiak as executive director of esports,” says Falk Dean , who announced the conclusion of her tenure earlier this year. “He is well-equipped to guide the Falk College and our partners at the Newhouse School as we connect our respective disciplines around esports. In Falk, esports will benefit from our thriving sport management and sport analytics programs, and interdisciplinary connections with highly relevant Falk College scholarship in public health, social justice and equity. Under Joey’s leadership, I am confident we will maximize opportunities in Falk and Newhouse to position ���ϲ����� as a national trailblazer in esports.”

“Newhouse has been a leader in this space as one of the first schools in the country to offer courses in esports and communications,” Lodato says. “We’re very excited to welcome Joey to the ���ϲ����� family and look forward to building on our foundation to create an academic program with the Falk College that prepares students to succeed in this burgeoning field.”

Gawrysiak joined Shenandoah in 2012 and is a faculty member in sport management and esports. As director of esports, he has oversight of all aspects of the program, developing curriculum and experiential learning while securing more than $100,000 in partnerships.

Gawrysiak earned a Ph.D. in sport management and policy, an M.Ed. in physical education and sport studies, and a B.S.Ed. in sport studies, all from the University of Georgia. His research focuses on esports; video games and sport; sports and socialization; international sport culture; and sport and technology. He has co-authored multiple peer-reviewed articles on topics related to esports. He sits on the board of directors of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) and has been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2021 NACE Director of the Year and 2022 NACE Hero Award.

“���ϲ����� has shown remarkable commitment to embracing emerging fields and providing its students with cutting-edge educational opportunities,” Gawrysiak says. “I am thrilled to join this esteemed institution and lead its esports program. My goal is to create a dynamic and inclusive environment that promotes academic excellence, fosters competitive success and cultivates a strong sense of community among our esports students.”

The search committee was co-chaired by , professor of practice and chair of sport management in the Falk College, and , professor of practice and director of the Newhouse School’s Sports Media Center.

Tula Goenka

, professor of�� (TRF) and director of the TRF graduate program, has been named the inaugural Dean’s Leadership Fellow at the Newhouse School.��In this role, Goenka will focus on the engagement, inclusivity and support of the school’s international student community.

“I first came to the United States as a Newhouse international graduate student in 1984, and it is truly an honor for me to be appointed as the first Dean’s Leadership Fellow 38 years later,” Goenka says. “I have lived through the trials and tribulations of not only moving to a foreign country and learning in a brand new educational system but also simultaneously trying to figure out how to live day-to-day so far from home. It’s more than a culture shock, and I am thrilled to help our Newhouse international students have a smoother transition so that they can flourish and blossom here.”

Goenka joined the Newhouse faculty in 1996 following a career in filmmaking that included work as an editor for directors Spike Lee, James Ivory and Mira Nair, among others. Her own documentary work includes the award-winning PBS film “Dancing On Mother Earth,” about singer/songwriter Joanne Shenandoah; “El Charango,” about the musical instrument from Bolivia; and “Likhiya: Writing Stories With Mithila Art,” a series of short films on artists from Madhubani, Bihar in India. She is the creator and director of the “Look Now Project,” which uses visual storytelling to highlight the resilience of all those affected by breast cancer—patient, survivor, caregiver, medical practitioner and advocate. She earned the Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence Award for Engaging the World in 2009.

Born and raised in India, Goenka is involved with the South Asian community in the U.S. She served as co-director of the federally funded South Asia Center, part of the Maxwell School’s Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs, from 2012-14. She is affiliated faculty with the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies and the Minor in South Asian Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Goenka is the author of “Not Just Bollywood: Indian Directors Speak.” In 2008, she created the ���ϲ����� Abroad program Bollywood Snapshots, and has taken more than 50 Newhouse students to Mumbai for the month-long immersion. She was the Newhouse Endowed Chair of Public Communications from 2016-19. She is the founder and co-director of the annual ���ϲ����� Human Rights Film Festival, now in its 20th year.

“Throughout her career, Tula has been a passionate supporter of our Newhouse students, particularly those from other countries,” Lodato says. “She will be outstanding in this role, giving the needs of our international students a stronger voice at the highest levels.”

Tracy Barash

Tracy Barash ’89 is senior vice president/head of research, data and insights, business operations and franchise planning for Turner Sports and Bleacher Report, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery. In this role she oversees the team that conducts research and leverages data and insight to drive growth for brands and platforms, including the NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, the Match and the Bleacher Report. She also leads a business operations team that drives strategic alignment and execution across the Sports organization.

Additionally, Barash is tasked with developing new franchises that can be monetized across the portfolio. Previously, as senior vice president of marketing, she led the overall consumer marketing, product marketing and marketing operations teams across all sports, including consumer, brand and product marketing efforts for Bleacher Report.

Barash has a strong history of leading marketing, brand development and franchise management for high-profile brands. This experience includes roles as vice president of Global Franchise Management for Cartoon Network where she developed strategic plans for such programs as “The Powerpuff Girls” and “Ben 10,” at Warner Bros. Consumer Products where she was a key member of the team that launched The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando and managed the development of “Harry Potter: The Exhibition” global museum tour, and at Diageo where she oversaw the marketing strategy and execution for such brands as Smirnoff Vodka, Malibu Rum and Baileys Irish Cream.

In addition to her professional achievements, Barash is a member of the Whitman Advisory Council and is the co-chair of Atlanta Regional Council for ���ϲ�����. She was a voting member of the ���ϲ����� Board of Trustees during her term as the president of the ���ϲ����� Alumni Association Board, where she also served on the National Campaign Council.

Barash has been actively engaged with a wide range of activities at the Whitman School, including working as an alumni mentor and as a frequent speaker for student events. Barash received the Dean’s Citation for Exceptional Service from the Whitman School in 2019. She graduated with a B.S. in marketing management from the Whitman School in 1989 and from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School in 1993 with an MBA.

“We are so fortunate to have someone with Tracy’s background and passion take on this new role in support of the Whitman School and ���ϲ�����. I am very grateful for her continued leadership in working on behalf of all advisory council members in furthering the Whitman School and its programs,” says Gretchen Ritter, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer.

“I am honored to serve as the next chair of the Whitman Advisory Council, working to drive Whitman’s strategic mission forward, while supporting its dynamic students and engaging the Whitman alumni community to join me in this endeavor,” says Barash.

“I would like to express my tremendous appreciation to Lisa Fontenelli ’86 for her four years of outstanding leadership of the Whitman Advisory Council. Lisa has been instrumental in helping to forge a pathway forward for Whitman and we are so pleased that she will continue to support Whitman on the council moving forward,” says Alex McKelvie, interim dean at the Whitman School.

For a complete list of Whitman Advisory Council members, visit the .

Barbara (Barb) Carson

Prior to joining the IVMF, Carson was a member of the Senior Executive Service and spent nearly a decade in leadership roles at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Most recently Carson served as the deputy associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Assistance, responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating the SBA’s disaster loan program throughout the nation. Previously, Carson served as the SBA’s deputy associate administrator for government contracting and business development where she advocated to increase small business contracting opportunities in federal agencies, and led SBA federal procurement programs, including 8(a), HUBZone, Woman-Owned Small Business and All Small Mentor Protégé programs.

Carson also previously served as the SBA’s associate administrator for the Office of Veterans Business Development, responsible for programs, policy and advocacy on behalf of the nation’s veteran-owned business community.

Carson’s connection to the military-connected community is personal and longstanding. She is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, most recently assigned to the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Office of Public Affairs.

Her service spans 25 years as an active-duty and reserve officer, and her experience includes nuclear command and control and public affairs assignments across the United States, Japan and Europe. In addition, Carson is also a military spouse. Her husband is a retired U.S. Air Force pilot also with over 25 years of service, and together they are the parents of newly enlisted Airman Basic Carson, Utah Air National Guard.

“Barb is widely respected across the veteran’s community, and she has been a longtime friend and contributor to the work and mission of the IVMF. We’re fortunate for the opportunity to bring her leadership and experience to our team, as we work to expand the scope, scale and impact of our programs,” says Michael Haynie, Ph.D., vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive director of the IVMF. “Importantly, Barb joins our team at a time when the IVMF is preparing and planning for a significantly expanded presence in Washington, D.C., that will include, later this summer, opening a full-time office and operating location in the nation’s capital. Barb is uniquely positioned to lead this effort, and her experiences as an active-duty service member, veteran, military spouse, reservist and military parent will enhance all we do to empower those who have served and their families.”

Carson says, “it is my honor to join the IVMF team and continue my service to the military-connected community, leading an effort to deliver programs and services worthy of their accomplishments and potential. The men and women who volunteer to serve, as well as their families, have earned every opportunity to continue to lead and thrive in their lives after military service, and deserve our continued support.”

Duncan Brown

“Duncan’s career here at ���ϲ����� is truly a model of leadership, scholarship, innovation, academic excellence and mentorship,” says Ritter. “He has all the professional experience and personal qualities necessary to lead the research, scholarship and creative enterprise and secure our position as a world-class research university. Duncan is well respected among his peers, both on campus and at some of the world’s most preeminent institutions. Duncan is uniquely suited to support ���ϲ�����’s faculty scholars in their efforts to pursue and secure external funding that advances their research, scholarship and creative work.”

In his new role, Brown will report directly to Provost Ritter; oversee $100 million in extramural funding across the natural sciences, engineering, education, social sciences and law; support and empower ���ϲ�����’s internationally recognized creative and scholarly excellence from artists, architects, directors and writers; and advance centers and institutes that lead the world in fields, including in the humanities, aging studies, autonomous systems policy, disability studies, environmental and energy systems, biological and smart materials, national security, veterans and military families, and quantum computing. Brown will also lead the Office of Research and its component units, including the Office of Sponsored Programs, the Office of Research Integrity and Protections, the Office of Technology Transfer and the ���ϲ����� Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE). Together, these departments serve as the backbone of ���ϲ�����’s research, scholarship and creative support enterprise.

“The role of the vice president for research is to advance all areas of the University’s research, scholarship and creative work,” says Brown. “We have extraordinary faculty, staff and students at ���ϲ�����, and we attract gifted students from around the globe who want to expand knowledge through innovation, creativity and discovery. Our vibrant intellectual environment across a wide range of disciplines allows us to recruit world-class scholars. I am excited to help everyone in the University community secure the resources that they need to pursue their research, scholarship and artistic endeavors. Together, we can sustain and build upon our Carnegie R1 designation, reach new heights as a premier research university, and change our community and our world for the better.”

Brown is widely respected by faculty and staff across the University. He chairs the Senate Research Committee; played an integral role in the Cluster Hire Review Working Group, created by Provost Ritter last year; and was a leader in creating the University’s Research Computing group. He was the faculty representative to the University Board of Trustees (2017-19) and serves as a proposal reviewer for funding agencies around the world. Brown has been actively involved in national searches for academic leaders. In fact, he was the chair of the search committee appointed to find the next vice president of research.

“We are fortunate to have an internal leader of Duncan’s caliber to take our research enterprise to the next level,” says Ritter. “I look forward to working with him in his new role and have great confidence in his ability to inspire, empower and support our talented scholars.”

Brown earned a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, was a post-doctoral scholar at Caltech and came to ���ϲ����� in 2007. He is an internationally recognized leader in gravitational-wave astronomy and astrophysics, and was integral to the discovery of gravitational waves by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). A Fellow of the American Physical Society and a Research Corporation for Science Advancement Cottrell Scholar, he has taught large and small courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, including the popular undergraduate course “Introduction to Astronomy,” and established a National Science Foundation-funded program that provides pathways for students from underrepresented groups to pursue a Ph.D. in physics at the University. In the last five years, Brown has co-authored over 50 publications. He has played an integral part in securing more than $15 million in external funding over his 15-year career at ���ϲ�����.

Ritter thanked Ramesh Raina, professor and former chair of the department of biology, for serving as interim vice president for research since January 2020.

“Ramesh took on the interim leadership role just as the pandemic gripped our nation. He engineered a remarkable recovery of our research enterprise after the pandemic. As a result, this year will be one of the most productive years on record for ���ϲ�����. That’s thanks in large part to Ramesh Raina’s vision, operational prowess and careful stewardship,” says Ritter. “Additionally, he played an integral role in managing the University’s COVID response strategy. He was a key member of the public health team and was responsible for launching and maintaining our effective internal surveillance testing program. I thank him for his leadership and service.”

Ritter also credited Raina for increasing professional development for research faculty and students and effectively deploying the CUSE grant, postdoctoral scholar grant and small equipment grant programs. Raina also led the execution of the faculty hiring strategy for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years. He is co-director of the interdisciplinary major in biotechnology and a member of the core faculty of the Renée Crown University Honors Program.

Rockell Brown Burton, an experienced academic leader and accomplished researcher with a passion for cultivating impactful, mutually beneficial relationships, has been named associate dean of inclusivity, diversity, equity and accessibility at the Newhouse School. After a national search, she was chosen from a pool of more than 50 applicants.

Rockell Brown Burton

“Dr. Brown Burton brings a strong record of leadership and a passion for inclusivity, diversity and equity to the Newhouse School. Students will find her personality infectious, while her experience helps us chart a course for success in this important space,” says Newhouse Dean .

Brown Burton is a two-time HBCU graduate with nearly 20 years of experience in higher education as both a faculty member and administrator. A self-described “serial collaborator,” she says she is committed to establishing pathways and pipelines for marginalized and underrepresented groups in the academy and beyond.

“I am beyond excited and thrilled to have the opportunity to join the world renowned Newhouse School of Public Communications,” Brown Burton says. “I am ecstatic to be joining the Newhouse faculty and staff—and the entire ���ϲ����� family—to move the needle forward and ensure there is inclusion, inclusivity, connection and community at ���ϲ�����.”

Brown Burton joins Newhouse from Texas Southern University (TSU), where she has served as interim dean of the School of Communication for three years. Under her leadership, the school formed several professional partnerships, including a program established in partnership with ABC News that provided students with the opportunity to cover the Democratic debate at Texas Southern University in 2019. Other partnerships include HBCU Game Day, AT&T Regional Sports Net, the Monterrey Jazz Festival and Houston Methodist Hospital TV studios, where Burton developed internships for students from historically underrepresented and marginalized groups. As interim dean, she also established the first School of Communication Advisory Board and oversaw the launch of a student multimedia streaming operation.

“Our loss is your gain,” says Brown Burton’s colleague Arthur Murray, director of student-run multimedia station KTSU2 at TSU. “She is a personable person with the students, and while her talents will be missed, we know she will go on to do great things at your institution. She’s been a great asset here, has led this team over several things, including COVID. She is just phenomenal.”

Brown Burton also has held positions as associate professor of radio, television and film, interim chair of the Department of Speech Communication and director of graduate studies, where she led the charge to overhaul the curriculum and create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for students of color.

Brown Burton is the co-author of “Race and news: A critical perspective” (2011) and several book chapters and journal articles. She holds a Ph.D. in communication from Wayne State University, a master’s degree in human communication studies from Howard University and a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Xavier University.

Brown Burton was an AEJMC Institute for Diverse Leadership in Journalism and Communication Fellow for 2019-20 and was a nominee for the Orlando L. Taylor Distinguished Scholarship Award in Africana Communication. She was named Teacher of the Year and Stellar Communicator by the School of Communication in 2009.

“Rockell Brown Burton stood out to the committee for three notable reasons: Her experience as an academic leader, which many noted positioned her well for success, her history of student-focused initiatives and her record of scholarship that demonstrates she understands our disciplines well,” says , who has served in the IDEA role in an interim capacity and chaired the search committee. “She also received strong feedback on her teaching presentation and demonstrated a commanding demeanor and an approachable, calming presence. Given our ongoing work to create more partnerships with HBCUs, we also love that she possesses considerable ties to many of those institutions.”

Chessher also notes Brown Burton’s ability to get things done, her understanding of how universities work and her ability to engage and enlist support from a range of constituents.

Says ���ϲ����� Trustee and Newhouse Advisory Board member Howard Woolley ’80, president of Howard Woolley Group LLC: “We are looking forward to Rockell’s partnership with Dean Lodato in his efforts to diversify our faculty, student enrollment and the industry at large.”

Other members of the search committee were faculty and staff members Anne Osborne, Hua Jiang, Wes Whiteside, Ulf Osterle and Jeffery Mangram, and students Herve Magaribi Lehani, Aminata Sylla and Michael Spenser.

“The Newhouse School is committed to a diverse enrollment, faculty, staff and curriculum to prepare the next generation of communications professionals,” says Charles W. Stevens ’77, principal at Global Writers Group and a member of the Newhouse Advisory Board. “Creating this new position is just another demonstration of the school’s commitment to diversity. Leaders in journalism and other communications fields can count on Newhouse to produce graduates who reflect and share those values.”

One of the all-time Orange greats, Felisha Legette-Jack ’89 returns to her hometown with more than 30 years of coaching experience.

Felisha Legette-Jack, a 1989 graduate of ���ϲ����� and Orange All-American, is coming home. The ���ϲ����� native and 20-year collegiate head coach will take the reins of the Orange basketball program immediately.

Legette-Jack is synonymous with ���ϲ����� women’s basketball success. The 1985 BIG EAST Conference Freshman of the Year, three-time All-BIG EAST selection and ���ϲ�����’s first two-time honorable mention All-American, Legette-Jack helped lead the Orange to their first BIG EAST Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. More than 30 years later, she still ranks in the top 10 on ���ϲ�����’s career scoring and rebounding lists. She is one of three players in program history to score more than 1,500 points (1,526) and grab more than 900 rebounds (927).

“We are thrilled to have Coach Legette-Jack lead our women’s basketball program,” says Director of Athletics John Wildhack.��“She is a builder of programs, evidenced by the success she had at the University at Buffalo (UB). She is totally committed to the full development of every student-athlete and staff member who is part of her program.��On behalf of ���ϲ����� Athletics, all our alumni and fans around the globe, we welcome Coach Legette-Jack and her family back to ���ϲ����� and Central New York.”

One of the all-time Orange greats, Legette-Jack returns to her hometown with more than 30 years of coaching experience. She spent the last 10 years building the University at Buffalo’s women’s program into one of the perennial powers in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), leading the Bulls to four NCAA Tournaments, including the 2018 Sweet Sixteen. She is the all-time winningest coach in Bulls history with a 202-115 record and four MAC Tournament Championships. During her career she has guided three different Division I programs to a combined 13 winning seasons, nine postseason berths and six 20-win seasons, and has accrued a 343-279 record.

She will be formally introduced as the seventh head coach in ���ϲ����� women’s basketball history at a press conference on Monday, March 28.

“I’m coming home! These words bring me great joy,” says Legette-Jack. “I thank Chancellor Syverud and Director of Athletics John Wildhack for this amazing opportunity. It is a privilege and an honor to accept this position as your next head women’s basketball coach. The love that I have for our city, our University and our Athletics Department cannot be measured.

“My goal is simple: pursue championships in the classroom and on the basketball court. We will build our program with our C.A.B. philosophy: character, academics and basketball. We will work tirelessly to help our team understand that character will always be first, academics will be a close second and we will find the best athletes in the world to make you all proud.

“We will play with purpose, passion and pride. We will tell our story through our play. Our defense will show with intensity and purpose. Finally, we will earn the right to expand our minds and broaden our horizons together!

“We fight on—go Orange!” Legette-Jack says.

Legette-Jack led Nottingham High School to a pair of state titles before attending ���ϲ�����, where she was a standout on Coach Barbara Jacobs’ teams from 1984-89.

At ���ϲ�����, Legette-Jack earned BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honors after helping lead the Orange to their first BIG EAST Championship in school history. As a sophomore, Legette-Jack averaged a double-double (15.8 points per game and 10.1 rebounds per game) en route to honorable mention All-America honors and All-BIG EAST recognition.

The next year she earned honorable mention All-America and All-BIG EAST Second Team recognition. After missing the 1987-88 season due to a knee injury, she returned to the court to earn All-BIG EAST honors for the fourth time in 1988-89. She finished her career as the program’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, field goals made and attempted, and free throws made and attempted.

After graduating from ���ϲ����� with bachelor’s degrees in child and family studies and psychology in 1989, Legette-Jack began her coaching career at Westhill Senior High School on the city’s West Side in 1989. She made the move to the collegiate level as an assistant at Boston College (BC) from 1991-93 and never looked back.

Following her stint at BC, Legette-Jack returned home to ���ϲ����� as an assistant on Coach Marianna Freeman’s staff from 1993-2000. She left in 2000 to become an assistant coach at Michigan State for two seasons, before landing her first head coaching job at Hofstra in 2002.

In four years, Legette-Jack turned Hofstra’s program around. During her final season Hofstra was 19-12 and advanced to the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT).

Named head coach at Indiana University in 2006, Legette-Jack guided that program for six years. She led the Hoosiers to consecutive WNITs in her first three seasons, including a 20-win season and WNIT quarterfinal appearance in 2009.

In 2012, she returned to the Empire State when she was named the head coach at Buffalo. Legette-Jack put the UB program on the map during her decade in the Queen City. She led four Buffalo teams to four NCAA Tournaments, most recently this season, and developed the first WNBA draft pick in school history, Cierra Dillard, who was selected by the Minnesota Lynx in 2019. Her UB teams have had five 20-win seasons and averaged more than 19 wins a campaign during her tenure.

The 2021-22 Bulls posted a 25-9 record, including a 16-4 mark in MAC play, and were 14-1 at home. Legette-Jack developed three All-MAC honorees in Dyaisha Fair, Georgia Woolley and Summer Hemphill. Fair finished the season ranked fourth in the nation in scoring average (23.4 points per game) and Woolley also earned MAC Freshman of the Year honors.

The Bulls had their most successful season in 2017-18, posting a 29-6 record, including 12-0 at home. UB earned the first NCAA at-large bid for the MAC since 1996 and danced its way to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in school history.

Legette-Jack is enshrined in multiple halls of fame, including the Greater ���ϲ����� Sports Hall of Fame, the ���ϲ����� Urban Sports Hall of Fame and the ���ϲ����� Orange Plus Hall of Fame. She was named to the BIG EAST Silver Anniversary team in 2004 and became the first female in ���ϲ����� history to have her jersey retired last fall when her No. 33 jersey was raised to the rafters of the stadium on Nov. 14, 2021.

Born Sept. 4, 1966, in ���ϲ�����, Legette-Jack and her husband David, have one son, David Maceo, who is a graduate student on the UB men’s basketball team.

All 2022-23 season ticket renewals will be available soon. Current season ticket holders will receive an email and phone call from an account representative as soon as details are available. Fans looking to purchase new season tickets for the upcoming season can now place a $25 per seat deposit by visiting cuse.com/tickets.

LISTEN: Hear from Legette-Jack on the ’Cuse Conversations podcast, recorded in December 2021.

Holohan will be responsible for the development and implementation of learning and engagement opportunities to further integrate the museum into the academic mission of the University.�� She will also work closely with the museum’s existing team to create public programs for interaction with the collection and special collections. Holohan will also oversee outreach for regional groups, and youth and K-12 schools like the Photography and Literacy Project.

“This is a pivotal position for the museum that will help us fill our academic mission as part of ���ϲ�����. Kate’s track record at Stanford University’s Cantor Arts Center shows an impressive commitment to building relationships through campus and community outreach. I look forward to her leadership in growing our partnerships on campus and in the Central New York Community,” says Vanja Malloy, the museum’s director and chief curator.

Kate Holohan

Holohan’s most recent role at Stanford University was as interim director of academic and public programs, where she managed the museum’s academic programs. Holohan partnered with faculty for class visits and work with the collection, oversaw the student guides training program and managed several student-centered research and curatorial programs that reached over 1,000 students annually.�� Holohan also managed public programs such as curator and artist talks, symposia, hands-on art-making events and interdisciplinary conversations.

“With one of the largest collections among university-affiliated museums, the ���ϲ����� Art Museum offers deep and rich ways for faculty and students to collaborate both within and across disciplines. This position will be dedicated to forging those connections and we are thrilled to welcome Kate Holohan to ���ϲ�����,” says Gretchen Ritter, provost and chief academic officer.

Prior to her role at Stanford, Holohan was an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in the department of the arts of Africa, Oceana and the Americas at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She holds a Ph.D. in art history from New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts.

“I look forward to drawing on ���ϲ�����’s significant collection of works on paper, ceramics, and textiles to further develop my interdisciplinary teaching, research, and curatorial practice. One of the true joys of a diverse collection like ���ϲ�����’s is discovering objects that can spark exciting conversations in the classroom, in the galleries, and through public programming,” says Holohan.

Jamie Winders

Winders fills the vacancy created last June after LaVonda Reed was appointed dean of the Georgia State University College of Law. Winders has been at ���ϲ����� since 2004.

“Jamie Winders is an award-winning teacher, prolific scholar and seasoned leader who is broadly respected at ���ϲ�����,” says Ritter.�� “Her scholarship demonstrates her commitment to diversity and inclusion. Her extensive knowledge of ���ϲ����� and deep understanding of our faculty’s many roles will benefit both the University and the work of Academic Affairs.”

As associate provost, Winders will oversee all aspects of faculty recruitment, hiring and appointments, third-year reviews and promotion and tenure as well as policy oversight for faculty affairs. She will also provide leadership for faculty on-boarding, mentoring and development, including new faculty orientation and awards and recognitions. Key priorities will be enhancing faculty diversity and equity, faculty retention, and leadership development for faculty and chairs.�� She will also oversee any disciplinary processes related to faculty that fall outside of research.

“It is a great honor to serve my fellow ���ϲ����� faculty and to join Provost Ritter and her team. I’m looking forward to working with faculty across our campus and am excited about what we can accomplish together,” Winders says.

Winders has served as chair and director of undergraduate studies in the department of geography and the environment. Her University service includes serving as the faculty representative to the Board of Trustees from 2019-21. She has also chaired both the Arts and Sciences and Maxwell faculty councils. She currently serves on the Faculty Oversight Committee for the Athletics Department and previously served as chair of the research committee for the University Senate.

As a scholar, Winders is best known for her interdisciplinary engagement with timely issues, from international migration to emerging technologies. She is editor-in-chief of the International Migration Review and associate editor of Cultural Geographies. She is the founding director of the University’s , which focuses on interdisciplinary research and teaching related to the design, regulation, and societal impacts of autonomous systems. In this capacity, she works with faculty and students across campus, as well as with external stakeholders in areas from government to industry to advocacy.

Winders was a pioneer in the study of new immigrant destinations in a domestic and an international context, and her research on international migration sits at the intersection of academic engagement and policy analysis.

Her teaching and scholarship have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Meredith Teaching Recognition Award, and her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and Russell Sage, among other sources.

Winders holds a Ph.D. and a B.A. from the University of Kentucky and a master of arts from the University of British Columbia.

“This leadership team represents the breadth of the University community and has been at the heart of our work to create a campus that is welcoming to all,” says Chancellor Syverud. “I appreciate Diane, Shiu-Kai and Cerri for taking on this important work for our university. Dozens of individuals from across campus committed their time, energy and efforts to the development of the University’s first strategic plan on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. With this team in place, implementation of the goals and ideals outlined in the plan will begin and be felt throughout our community.”

The team takes over the reins of engagement and initial implementation of the DEIA Strategic Plan from former Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith A. Alford, who announced in May that he was leaving ���ϲ����� this month to become dean of the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Social Work. A formal search for Alford’s successor will begin in October with the naming of a search committee and selection of a search firm.

Murphy and Chin co-chaired the DEIA strategic planning task force which was charged with creating and guiding the development of the plan. The draft strategic plan builds upon the progress that has been made on various initiatives as outlined in regular reports on . Implementation of the plan will complement work currently underway by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Office of Academic Affairs, the Student Experience team, schools and colleges, and many other units and individuals.

Murphy will focus her leadership efforts on engagement with deans and senior administrative leaders; Chin will provide focus and leadership in the area of faculty engagement and development; and Banks will lead student engagement efforts. Together, the team will coordinate closely with the staff in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to align cross-campus efforts, particularly relating to academic affairs, student experience and staff programming. During this interim leadership period, William Myhill, interim director and ADA coordinator, will work closely with Associate Vice President and Chief Equal Opportunity and Title IX Officer Sheila Johnson-Willis to ensure the University continues to strengthen and advance its support of the disability community.

In addition to overseeing the implementation of the strategic plan, Murphy, Chin and Banks will work collaboratively with the Board of Trustees Advisory Committee on University Climate, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility, co-led by Trustees Richard Alexander and Jeffrey Scruggs. The Advisory Committee was formed shortly after a special Board committee submitted its own report earlier this year that included a comprehensive analysis and recommendations regarding policies, programs and other initiatives required to foster a sustainable approach to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility at ���ϲ�����.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors close the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives, and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

Michael Marciano

Michael Marciano, research assistant professor and director for research in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Forensic and National Security Sciences Institute (FNSSI), was recently appointed to the highly selective position by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo. His leadership roles with CFS and FNSSI will allow him to integrate the latest in forensics laboratory policy into the institute’s curriculum, strengthening its position as a premier forensics destination for students. At the same time, he and the commission will be helping shape the future of forensic lab procedures across the state.

Marciano will serve a three-year term as a member-at-large. He will work with other committee members, including Onondaga County District Attorney and FNSSI Board of Advisors member William Fitzpatrick ’74, L’76, to ensure that forensic work within state and local crime laboratories is conducted accurately, that forensic scientists completing that work are trained properly and that each lab follows standard protocols.

The CFS reviews assessment reports submitted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) National Accreditation Board (ANAB), a national agency that visits each lab to conduct on-site inspections. Based on the data from those reports, CFS monitors each laboratory’s compliance with accreditation requirements and also ensures that each lab found not in compliance remediates any issues. Marciano will play a key role in assuring the credibility of forensic laboratory evidence being used to solve criminal cases throughout the state.

Marciano brings to the commission a research background in applied molecular biology and genetics with an emphasis on genetic identity, computational methods to interpret complex genetic data, and DNA-based geolocation, which links crime scene evidence to geographical locations. He was previously employed as a forensic DNA analyst at the Onondaga County Center for Forensic Sciences. Marciano later joined SRC Inc., a nonprofit defense contractor, where he focused on research and development of DNA-based applications for tagging, tracking and locating targets. He currently teaches forensic DNA analysis and forensic analysis of biological evidence in FNSSI.

While Marciano is the first at-large ���ϲ����� faculty member to join the committee, FNSSI director Kathleen Corrado previously served on the CFS from 2003 to 2006 and 2009 to 2015 while director of laboratories for the Onondaga Center for Forensic Sciences Laboratories and Chair of the New York State Crime Laboratory Advisory Committee (NYCLAC). She says Marciano’s CFS appointment is a testament to his qualifications as a forensic scientist and reputation in the field.

“This is a tremendous benefit to students in the institute because Mike is going to be involved in setting policies for forensics,” says Corrado. “He will be learning about new accreditation requirements and be at the forefront of new directions in the field of forensics, while implementing them into the FNSSI academic program.”

In addition to his role with CFS, Marciano is also a member of numerous state and national forensic committees including: the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) – Human Forensic Biology Subcommittee; American Association of Forensic Sciences; Northeastern Association of Forensic Sciences; and the Council of Forensic Science Educators.

James Haywood Rolling Jr.

., a dual professor of arts education and teaching and leadership in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) and School of Education, has been appointed to the board of trustees of the in ���ϲ�����.

Rolling is one of seven new 2021 appointees who will join a group of 22 continuing trustees who have successfully steered the Everson Museum through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are thrilled to add this impressive group of individuals to our leadership team, especially as we prepare for yet another tricky year,” says Everson Director Elizabeth Dunbar. “The class of 2021 is stepping up to serve at a critical time in the history of our nation, city and organization, and I know they are committed to furthering the Everson’s mission and values. I look forward to learning and working together.”

“I look forward to working with new colleagues as committed as I am to the arts as an avenue for individual empowerment and social uplift not just for some, but for all,” says Rolling.

Rolling has served as chair of the University’s arts education programs since 2007 and is also an affiliated faculty member in African American Studies. From 2018 to 2020 he served as VPA’s inaugural director of diversity, equity and inclusion. This year he will begin his term as the 37th president of the National Art Education Association.

Nationally, Rolling champions the cause of achieving greater diversity throughout the visual arts fields and is devoted to telling the story of how human beings creatively constitute, shape and reinterpret personal and collective identity.

Catherine Gerard

After serving as its director or co-director since 2005, Catherine Gerard has stepped down from her leadership role at the Maxwell School’s renowned Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC), effective July 1, 2020. Gerard will continue as an adjunct professor of public administration and associate director for the Executive Education Programs at Maxwell, and also continue her work as co-director of the Collaborative Governance Initiative at PARCC.

PARCC is a multi-faceted, interdisciplinary research center that advances theory, practice, and education in the fields of conflict and collaboration. Founded in 1986 by Louis Kriesberg, Maxwell Professor Emeritus of Social Conflict Studies, PARCC was among the first centers of its kind and remains among the most influential. PARCC is known for its breakthrough work in conflict transformation and identity conflicts in the international arena, as well as research in collaborative governance, environmental conflict, and advocacy and social movements.

Under Gerard’s leadership, PARCC expanded its global footprint and significantly grew its research, teaching and training portfolio, particularly in the area of online education. It launched the Collaborative Governance Initiative to conduct research and training programs on public management and changed the name of the center—from the Program for the Analysis and Resolution of Conflicts—to better reflect the new focus. It established E-PARCC, the first online collection of peer-reviewed cases and simulations for the teaching of collaborative governance and collaborative development. It expanded its to include online and hybrid options, making it more accessible to a wider number of students. Gerard helped develop PARCC’s visiting fellows program, with particular focus on Chinese scholars engaged in collaborative work, and expanded PARCC’s international impact through practice and research grants in Central America, Africa, and the Middle East.

Importantly, Gerard’s efforts resulted in three edited volumes of interdisciplinary scholarship on the frontiers of conflict, the relationship between conflict and collaboration, and new approaches to transforming intractable conflicts. She is co-editor of��“Overcoming Intractable Conflicts: New Approaches to Constructive Transformations” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) and co-author of “Understanding the Link Between Collaboration and Better or Worse Relations: The View from Public Administration,” in��“Conflict and Collaboration: For Better or Worse”��(Routledge, 2018), of which she is a co-editor.

“Catherine personifies the Maxwell spirit of connecting interdisciplinary scholarship to public service skills and capabilities; and through her leadership, PARCC’s reach and reputation as a top research center has expanded in myriad ways and left indelible marks on the intellectual landscape of the conflict and collaboration community,” says David M. Van Slyke, dean of the Maxwell School. “A consummate citizen and professional, Catherine is always willing to lean in, listen, and support others through her engagement and commitment to the school and University. I am grateful to Catherine for her service and am pleased that she will remain an active partner in helping the School achieve its mission.”

New PARCC Director Named

Tina Nabatchi

Succeeding Catherine Gerard as PARCC’s new director is Tina Nabatchi, a longtime PARCC associate who also co-directs PARCC’s Collaborative Governance Initiative with Gerard.

Nabatchi, who joined the Maxwell School in 2007, is the Joseph A. Strasser Endowed Professor in Public Administration and a member of the faculty of Public Administration and International Affairs. She previously had been research coordinator for the Indiana Conflict Resolution Institute at Indiana University-Bloomington, where she consulted on alternative dispute resolution in several U.S. federal agencies. Her current research centers on collaborative governance and public engagement. Among many other projects, she worked on the federal government’s Open Government National Action Plans and a World Bank online course about citizen engagement (delivered to tens of thousands of participants around the world). She also has extensive scholarly involvement in Participedia, an online repository of democratic and participatory innovations around the world.

Nabatchi is a well-regarded researcher and an elected fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration—one of the highest indicators of esteem in her field. She is co-author of “Collaborative Governance Regimes,” with Kirk Emerson (Georgetown University Press, 2015), which won the 2017 Sharon M. Pickett Award from the Association for Conflict Resolution. She is also lead editor of “Democracy in Motion: Evaluating the Practice and Impact of Deliberative Civic Engagement” (Oxford University Press, 2012) and co-author of “Public Participation for 21st Century Democracy,” with Matt Leighninger (Jossey-Bass, 2015). She is the author of several award-winning articles, including ones on citizenship and collaborative governance that won the 2010 Best Article Award from American Review of Public Administration and the 2015 best article award from Public Performance and Management Review. Her article on stakeholder and citizen participation in the work of government was named one of the 75 most influential articles in the history of Public Administration Review.

David M. Van Slyke

As the first academic scholar appointed to the Defense Business Board, Maxwell Dean David M. Van Slyke joins a select group of business executives appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Defense to help make the department stronger and more efficient.

From February-May 2020, Van Slyke was also part of a four-person task force engaged in a comprehensive study of the management structure of the Department of Defense. Their independent assessment of the effectiveness of the Chief Management Office position��and recommendations��can be viewed on the��.

Congratulations, Dean Van Slyke, on this prestigious appointment. First, please tell us: what is the Defense Business Board (DBB) and who are its members?

The DBB was created in 2001 to provide an outside, independent perspective on business management practices to the U.S. Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Traditionally, all of the people on the board have been CEOs. All or many have had varied experiences in the private sector—from budgeting, finance and investment banking, to construction and real estate, to supply chain management, to aviation and aerospace. None are paid for their service.

As dean of both a policy school and a college of social science, I’m similarly in charge of an operation of considerable size and complexity, managing people, resources and budgets. My research is in public sector contracting and public-private partnerships, with applications to defense policy but not exclusively. So, when it comes to our nation’s military and defense policy positions, I’m not anchored to a particular type of thinking or tied to a specific agenda. I come to the table asking, “Help me understand the original assumptions here. What was the policy goal for this interaction or intervention?”

As you mentioned, your expertise is not primarily as a specialist in defense policy but rather management and policy implementation, so what inspires your volunteer service on the DBB—on top of your very busy job as dean and professor?

I’m inspired to serve the public good like so many Maxwell deans before me. And, I’m inspired by the opportunity to improve my research and teaching like all Maxwell professors.

With an annual budget of $741 billion, the Department of Defense is the single largest federal agency. Most people don’t realize its scale, scope and complexity. Supporting our military is one of the biggest global supply chain and logistics management systems in the world. The department’s different activities have to do with everything from providing health care, to a commissary system that is larger than most national grocery chains, to operating one of the largest information security networks in the world.

However, global threats and challenges have changed so significantly that securing our interests at home and abroad will require sustained business process transformation. You can just imagine the challenge of moving an agency this big and complex, with locations all over the world. As a researcher and professor at the intersection of business-government policy, I can think of no place for me to have a broader impact within our federal government.

How do you see this work benefiting your students?

Within the Department of Defense alone, there are 64,000 military personnel, 201,000 civilians and 637,000 private contractors. Let that sink in for a minute. Then add in the 1.3 million active duty uniformed military and 800,000 reserve forces service members and you have the largest military in the world.

As a professor of public administration, my goal is to educate and prepare public service leaders of the future who can manage people, programs, budgets and data under conditions of uncertainty, complexity, and risk. My goal, and the goal of all those in and with a commitment to public service, is to develop the specialized skills and knowledge to help government run better and achieve its missions more effectively. Increasingly that means knowing how to partner effectively with the private sector.

But you can’t just run government like a business. Workforce incentives are different. Funding considerations are different. Measures of success are different. So, having the opportunity to study, deliberate and formulate best business practices for running the largest government agency in the world with a group of talented CEOs and committed public servants will also advance my own thinking and the expertise I bring to my students in the classroom. And, it will be an opportunity to share with the Department of Defense the incredible faculty, staff, and alumni experts that are part of the Maxwell School. Our mission is strengthening citizenship and public affairs, and we have a great deal that we can contribute to the public good.

Mark J. Lodato

Interim Vice Chancellor and Provost Zhanjiang “John” Liu today announced the selection of Mark J. Lodato as dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Lodato comes to ���ϲ����� from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, where he currently serves as associate dean. Lodato’s appointment, which was approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, is effective July 1, 2020.

“We are fortunate to have found such an experienced, innovative and highly sought-after leader to build on past successes and propel the Newhouse School into the next decade to even greater distinction,” Liu says. “From curriculum design to enrollment and fiscal management, to alumni engagement and strategic planning, Mark brings with him an impressive depth of knowledge—in the field and in the classroom—and a track record of significant achievements. Together with its extraordinary faculty and staff, the Newhouse School is poised for continued growth and excellence.”

As dean of the Newhouse School, Lodato will report to Liu, and be part of the Academic Deans’ Cabinet and the Chancellor’s Council. He will be responsible for ensuring an innovative and relevant curriculum, managing fiscal resources, and attracting and retaining talented and exceptional faculty and students, ensuring that the school remains a leader among communications educators nationwide and an advocate for the importance of journalism.

Lodato says joining the Newhouse School as its next leader is an extraordinary professional privilege. “The Newhouse School is a global leader in communication, with a rich history of excellence stretching back more than 100 years,” Lodato says. “I am humbled to follow in the footsteps of such innovative leaders as Lorraine Branham and David Rubin. With guidance and support from a world-class faculty and an unrivaled alumni community, Newhouse students have the scholarship, training and tools to achieve great success in the years ahead.”

During Lodato’s tenure at ASU, enrollment and revenue increased significantly at the Cronkite School, and he received ASU President Michael Crow’s Faculty Achievement Award for Excellence in Curricular Innovation. He helped to establish partnerships between the school and such major media outlets as NBC News, CBS News, ABC News, Univision, Fox Sports Arizona, Pac-12 Networks, E.W. Scripps Co., TEGNA and Meredith Corporation.

At the Cronkite School, Lodato taught foundational courses in the principles and history of journalism, and advanced levels of television reporting and newscast production. He co-authored a definitive textbook, “News Now: Visual Storytelling in the Digital Age,” used at more than 30 universities around the world.

Lodato’s career in broadcast journalism preceded his academic career, working at network affiliates in Phoenix, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Ft. Myers, Florida, as an investigative reporter, political correspondent and anchor. He received an undergraduate journalism degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a master of education in higher and post-secondary education at Arizona State University, also completing the Scripps Howard Academic Leadership Academy.

As Lodato prepares to join the Newhouse School, Liu expressed gratitude to the search committee and its co-chairs, Craig Boise, the dean of the College of Law, and John Wildhack, director of ���ϲ����� Athletics, for their leadership and hard work that led to the successful conclusion of the search. Liu also extends his deep appreciation to Amy Falkner, who has served as interim dean since April 2019 and acting dean since August 2018. Falkner took on significant responsibilities, providing strong and steady leadership after former Dean Lorraine Branham fell ill, and later following her untimely passing.

“Amy has led the Newhouse School with tremendous vision and fortitude,” says Liu. “She is trusted by her colleagues, respected by her peers across the industry and admired by Newhouse students. I appreciate her exceptional leadership and dedicated partnership and offer my deepest appreciation for how she has guided the Newhouse community during an extended period of transition.”

Nick Armstrong and Rosy Maury

Nick Armstrong G’08, G’14 (Ph.D.), senior director for research and analytics at the University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), and Rosy Maury, IVMF director of applied research and analytics, have each been appointed to leading advisory committees dedicated to advancing opportunities and services for veterans. The appointments highlight the success and importance of the IVMF’s research initiatives and commitment to the military community.

Armstrong was named to Pennsylvania’s State Advisory Committee on the Coordination of Veterans Services. As part of the committee, he will review and analyze laws, regulations and policies affecting the coordination of veteran services between federal, state and local entities.

Maury was selected to join an advisory committee with the National Science Foundation. The committee’s efforts will be focused on creating recommendations for policy makers to expand opportunities for women veterans pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Among the group’s charge is hosting a national convening on engaging and retaining women veterans in the STEM Workforce. The conference, “NSF INCLUDES,” will be commence in spring 2021.

“We are proud to see Rosy and Nick appointed to significant leadership roles that align with our mission,” says Maureen Casey, IVMF COO. “Both posts are great opportunities for the University to contribute in a meaningful way to work that advances the post service lives of military families.”

A West Point undergraduate, ���ϲ����� master’s and doctoral graduate and U.S. Army veteran, Armstrong leads IVMF’s research and analytics team that supports global service delivery to 25,000-plus military-connected individuals annually. He also manages the institute’s broad portfolio of externally sponsored social and policy research, program evaluations and data-sharing efforts. He is recognized as a leading voice in academic and media publications.

Maury works on a diverse research portfolio that reflects the range of social, economic and wellness challenges that may affect transitioning service members, veterans, or their families. Her work has been featured in numerous publications and has been presented at various professional conferences. Maury holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Sarah Workman

The College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and the University’s reaffirm their commitment to faculty research with the joint appointment of Sarah Workman as assistant director of proposal development for the humanities.

In the college, Workman will elevate research achievement and recognition by helping faculty identify funding sources for their work. She also will assist them with writing grants and other proposals and with coordinating nominations for honorary awards.

As part of her appointment in the Office of Research, Workman will develop broader grant proposals across multiple colleges that connect with the humanities.

“Sarah will support the college’s strategic goals by positioning faculty for continued research success and recognition,” says Alan Middleton, associate dean of research and scholarship in A&S. “Drawing on her background as a researcher, educator and administrator, she will help them expand their ability to carry out scholarly work, promoting a culture of research on campus.”

Christina Leigh Docteur G’03, G’11, director of proposal support services in the Office of Research, says Workman brings a “uniquely honed skill-set” to humanistic inquiry. “Sarah is well-positioned to not only support humanities departments and programs, but also provide talent and insight to further integrate humanistic perspectives within a wide range of interdisciplinary research efforts across campus,” she adds.

Workman comes to A&S from Georgetown University, where she was a learning design specialist in the Center for New Designs in Learning & Scholarship (CNDLS). Among her accomplishments was overseeing a multi-year faculty-staff cohort that explored best practices for online teaching and hybrid learning. She also designed and taught courses for the writing and Jewish civilization programs.

Before joining CNDLS in 2016, Workman developed and taught first-year writing and literature courses at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she also earned a Ph.D. in English.

Workman is the recipient of many honors and awards, including a 2016 dissertation fellowship from the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill. Her research into women’s literature was anthologized in “A Quest of Her Own: Essays on the Female Hero in Modern Fantasy” (McFarland & Company, 2014).

Fluent in Spanish and proficient in Hebrew, Workman also has worked at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., the Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace in Jerusalem (Israel), and Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland.

She earned a master’s degree in English from Georgetown and a bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish from Cornell University.

Deka Dancil

The Dean of Students Office in the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience has welcomed Deka Dancil ’14 as the manager of bias response and education, a new position created with support from the to advance the academic and student experience. Dancil began her role on Monday, June 10.

In this role, Dancil will support the University’s efforts to educate the campus community and respond to issues related to bias. She will be an integral part of coordinating and marketing the , providing bias trainings and educational programs, and collaborating with individuals and groups across campus, including the chief diversity officer, cultural centers and student organizations.

Dancil will also lead a new peer education team consisting of current undergraduate students that will facilitate trainings and programs to help better educate the entire University community regarding conscious and unconscious bias.

“As we work to provide an unsurpassed student experience and address conscious and unconscious bias at ���ϲ�����, Deka will be an essential resource and asset,” says Marianne Thomson, associate vice president and dean of students. “Her proven track record in serving and educating communities will not only help expand the STOP Bias program’s reach, it will also help foster cross-campus collaboration that bolsters the entire University’s diversity and inclusion efforts.”

Dancil earned a bachelor’s degree in policy studies from the College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and started her professional career serving as the program assistant for the ���ϲ����� Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP). She returns to the University from the Boys & Girls Clubs of ���ϲ����� where she served as the director of teen programs since 2018. As the director of teen programs, Dancil oversaw the daily operation of the Shonnard Street teen center, administered professional development trainings and collaborated with other service agencies to provide community services, programs and events. Prior to her role as director of teen programs, Dancil served as the Boys & Girls Clubs of ���ϲ����� lead health educator.

“I am extremely humbled,” says Dancil. “I could not be more proud to be returning to my alma mater as part of the culture shift emerging on campus.”

A strong community advocate, she serves as president of the Urban Jobs Task Force, youth chair for the ���ϲ����� Chapter of the National Action Network and a core trainer for Rise Up for Social Action. Dancil was also a recipient of the 2019 YWCA of ���ϲ����� and Onondaga Champion of Diversity award.

David Seaman

Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost Michele Wheatly today announced that the search for the next dean of the School of Information Studies (iSchool) has been extended. In addition, Wheatly announced the appointment of Dean of Libraries and University Librarian David Seaman, to the interim position of iSchool dean. Seaman will take on the additional responsibilities upon the retirement of longtime iSchool Dean Liz Liddy later this month.

“David is uniquely qualified to serve both the libraries and the iSchool at this critical time,” says Wheatly. “He has been chairing the Dean Search Committee for the iSchool since last November and is fully aware of the qualities needed in its next leader. David’s breadth of experience in a collaborative academic environment, his work ethic and willingness to step up and step into an additional role are just what the iSchool needs right now as it transitions to new leadership.”

Seaman will step down as chair of the search committee while it continues its work into the next academic year. Wheatly will announce a new search committee chair in the coming weeks. Additionally, Wheatly says she expects many of the current search committee members will continue serving on the committee.

One of ���ϲ�����’s most prestigious colleges, the iSchool is nationally recognized for innovative programs in information policy, information behavior, information management, information systems, information technology, information services, data analytics and enterprise data systems. Reporting to the provost, the iSchool dean collaborates with the 12 deans of the University’s other schools and colleges and oversees 50 tenure-track faculty members, professors of practice and teaching faculty, along with about 50 staff.

“The iSchool is at the forefront of transformative change in the digital age,” says Seaman.�� “The next Dean must be the kind of leader who can shepherd the school during a time when its disciplines are in increasingly high demand by undergraduate, professional and graduate students. I am honored to serve in an interim capacity and to work with deans and faculty across the campus to advance the research agenda and ensure academic excellence at the iSchool.”

Seaman was appointed University librarian and dean of the ���ϲ����� Libraries in June 2015, after nearly a decade at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. He was also previously executive director of the Digital Library Federation in Washington, D.C., a consortium of 40 major academic libraries and organizations dedicated to using digital standards and technologies to extend their collections and services.

Wheatly notes that Seaman’s leadership of the libraries has involved building collaborative relationships and strong academic and scholarly connections between the University’s libraries and its schools and colleges. “Our libraries and the iSchool are tremendous resources for the entire ���ϲ����� community. David has led a skilled library staff in delivering the services necessary to drive 21st-century research, teaching and learning, and to provide innovative spaces for study, collaboration and innovation.”

Consistently ranked among the top five programs of its kind in the country by��U.S. News & World Report, the iSchool offers degree programs at the undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels; master’s programs are available both on campus and online.

Utibe Offiong

The Division of Business, Finance and Administrative Services announces the appointment of Utibe Offiong to the role of university audit executive. Reporting to the senior vice president and chief financial officer and to the University Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees, the audit executive provides guidance to Ernst & Young, the University’s co-sourced internal audit partner.

In her new role, Offiong will be responsible for developing and overseeing an effective internal audit program for the University. She will evaluate and improve the overall effectiveness of the University’s risk management and controls process, and will advise senior management and the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees on the adequacy and effectiveness of the University’s systems and controls. Offiong will additionally assess compliance with and adherence to University policies and procedures and applicable laws and regulations.

“Utibe’s vision, skills and past experience have prepared her well to serve in this essential role,” says Amir Rahnamay-Azar, senior vice president and chief financial officer. “She has over 25 years of service as a chief audit executive in higher education, and I know she will be a valuable addition to the University.”

In the near term, Offiong will be tasked with managing and fostering strong collaborative relationships across the University. Internal audit serves a variety of University units, including operations, academic, research and service. As such, she will meet with a broad cross-section of members of the senior administration early on in her time at ���ϲ����� as she establishes relationships with key campus stakeholders.

As the University’s executive for internal audit, Offiong will additionally be responsible for developing and overseeing an annual internal audit plan aimed at: 1) systemically assessing internal controls in the University and its corresponding units, and 2) mitigating risks through audits and recommendations of best practices.

Offiong comes to ���ϲ����� from Brown University, where she has served as chief university auditor since 2008. At Brown, she was responsible for directing the overall vision for the internal audit function and aligning its initiatives with the risk profile and strategic goals of the organization. Prior to her time at Brown, she held the role of director of internal audit at Northeastern University for 14 years. She also has previous experience with KPMG, one of the “Big Four” accounting firms.

Offiong earned an MBA in business administration from Northeastern University, and holds a B.S. in business administration from the same university. Over the course of her career, Offiong has gained a number of certifications, including certified internal auditor, certified internal controls auditor and certified in risk management assurance.

“I am excited to leverage my extensive higher education experience and collaborative work style to assist ���ϲ����� in reaching its next level of excellence through audit and related programs,” Offiong says.

“Amy is highly regarded among Newhouse faculty, staff and students,” says Wheatly. “She has significant professional, research and academic credentials, and I am certain she will be an excellent guide for the school and its community. I look forward to working with her during this time of transition.”

During her time as acting dean, Falkner shepherded two significant curricular votes that changed Newhouse’s foundational courses for all majors and expanded the number of Newhouse credits for each major; led the school’s strategic planning process; and facilitated discussions with Newhouse faculty on Universitywide initiatives, such as shared competencies, the first-year experience and changes to the academic calendar.

“Dean Branham created a remarkable legacy at the Newhouse School and her impact will carry forward; her loss is deeply felt by all. In this interim period, I am proud to follow her leadership, and will continue to support her goals and the work of our faculty and students who are bound for success,” Falkner says.

Falkner served as associate dean for academic affairs starting in 2006, and has been the senior associate dean for the last seven years. Falkner’s portfolio included oversight of course planning and scheduling, curriculum development, including the design of the school’s online digital communications master’s program, and finalizing steps in the merger of the school’s Newspaper and Magazine departments into the Magazine, News and Digital Department.

Noted for her work in the classroom, Falkner is a two-time winner of the student-chosen Newhouse Teaching Excellence Award; she was the first person in the school’s history to be honored with the award twice. She was also honored with the Meredith Teaching Recognition Award. Her primary teaching area is in media planning.

In 2006 and 2009, Falkner was selected to participate in the Scripps Howard Academic Leadership Academy, a group of mass communication professionals and scholars picked from a nationwide pool to learn strategies and insights for leading mass communication programs in the 21st century.

Falkner is an active member of the Association of Educators of Journalism and Mass Communication, including serving two terms on the Standing Committee for Teaching and presenting on various topics at its annual conferences. Her research interests are in the purchasing behaviors and media usage of LGBT consumers. Falkner’s survey results have been used to inform Fortune 500 advertisers of the complexities of this market.

Before entering higher education, Falkner worked for 10 years in the newspaper industry in both editorial and advertising. During her newspaper career, she was named to PRESSTIME magazine’s “20 Under 40” list, which honors young professionals in the newspaper business.

After earning her master’s degree from the Newhouse School, Falkner was a fellow at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York state, with a global footprint and nearly 150 years of history, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience, as well as innovative online learning environments. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths. At ���ϲ�����, we offer a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges and 18 online degree programs. We have more than 15,000 undergraduates and 7,500 graduate students, more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Peter Zaehringer

Zaehringer is an economic and business development professional with over 20 years of national and international experience. Most recently, he served as vice president of economic development with the in Green Bay, Wisconsin. There, Peter brought together more than 300 regional stakeholders to develop the region’s first comprehensive economic development strategy focused on innovation, retention and attraction of businesses and talent. His efforts were instrumental in attracting —a globally competitive innovation destination and partnership between the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft. Zaehringer also directed the Advance Business Development Center, a business and manufacturing incubator.

“I am delighted that we have been able to attract Peter to ���ϲ����� from Green Bay, where his accomplishments in the area of economic development were truly impressive,” says Pramod K. Varshney, director of CASE and distinguished professor of electrical engineering and computer science. “I believe that his skill set is ideal for this position, and I expect that he will be instrumental in taking CASE to a new level.”

CASE is an Empire State Development Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) Center for Advanced Technology. The center helps companies identify faculty collaborators and establish joint university-industry research projects; cultivate ongoing relationships with industry partners, co-op companies and corporate prospects; network with other high-tech businesses; and engage with local and state government and economic development entities.

CASE has operated on the ���ϲ����� campus since 1984, bringing together traditional academic strengths in research and education to promote strong university-industry interaction and generate positive economic impact across New York State and beyond. It currently works with over 60 companies, leveraging nearly one million dollars in annual state investment with well over the required $1.25 million matching funds from industry. The center’s total economic impact, as measured by the state over the last 20 years has been over $500 million, growing businesses and bringing new revenues, jobs and investment to New York State.

“Peter rose to the top of a rich pool of candidates in a national search because of his significant experience in economic development, his passion for facilitating university-industry partnerships, and his leadership skills in making good things happen,” says John Liu,the University’s vice president for research. “Given historical successes of CASE, it is exciting to expect that Peter will contribute to an even brighter future for CASE.”

Zaehringer says, “I am truly excited to join Dr. Varshney, the team at CASE and, of course, the ���ϲ����� family. CASE has a longstanding tradition of recognized innovation, and I look forward to propelling our research, programs and partnerships to bring greater opportunities to faculty, students and industry partners.”

Dawit Negussey

Negussey is a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University and currently leads ���ϲ�����’s GEM Fellowship Program and participation in The National GEM Consortium. The National GEM Consortium facilitates fellowships and industry internships to qualified underrepresented students looking to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in applied science and engineering at GEM member institutions like ���ϲ�����. Negussey will continue to oversee the University’s GEM Fellowship Program in his new role.

“The Graduate School is committed to enhancing our success in recruiting under-represented students to our graduate programs and to creating an inclusive environment for all members of our community,” says Vanable. “Dawit is a long-time advocate for improving diversity and inclusion in our graduate programs and is poised to make a big impact through this new role. I look forward to seeing all that we will accomplish under his leadership.”

As the Dean’s Faculty Fellow for Diversity and Inclusion, Negussey will undertake the following:

• Work to strengthen the Graduate School’s success in recruiting students from diverse backgrounds;
• Provide tangible support to current underrepresented graduate students;
• Identify and administer graduate��fellowship and related funding initiatives to support recruitment and retention of underrepresented graduate students; and
• Conduct trainings and outreach to departments within ���ϲ�����’s schools and colleges to support their graduate diversity and inclusion work.

“This is a meaningful opportunity to create positive change on our campus,” says Negussey. “I look forward to working closely with Peter Vanable and leaders within the schools and colleges to make a real difference to our graduate programs’ culture of diversity, inclusion and equity.”

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, ���Ի���, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Kara Primrose

Primrose has worked for the Whitman School’s Career Services department since 2008 where she has provided student career counseling and professional development support for graduate and undergraduate students, as well as cultivated corporate relationships to support full-time and internship placement for students. Most recently, she served as interim director.

Prior to joining the Whitman Career Center, Primrose spent more than a decade working in admissions at Hobart and William Smith Colleges where she had direct impact on increasing the quality and quantity of student enrollment. She also had the lead role in creating and implementing all admissions visitation and scholarship programs.

Primrose, a resident of Baldwinsville, New York, holds a bachelor of arts degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. She is a certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) practitioner and a member of the MBA Career Services and Employer Alliance (MBACSEA) and the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Ken Frieden and Gwendolyn Pough

The College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) has announced the consecutive appointments of two highly regarded and esteemed faculty members to the title of William P. Tolley Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities. Ken Frieden will hold the appointment for the 2018-2020 term while fellow A&S colleague Gwendolyn Pough will step into the two-year professorship beginning in 2020.

“The selections of professors Frieden and Pough to represent the highest levels of teaching in the humanities truly speaks to both their commitment to educational excellence, innovative research, and discovery,” says Karin Ruhlandt, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “The importance of robust scholarship in the humanities cannot be understated when it comes to preparing students to live in a world of diverse languages, histories and cultures.”

, professor of Religion, English, and Languages, Literatures and Linguistics (LLL), is a renowned expert in the study of European and American Judaic literature. Most recently, his research has focused on the cultural impact of Yiddish and Hebrew narratives through the lens of emerging modern literature and travel narratives in the eighteenth century. His latest book, “Travels in Translation: Sea Tales at the Source of Jewish Fiction” (���ϲ����� Press, 2016), was the recipient of the Faculty Outstanding Research Achievement Award in the department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics this past year. Additionally, Frieden has served as the B.G. Rudolph Professor of Judaic Studies at ���ϲ����� since his arrival on campus in 1993.

As a launch to the academic year, Frieden plans to use the professorship initially to bring in a series of speakers that fit the theme of TRAVEL/TRANSLATION/NARRATIVE, inspired in part by his recent book. Frieden also has his sights on programing that might bolster mentoring relationships between younger and more seasoned faculty members throughout the college.

“I am delighted and honored to be chosen as a William P. Tolley Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities,” says Frieden. “I am looking forward to meeting the challenge of scheduling events that will be stimulating for professors at every academic level in every area of the humanities and beyond.”

will succeed Frieden, taking the helm of the Tolley Professorship in 2020. Pough is currently professor and chair of the Women’s and Gender Studies Department and Dean’s Professor of the Humanities. A renowned scholar of hip-hop studies, black feminism and black popular culture, she envisions using the Tolley Professorship platform to help faculty become more cognizant of the challenges involved in teaching in the age of social media; and how that impacts classrooms dealing with issues of diversity, inclusion, social justice and activism.

“People may not know that I am a bit of a pedagogy geek. I love to talk about, think about and theorize about teaching. And it is the one thing that we as professors do not get to do a lot of because we are often too busy teaching and doing our scholarly work,” explains Pough, who arrived at ���ϲ����� in 2004. “To be selected to help shape a conversation about teaching and best practices in the humanities classroom, and to join this group of distinguished SU professors is an honor. To be the first black woman to hold this position is also an honor.”

Pough’s research positions at the apex of feminist theory, African American rhetoric, women’s studies and hip-hop culture—and has published extensively in these areas. In addition to her scholarly accolades, she has been repeatedly recognized for her outstanding teaching skills and ability to create learning environments in which students are fully engaged while building critical thinking skills. Equally celebrated is her willingness and adroitness in mentoring junior faculty members as they navigate academic spaces through the early stages of their university careers.

As the ���ϲ����� community turns the page on a fresh academic year, Frieden and Pough have already begun discussions of a possible collaboration within the span of the Tolley appointments—by way of exploring how issues of diversity, inclusion, race, ethnicity and social justice play vital roles in the study of the humanities.

“Professors Pough and Frieden exemplify the central objectives of a liberal arts education by their substantial contributions to humanities scholarship at ���ϲ�����,” says Gerald Greenberg, senior associate dean for academic affairs; humanities; curriculum, instruction, and programs. “I am looking forward to the advancements they will help lead for our faculty, staff and students in the college.”

The Tolley Professorship was established in 1995 to support the enhancement of pedagogical experience at ���ϲ����� and to maximize effectiveness in the classroom. Underwritten by private donors and the National Endowment for the Humanities, the professorship has benefited hundreds of tenured and nontenured faculty members. The two-year appointment was named to honor Chancellor Emeritus William P. Tolley, who served as Chancellor of ���ϲ����� from 1942 until 1969.

In her new role, Campbell will work collaboratively with University leadership and Human Resources to create and implement strategies to further foster a culture of inclusion. She will provide advice, counseling and conflict resolution services to employees in matters relating to a range of employee relations issues; investigate complaints of discrimination and bias; conduct internal audits of the University’s recruitment and other employment practices; and serve as a liaison with compliance agencies.

Campbell will also pay a strategic role in the development and implementation of the University’s Affirmative Action Plans and Vets 4212 (a federal reporting mandate regarding the hiring of veterans), as well as in the implementation of individual administrative and academic units diversity plans.

“We are pleased to welcome Alyssa to ���ϲ����� and the Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services. She brings tremendous knowledge and experience to the role that is so critical in ensuring fairness and inclusiveness on our campus,” says Sheila Johnson, associate vice president and chief Equal Opportunity and Title IX officer. “Alyssa is another recent addition to our staff that has been developed to work with our partners and employees across campus that will encourage and sustain the University as a welcoming place to work.”

Campbell, who earned a J.D. degree in 2014 from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, counseled private and public sector employers on a variety of labor and employment law claims at Bond, Schoeneck, & King. Her work took her in front of both state and federal courts and various administrative agencies, including the EEOC, New York State Division of Human Rights, PERB, the NLRB and federal and state departments of labor. She also handled cases involving colleges and universities and matters of ADA and 504 compliance accommodations.

“I am so pleased to be working as part of the team with the Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services,” Campbell says. “They are doing important work in elevating inclusion and respect across campus and throughout the University’s workforce, and I believe I can help make a difference in furthering their mission.”

Prior to her time at Bond, Schoeneck, & King, Campbell was a legal intern at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington, D.C., and at the New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice. She also served as a judicial intern with the Hon. David N. Hurd, United States District Court, Northern District of New York.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Rachel DuBois

DuBois has been an academic advisor for the Undergraduate Program at the Whitman School for more than four years. Before coming to Whitman she spent time working with student-athletes for the ���ϲ����� Athletic Department, based in the Stevenson Educational Center.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rachel to this role where she can continue her passion for helping students,” says Lindsay Quilty, assistant dean for undergraduate programs.��“Rachel brings a wealth of knowledge about the Whitman School’s academic programs and will help us pursue our goal of recruiting a first-year class of diverse, engaged and academically driven students.”

She completed a B.S. in finance from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and an M.S. in higher education from ���ϲ�����. She resides in Manlius, New York, with her husband and two children.

Simona Rosu

Rosu, who earned a Ph.D. in genetics from Stanford University and a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will be responsible for building professional and career development opportunities for��STEM��doctoral students as well as for ���ϲ�����’s population of postdoctoral scholars.

“Simona will be a tremendous asset to the University’s efforts to further enhance institutional support for our graduate scholars,” says Vanable. “Her extensive science background and ability to connect with students and postdocs in a variety of settings will be crucial as we continue to expand our support for graduate students and postdocs across many disciplines.”

Rosu comes to ���ϲ����� from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she served as a postdoctoral fellow. She has pursued research in the areas of molecular, cell and developmental biology, with a focus on DNA repair, chromosome dynamics ���Ի���stem��cells. She has also been involved in a variety of teaching, mentoring, outreach and service activities, including developing and teaching an introductory genetics course at the NIH, creating and presenting an outreach workshop for the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, and mentoring summer students in the lab.

During her time at the NIH, she was a member of the Fellows Committee and worked with the Office of Intramural Training and Education and the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences. In those capacities, she provided input and helped plan programs related to postdoctoral fellows training, education and professional development.

She came to the NIH from Stanford University, where she served as a community associate and worked with the Graduate Life Office to organize orientation and community events in addition to pursuing her doctoral and postdoctoral research.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Erika Wilkens

Wilkens fills a role that was reimagined after Margaret Himley stepped down in September 2017 from her role as associate provost for international education and engagement to return to teaching. Petra Hejnova, director of curriculum and academic services for ���ϲ����� Abroad, has served as interim executive director since that time.

“Erika brings to this position a wealth of experience as an educator, an administrator and a leader,” says Senior Vice President for Academic Operations Steven Bennett. “She has been part of the ���ϲ����� Abroad team for many years, and in her various roles, she has brought enormous value to the University community. Most importantly, she has the vision and leadership to find ways to provide global experiences for all ���ϲ����� students.

“I am also grateful to Petra Hejnova for her service as interim executive director for the past year. She provided smart, steady leadership during the transition, which will help us sustain momentum at this crucial moment.”

As executive director, Wilkens will oversee all aspects of the day-to-day operations of ���ϲ����� Abroad, including academic programming, personnel, compliance, budget and real estate. She will play a key role in developing a long-term strategic plan and advancing the University’s vision and commitment to internationalization. Working with faculty, administrators, and other stakeholders and partners on campus and abroad, she will work to further expand opportunities for students to pursue global study, research, and internships.

Wilkens brings deep international experience to her new role, most recently in conjunction with the ���ϲ����� Abroad program. In 2010 she was appointed the founding director of the University’s new study abroad center in Istanbul. She led operations at that center until 2017, when the center closed its doors due to political unrest in that region. Upon her return from Turkey, she became special assistant to the associate provost for international education and engagement and then, after Himley’s departure, special assistant for global engagement, reporting to Bennett.

Prior to joining ���ϲ�����, Wilkens served as an assistant professor at Okan University in Istanbul and as an instructor at Sabanci University, Istanbul, and New School University’s Graduate Program in International Affairs in New York City. She also has worked as a research consultant to the World Bank and as a visiting faculty member on a Soros Foundation Civic Education Project at Vilnius University in Lithuania. She has conducted international research in several countries, including Canada, Belgium and India.

Wilkens earned a Ph.D. in political science from ���ϲ�����; a master’s degree in international development from University of Calgary, Canada; a master’s degree in international relations from Lancaster University, United Kingdom; and a bachelor of commerce degree from University of Calgary.

Mary Eileen Graham

Graham, who earned her Ph.D. from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, began her appointment July 1 and will continue in it through June 30, 2019. In her new capacity, she will focus on working with the University Senate on behalf of the Provost’s Office to implement campus-wide shared competencies.

Reed, who earned a Ph.D. in management from University of Connecticut, assumed her new role June 1 and will continue in it through May 31, 2019. She will help lead efforts to develop a new approach to the first-year student experience, working in collaboration with the First Year Experience Initiative Steering Committee and a variety of faculty and administrators.

“The implementation of University-wide shared competencies and the development of a dynamic, community-building first-year experience both tie directly to our capacity to deliver a world-class student experience,” says Provost Wheatly. “Mary Graham and Kira Reed have the skills and the enthusiasm needed to advance both initiatives in a way that is both efficient and deeply collaborative. I know they are going to be a great asset to this effort, and I look forward to working with them in the months ahead.”

Kira Reed

Development and implementation of shared competencies emerged as a key priority in both the Academic Strategic Plan and the Middle States reaccreditation process. It is designed to ensure that all undergraduate students, regardless of major or school/college affiliation, graduate with a defined set of competencies, including four reasoning skills and four demonstrated abilities. Graham will consult and communicate with deans, associate deans, faculty, and students to further develop and finalize the shared competencies model for implementation in 2019. She also will work in collaboration with the University Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Shared Competencies and other key administrators.

“I am honored to be chosen as a Provost Faculty Fellow at such an exciting, forward-looking time for the University,” Graham says. “It is inspiring that all of the administrators, faculty, staff and students whom I have spoken with so far—and there will be many more—share the goal of enhancing the undergraduate learning experience at ���ϲ�����.”

A member of the Falk College faculty since 2012, Graham previously served on the faculty at Georgia State University, George Washington University, and Clarkson University, where she was a Newell Faculty Fellow. She has published extensively in the areas of human resource management, public policy and employment discrimination, and gender in employment. Graham is currently on the editorial board of the journal Human Resource Management, where she previously served as an associate editor. She has served as a visiting scholar at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, National Central University, and at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

Reed’s appointment supports the University’s commitment to develop a shared first-year experience that builds connections, promotes health and wellness, and fosters a respectful and inclusive campus community. Reed currently co-chairs the First-Year Experience Initiative Steering Committee along with Amanda Nicholson, assistant provost and dean of student success. In that capacity Reed has helped lead efforts to develop a University-wide, long-term and course-based first-year experience, and with implementing a professional development program to assist faculty in fostering a more culturally inclusive classroom. As Provost Faculty Fellow, she will collaborate with the Academic Affairs leadership team as well as with other administrators, faculty, and academic leaders across campus.

“We know that a student’s first year on campus strongly correlates with whether that student stays in school and thrives academically,” Reed says. “We are making good progress toward designing a shared first-year experience that supports student success, fosters connections across difference and advances our goal of maintaining a welcoming, safe and respectful campus environment for all. I am grateful for this appointment and for the opportunity it provides to bring that work to completion.”

Reed has been a member of the management faculty at the Whitman School since 2001. She had a previous faculty appointment at Iowa State University. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and currently sits on the editorial boards of the Journal of Managerial Issues and Africa Journal of Management. She has been a leader in the Academy of Management as the division chair of the public and nonprofit division, and she currently chairs the Masters Board at Whitman and the Curricula Committee of the University Senate.

Sheriah Dixon

Dixon’s work will support University efforts to promote a safe, diverse and inclusive work and educational environment. In addition to investigating Title IX complaints, she will investigate and coordinate responses to complaints of discrimination and harassment and ensure compliance with Equal Opportunity policies and federal, state and local regulations. Dixon, who is currently the acting director of the Office of Residence Life and Student Conduct and assistant director of the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards at Onondaga Community College (OCC), will begin her new role July 16.

“We are pleased to welcome Sheriah to our staff as we strengthen our efforts in working with the University community to ensure a campus culture of respect, safety and equity,” says Sheila Johnson, associate vice president and chief Equal Opportunity and Title IX officer for the University. “Sheriah’s experience working with students and her background in Title IX matters will be an important asset in service to the campus and the University’s values of diversity and inclusion.”

In her role with the Office of Residence Life at OCC, Dixon provides leadership and direction for the residence life program; supervises professional staff, residence hall directors and resident advisors; and implements programming and activities that foster a positive living-learning environment, diversity, mutual respect and student retention. Within the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, Dixon, who began as coordinator in 2013 and was named assistant director in 2015, works closely with Campus Safety to coordinate the college’s investigations into allegations of sexual and discriminatory harassment, including sexual assaults; investigates Title IX matters and complaints of alleged discrimination and harassment; creates educational workshops on the student conduct process, as well as other programming; and provides training opportunities for faculty and staff on the student conduct process, among other duties.

“I am honored to join the Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services in the work of creating a campus environment that promotes inclusion, access and opportunity for all its members,” Dixon says.

Prior to her time at OCC, Dixon was an assistant residence director with ���ϲ�����’s Office of Residence Life, in which she served as a hearing officer for disciplinary matters and consulted with the residence director or central office director regarding appropriate sanctions. She also mediated a range of student conflicts, handled emergency situations, and supervised a staff of resident advisors and main desk assistants.

Dixon earned an associate of applied science degree in criminal justice and a bachelor’s degree in criminal investigation at SUNY Canton and a master’s degree in social work at SU.

Kevin Coates

The new position is intended to advance the implementation of the Whitman School’s strategic plan and its ability to successfully pursue its ambitious goals.

In this role, Coates is responsible for building required staff capacity, coordinating and integrating activities and operations, and long-range planning and forecasting. He will directly oversee several key organizational units and activities, including Career Services, Alumni Relations,��Corporate Relations, Financial Operations, Analytics/Assessment and other strategic supporting activities as needed.

“Kevin will be responsible for the development, analysis and improvement of innovative systems and services that support our broader educational, research and outreach missions,” says . “It is also an important recognition of the increasingly broad role that Kevin has taken on with regards to the administration and implementation of a wide range of initiatives and activities within the school.”

Coates came to the Whitman School in 2016. He previously served in an administrative role at Cornell University, where he was responsible for analytics, financial metrics and reporting. He was instrumental in building a business intelligence team for Cornell’s alumni affairs and development office. He has also served in various financial roles, from reporting and analyzing data to creating budget and gap/forecasting models. Coates earned a bachelor of business administration degree from the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute in Utica, New York.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit www.syracuse.edu.

Shikha Nangia

Nangia has been a chemical engineering professor in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering since 2012. Her research seeks to identify ways to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier to allow disease-fighting medicines to reach the brain in noninvasive ways.

Additionally, Nangia’s research group focuses on designing efficient nanosized drug delivery carriers to target cancerous tumor cells. She teaches chemical and statistical thermodynamics and has been awarded the ECS Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education, a Meredith Teaching Recognition Award, the College Technology Educator of the Year, a Faculty Excellence Award, and the Outstanding Junior Faculty Award by the American Chemical Society. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Delhi, a master’s in chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Makan Fardad

Fardad has been a professor of electrical engineering in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science since 2008. Fardad is developing a mathematical framework that will expose the critical fragilities that exist within infrastructure networks, like the power grid, so they can be amended before causing large-scale failures. His research focuses on the analysis and optimization of dynamical networks��and he teaches courses on control systems and convex optimization.

Fardad is also the recipient of the��ECS Dean’s award for Excellence in Education��and multiple NSF awards. Fardad is also the recipient of the ECS Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education and multiple NSF awards. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Sharif University of Technology, a master’s degree in control engineering from Iran University of Science and Technology, and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of California.

“Shikha’s and Makan’s innovative research and excellent instruction are a tremendous benefit to our students and our reputation as a world-class research institution,” says Dean Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg. “The college is so fortunate to count them among our faculty.”

Eunkyu Lee

The new position was created to champion and facilitate the Whitman School’s many international research and educational efforts across programs, campus and with external partners.

“Thanks to the international efforts of many individuals over the years, the school has a strong foundation on which to build and enhance its international activities and impact,” says Gene Anderson, dean of the Whitman School. “Professor Lee’s passion for international issues and collaborative approach make him an ideal partner for the many remarkable international experts and their activities at the school, as well as working in concert with other associate deans, department chairs, individual faculty and staff members leading and pursuing internationalization of our research and educational programs.”

Dean Anderson adds that as associate dean, Professor Lee will help the school deploy and enhance global initiatives consistent with its strategic plan, including but not limited to, supporting international research and scholarship, developing relationships with other��university units and international partners, and further internationalizing the student experience.

Professor Lee came to the Whitman School in 2000. He has served as Ph.D. program director and chair of the department of marketing while continuing his extensive research on brand-positioning strategies, distribution channel management, and competitive marketing strategy. He also teaches brand management classes to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as a Ph.D. seminar focused on distribution channel management. Every few years, he offers a course on global innovation management that includes visits to major global companies in overseas locations, such as Seoul, South Korea; Dublin, Ireland and Hong Kong. He earned an MBA and Ph.D. in marketing from Duke University.

Keith Alford

“Dr. Alford will play a critical role in our ongoing efforts to identify and propose solutions to ensure a more diverse, inclusive and welcoming environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors,” Syverud says. “He has proven himself to be an innovative leader who inspires new ways of thinking about important and sometimes controversial issues. Anyone who attended our Campus Conversation event last April observed how–as moderator–Dr. Alford brought together diverse viewpoints, listened and responded in thoughtful ways to difficult issues, and helped unite our community in a common purpose.”

Established in fall 2015, the Chancellor’s Workgroup on Diversity and Inclusion developed wide-ranging recommendations aimed at creating a more welcoming, respectful campus climate. As recommended, the chief diversity officer reports directly to the Chancellor, serves on the Chancellor’s Executive Team and provides executive leadership, oversight and vision in the administration of services, programs, policies and procedures related to advancing ���ϲ�����’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Alford will also serve as a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Council, an advisory group that was created at the recommendation of the workgroup, and support a formal search to begin yet this summer for a permanent chief diversity officer.

“I am pleased to serve in this new role,” says Alford. “We are fortunate as a leading university to have several initiatives already in place that are working toward greater appreciation of diversity and inclusion on multiple levels. Progress is happening right now.�� However, we must remain vigilant and steadfast in our introspective efforts, individually and collectively, so that the lived experience of every member of ���ϲ����� is respected and embraced. Deeper understanding is needed. We will build on our strengths and engage in the critical work ahead, remembering that dignity and worth of humankind are cornerstones for positive coexistence.”

Alford received a Ph.D. from the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. He earned a master of social work also from OSU, and a bachelor of arts degree in history and sociology from Coker College in Hartsville, South Carolina.

Alford’s areas of specialization include mental health service delivery to children and families, culturally specific programming for children in out-of-home care, contemporary rites of passage programming, and loss/grief reactions among African American families.�� Through his teaching, he is involved with a National Science Foundation grant supporting the training of diverse undergraduates in conducting trauma research with veterans. He also serves on the Faculty Senate Committee on Diversity and is a member of the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council.

Alford has also provided counseling and support for undergraduate and graduate students, helping them to achieve personal and professional goals. At OSU, he organized and facilitated the African American Men’s Support Group. This year, Alford was recognized by InterFaith Works of Central New York with its Leadership Award in Creating a Civil Community. He has been affiliated with InterFaith Works for more than 22 years as a facilitator of communitywide dialogue circles to end racism. Alford’s work has also been recognized by Bethany Baptist Church with the Harriet Tubman Spirit Award and by ���ϲ����� with the Martin Luther King Jr. Unsung Hero Award.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Jorge Castillo

Following a national search, Castillo comes to the LGBT Resource Center from West Virginia University (WVU), where he served as the assistant director for the LGBTQ+ Center and oversaw the LGBTQ studies minor in the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies Program. Prior to his roles at WVU, Castillo served as an instructor at the University of Connecticut, Wesleyan University, Fairfield University and St. Lawrence University, where he taught courses in Latinx studies, gender and sexuality, and Latin American literature and film.

As assistant director, Castillo will implement internal and external programs and trainings, work collaboratively across campus to promote inclusivity, and support students with marginalized genders and sexualities. Castillo is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Connecticut focusing on queer sexualities and globalization in Caribbean literature and film, where he also earned a master’s in Spanish literature and language. He begins his appointment July 16.

Qiao-An (Jo/Joanne) Wang

Wang previously served as the LGBT Resource Center’s graduate assistant while they were a master’s student in the School of Education’s Higher Education Program. They earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with a focus in diversity education and minors in business and Asian American studies from Cornell University. As the program coordinator, they will continue to advise student organizations and discussion groups, supervise the LGBTQ+ Learning Community, facilitate trainings and workshops and plan such events as the Trans Day of Liberation and the HoliGay party. Wang begins their role as program coordinator on July 30.

“We are excited to begin the academic year as a new team, bringing diverse personal identities and professional experiences to the center. We will use this time over the summer to develop plans for the upcoming year that continue to fulfill the center’s mission of providing community building, outreach and visibility, and intellectual engagement that centers the experience of people with marginalized sexualities and genders,” says khristian kemp-delisser ’01, director of the LGBT Resource Center.

Visit the for more information about the center’s history, programs and resources.

Melanie Cuevas-Rodriguez

���ϲ�����’s Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services has hired Melanie Cuevas-Rodriguez to serve as an Equal Opportunity and Title IX investigator. The hire fills one of two new investigator positions created as part of the University’s expansion of that office to add capacity for handling complaints relating to sexual violence and sexual harassment.

In her new role, Cuevas-Rodriguez will handle a number of responsibilities that support University efforts to promote a safe, diverse and inclusive work and educational environment. In addition to investigating Title IX complaints, she will investigate and coordinate responses to complaints of discrimination and harassment and ensure compliance with Equal Opportunity policies and federal, state and local regulations.

“Melanie brings important skills and expertise to our work of ensuring that all members of the campus community are treated with fairness, equity and respect,” says Sheila Johnson, associate vice president and chief Equal Opportunity and Title IX officer for the University. “She has a clear passion for this work, and I know she will be a valuable addition to our staff.”

Cuevas-Rodriguez first joined the University’s Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services in March 2017, serving as an Equal Opportunity and inclusion analyst as a temporary professional staff member. She has been with ���ϲ����� since 2005, serving first as the assistant director of career services and then as the associate director of both student life and career services��at the College of Law. In that role, she counseled students and developed and implemented programs on diversity and inclusion.

Prior to joining the University, Cuevas-Rodriguez worked at the Frank H. Hiscock Legal Aid Society in ���ϲ�����, representing clients in various civil and quasi-criminal matters.��She earned a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Binghamton and juris doctor and master’s degree in public administration from ���ϲ�����.

“I am excited for this opportunity to join such a talented team,” says Cuevas-Rodriguez. “Maintaining a safe, inclusive and respectful campus environment is essential to achieving our institutional goals and to ensuring the well-being of all students, faculty and staff. I am honored to be a part of this important work.”

The office also continues to make progress on the search for another Title IX investigator and for a new director of Equal Opportunity.

Praising his performance over the last two years, Vice Chancellor and Provost Michele G. Wheatly today announced that David M. Van Slyke has been reappointed dean of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Today’s announcement follows a comprehensive decanal review that took into account the feedback of Maxwell faculty and staff, the Maxwell Advisory Board and the Maxwell Faculty Council. Van Slyke’s appointment was approved by the Board of Trustees’ Executive Committee.

“David has performed at an extraordinary level over the last two years,” says Wheatly. “He has exceeded expectations—both quantitatively and qualitatively—and has demonstrated that his leadership is exactly what the Maxwell School requires in the years ahead. I am proud to reappoint him dean and am confident the Maxwell School will continue to flourish with David at the helm.”

During the review process, Van Slyke, who is also the Louis A. Bantle Chair in Business-Government Policy, was widely praised for his personal integrity, credibility and responsiveness. Those who reviewed him described him as a strong advocate for the Maxwell School, a good communicator who is open to the new ideas and a leader who is willing to address difficult issues.

“Serving as dean of the Maxwell School has been a rewarding professional experience, challenging work and an opportunity for which I am deeply appreciative,” says Van Slyke. “It is gratifying to work with Maxwell’s faculty, staff, students and alumni, and I look forward to collaborating with them as we continue to build on the school’s historic foundation of success and embark on an exciting future across all of our undergraduate and graduate programs.”

During his two years as dean, Van Slyke has helped the school reach new heights. For example, he oversaw the creation of several new initiatives involving partners on campus and beyond, including: leading the first Maxwell School academic strategic planning exercise; implementing the Maxwell/2U Executive Masters of Public Administration program; developing a new Integrated Learning Major (ILM) in environment, sustainability and policy; and launching an executive master’s in international relations in Washington, D.C. From an administrative perspective, Van Slyke and his team doubled fundraising from the prior year, which included soliciting and securing gifts totaling nearly $8 million; re-energized and reconstituted the Maxwell Advisory Board; founded a student advisory council; established a new, additional associate dean position to provide increased capacity within the dean’s office; hired 20 new faculty members; and appointed five faculty leaders to new or existing endowed or funded chairs and professorships.

Van Slyke began serving as dean of the Maxwell School on July 1, 2016. Prior to that, he was associate dean and chair of Maxwell’s Department of Public Administration and International Affairs, home to one of the country’s top-ranked graduate degrees in public affairs. He is a tenured, full professor of the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences and a two-time recipient of the Birkhead-Burkhead Award and Professorship for Teaching Excellence.

Van Slyke is a leading international expert on public-private partnerships, public sector contracting, and policy implementation. He is director and fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, a former co-editor of two academic journals and sits on the editorial boards of several top-ranked public affairs journals. He has provided expert guidance to the Office of Management and Budget, the Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Coast Guard and the World Bank. As part of his work and research he has worked extensively with senior leaders in government, nonprofit and business organizations in China, India, Peru, Singapore, Thailand and many other countries through the Maxwell School’s Executive Education program.

Van Slyke’s most recent book, “Complex Contracting: Government Purchasing in the Wake of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Deepwater Program” (Cambridge University Press, 2013) is the recipient of the American Society for Public Administration Section on Research Best Book Award for 2014 and honorable mention for the Public and Nonprofit Section of the Academy of Management best book award for 2016. He is winner of the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus in Public Administration and Policy award from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy and the 2007 Beryl Radin Award for Best Article published in the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory.

Van Slyke earned a Ph.D. in public administration and policy from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany, State University of New York. Prior to his career in academia, he worked in the private, public and nonprofit sectors.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Jennifer Horvath

Horvath will be tasked with leading the development, implementation and evaluation of strategic internal and external communications plans for the BFAS division. On a day-to-day basis, Horvath will compose, edit and review all materials for BFAS communications, and disseminate content across multiple platforms to build awareness and support for the division’s activities.

Horvath comes to BFAS from ���ϲ����� Abroad, where she served as the marketing and communications manager, a post she assumed in September 2012. At ���ϲ����� Abroad, Horvath oversaw all communications efforts on campus, as well as for the University’s seven abroad centers. She worked to support and advance recruitment goals through a streamlined inquiry communications process, a robust peer-to-peer global ambassador program, increased social media engagement with parents and families, and a thorough re-imagining of existing print materials.

“I look forward to building further awareness of the incredible efforts undertaken by the staff in the BFAS division,” says Horvath. “The implementation of the Campus Framework plan and ongoing initiatives to advance the student experience make this a very exciting time to join the BFAS team.”

Horvath holds a bachelor of arts degree in magazine journalism and political science from ���ϲ�����, and a master’s degree in public relations, also from ���ϲ�����. She began her time at the University in December 2009, when she was hired as the public information officer for the Department of Public Safety (DPS). Prior to her time at DPS, Horvath worked for Daemen College and the Buffalo Bills.

She will report to Joe Stewart, senior associate vice president of operations.

“We are excited to add a talented and proven communications professional to our team.�� As a bonus, Jennifer is already a well-respected member of the ���ϲ����� family,” says Stewart. “Jennifer is joining our team at a pivotal time for the University and there is much work to be done as we execute the Academic Strategic Plan.”

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, ���Ի���, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Jurist, scholar, and law and policy practitioner James E. Baker will join the faculty of the ���Ի�����as a professor in Fall 2018. Judge Baker will lead the as director, succeeding Professor William C. Banks, who founded the Institute in 2003.

As one of the most highly regarded national security lawyers and policy advisors in the nation, Baker has built a career that has evolved from being an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps to the staff of Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan to the U.S. Department of State, Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board and National Security Council. Mostly notably, he served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces for 15 years—the last four as chief judge.

Since 2015, Baker has served as a member of the Public Interest Declassification Board, as a consultant for the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity and as chair of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Law and National Security. He has taught at several universities, including his alma mater, Yale Law School, and the Georgetown University Law Center. From 2017-18, he was a Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow at MIT’s Center for International Studies. Previous recipients of this prestigious fellowship include former U.K. Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Adm. William Fallon, former commander of U.S. Central Command.

“I am extremely pleased to welcome Judge Baker into our College of Law family and, given the interdisciplinary approach to national security at ���ϲ�����, I look forward to introducing him to the University as a whole,” says College of Law Dean Craig M. Boise. “Not only will he strengthen the college’s reputation and reinforce INSCT’s leadership position in national security law and policy, he is positioned to transform how the topic is studied and taught and to respond with intellectual agility as new security challenges emerge. Under his guidance, I fully expect INSCT to continue its exceptional track record of graduate placement in this practice area.”

“I am very delighted that Judge Baker will be joining ���ϲ����� and leading INSCT,” says Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Dean David M. Van Slyke. “His commitment to interdisciplinary research with policy implications and to working across the sectors and levels of government makes him an ideal leader and one that we in the Maxwell School are very excited to work with.”

“Judge Baker is one of the most highly regarded national security lawyers in the nation,” says Professor William C. Banks, founding director of INSCT. “His path to excellence spans appointments in the U.S. military, in public service and on the bench, and in academia. He is a gifted teacher and an accomplished scholar, whose penetrating analyses of national security law problems are routinely cited as exemplars in the field. That he has compiled an impressive record of publications while engaged as a judge and legal adviser in government is a testament to his energy and drive to educate about national security.”

“I am excited and honored to be joining ���ϲ����� and the faculty of the College of Law and Maxwell School. It is also a privilege to take INSCT’s helm from Bill Banks. Bill is a friend, an educator and a scholar whose vision created the institute and whose leadership enriched it for more than 15 years,” says the�� Baker. “INSCT’s excellent reputation for interdisciplinary scholarship and hands-on national security academics attracted me to this position. So did the University’s deep and sincere commitment to public service and to veterans. I look forward to continuing the institute’s research, teaching, service, and legal and policy analysis initiatives; to expanding its portfolio of sponsored programs; and to working on critical, emerging challenges in national security law and policy with colleagues in the College of Law, Maxwell School and across the University. I especially look forward to mentoring the next generation of national security practitioners and thought leaders.”

Baker is the author of two books, “In the Common Defense: National Security Law for Perilous Times” (Cambridge University Press, 2007) and “Regulating Covert Action” (Yale University Press, 1992, with Michael Reisman) as well as numerous chapters and articles. Among his several awards, Baker has been honored by the National Security Council, Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (Honorary Master of Military Arts and Science, 2009). He holds a B.A. from Yale University (1982) and a J.D. from Yale Law School (1990).

James Leng

“We have been fortunate to attract such extraordinary fellows in the first two years of the Boghosian Fellowship, including Maya Alam, the inaugural fellow, and Linda Zhang, this year’s fellow,” says Dean Michael Speaks. “Our selection of James Leng will insure and burnish that lineage. During our review of the many outstanding applicants, we were thrilled with James Leng’s remarkable record of academic and professional achievement, and especially with his research on the afterlife and renewal of industrial buildings in China, India and the Ukraine, part of a larger research project consisting of a collection of essays and photographs that he will publish later this year.”

The Boghosian Fellowship at ���ϲ����� Architecture—established in early 2015 in memory of Harry der Boghosian ’54 by his sister Paula der Boghosian ’64—makes it possible for junior faculty to spend a year developing a body of design research based on an area of interest while teaching at the school. In the academic year 2018-19, Leng will teach an architecture studio, conduct two research seminars and organize a symposium and exhibition on the work produced during his year at ���ϲ�����.

“I’m thrilled to be selected as the 2018-2019 Boghosian Teaching Fellow at ���ϲ�����,” says Leng. “In this pivotal moment in my early career, the Boghosian Fellowship presents an incredible opportunity to explore new territories through teaching, as well as a chance to pursue new research and research already underway.”

Previously, Leng worked for four years as an associate architect at Michael Maltzan in Los Angeles, for one year as a junior architect at UN Studio in Amsterdam and was selected as the Peter Rice Fellow at the Renzo Piano Workshop in Paris. ��Leng is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the SOM Prize in Architecture, Design and Urban Design, a $50,000 travel and research fellowship. He also received the James Templeton Kelly Prize, awarded to the Best Thesis in Architecture at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, where he completed his master’s of architecture degree. Leng completed a bachelor of arts in architecture with honors at the University of California, Berkeley.

Leng’s research will build on his extensive travel to industrial and former industrial building sites around the world. Like the two previous Boghosian Fellows, Leng will work closely not only with faculty and students at the School of Architecture, but also with faculty at other schools.

Says Leng, “I’m delighted to be entering an outstanding community of established educators and young practitioners at the forefront of architecture, design and research. I am also excited to collaborate with other scholars, designers and writers at ���ϲ�����. Perhaps most importantly, I am looking forward to working with the students at ���ϲ�����, among the most celebrated architecture schools in the country. Working with faculty, staff and students at the school, and indeed, at the University, will sharpen my own ambition and bring depth to my work.”

For more information about James Leng and his work, please visit��.

To learn more about the Harry der Boghosian Fellowship, visit: .

Leah Lazarz

Lazarz will work to promote visibility and advancement of military-connected students and veterans both at ���ϲ����� and at a national level. On a day-to-day basis, Lazarz will create and disseminate content across multiple platforms to build awareness, engagement and support for the IVMF’s and OVMA’s various programs.

Lazarz comes to the IVMF and OVMA from the University’s central marketing and communications team, where she served as the digital and social media manager for Enrollment Management, a post she assumed in July 2015. In this position Lazarz played a critical role in developing and implementing social and digital media strategies at both the undergraduate and graduate levels to support and advance recruitment, yield, retention and financial aid goals.

“I am excited to continue working within the ���ϲ����� community and focus my efforts on how we can best serve those who have bravely served our country,” says Lazarz. “I am inspired and motivated by IMVF’s and OVMA’s dedication to advance the lives of the nation’s active duty military, veterans and their families and look forward to building support around the various programs and initiatives.”

Lazarz holds a bachelor of arts degree in communications from Le Moyne College, where she was also a member of the women’s lacrosse team. She is a member of the steering committee for the Central New York chapter of 100 Women Who Care, a collective of 100+ CNY women committed to local causes and service.

She will report to Stephanie Salanger, director of communications.

“I am thrilled to welcome Leah to our team. Her experience as a PR professional positions her well to make an immediate impact,” says Salanger. “I am confident Leah will add depth to our team and contribute a new perspective as we drive support for the IVMF’s programs while also continuing to make ���ϲ����� the ‘best place for veterans.’”

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, ���Ի���, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Cydney Johnson

Johnson brings more than 25 years of experience in government relations, higher education and nonprofit/business development to her new position. She is a double alumna of ���ϲ�����, having received her undergraduate degree in retailing and her master’s of business administration from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. She also spent seven years as an adjunct professor in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

“As an accomplished government relations professional with significant experience in higher education, Cydney will support and advance our state and local government efforts and strategies,” says Haynie. “Cydney will be a great addition to our team as we advocate for our students, our faculty and our academic and research programs. I am confident in her ability to continue to foster and grow our relationships with local and state leaders.”

“I am excited to join the government relations team at ���ϲ�����,” says Johnson.�� “It is a privilege to return to my alma mater and support ���ϲ����� in this effort.”

Johnson previously served as senior vice president of U.S. Accounts at Blueprint LTD, a small global marketing firm; vice president of consumer marketing and sales at Oneida Limited; and director of development at the Whitman School.

Johnson is a member of the Central New York Regional Development and Planning board and a board member of the ���ϲ����� Partnership Council with the ���ϲ����� City School district. She resides in the City of ���ϲ�����.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, ���Ի���, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Fred Brown

The has made two key personnel enhancements to bolster the “,��the college’s strategic advancement plan. Fred Brown, from Gettysburg College, has been hired as assistant dean of advancement and external affairs (AEA), and Debra Perkins has been promoted, broadening her role as director of advancement.

“Fred and Deb are the right people to help us reach our ambitious transformation goals,” says Dean Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg. “With their leadership, our college will continue to augment our engagement efforts and ultimately enhance our impact on students, alumni, and the community.”

Brown joins Engineering & Computer Science from Gettysburg, where he served as a senior major gifts officer. He has more than 20 years of higher education experience involving alumni relations, annual giving, major gifts and planned giving. Prior to his career in higher education, Brown spent eight years as a civil engineer. He has a��bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Lafayette��College.

While at Gettysburg, Brown successfully delivered a number of major gifts supporting initiatives that included creating an internship program and construction of a new admissions welcome center. He identified and recruited eight members of Gettysburg’s board of trustees. He was also instrumental in developing the vision, strategy and fundraising initiatives for the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg, a center for leadership and public policy.

As a member of the Engineering & Computer Science leadership team,��Brown will be responsible for the development and execution of the college’s fundraising strategic plan, and he will direct fundraising and engagement efforts. He will report jointly to Dahlberg and to the University vice president for development, Peter Cronin. Within the college, he will oversee the advancement, external relations and communications and marketing staff. He will officially join the team on Monday, May 14.

Debra Perkins

Effective immediately, Perkins will expand her role as director of advancement to augment the college’s engagement efforts, catalyze the growth of the college major gifts portfolio and streamline internal processes to connect advancement and the college strategic plan.

Since 2011, Perkins has secured and stewarded��leadership ���Ի���major gifts in support of the college, and she has contributed significantly to external advancement of the college. Perkins is responsible for securing the��lead gifts for three state-of-the-art collaborative classrooms in Link Hall, a new computer classroom in the Center for Science and Technology, recent upgrades to the Link 105 auditorium and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles lab at the ���ϲ����� Center of Excellence. Perkins holds an M.B.A. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), and also has a background in engineering, having earned a master’s in electrical engineering from SU and a bachelors in biomedical engineering from RPI. She started her career at General Electric as a systems engineer and systems engineering manager.

With the “, the college aims to become a leading model for��contemporary engineering and computer science education. To date, college fundraising is supporting��, which include the Bill and Penny Allyn Innovation Center, student success, the��Invent@SU��invention accelerators, scholars programs and endowed faculty support.

Alumni, companies and friends who commit $50,000 or more by June 2018 will become members of the college’s�����ǰ�����and will be prominently recognized in the Bill and Penny Allyn Innovation Center.

For compete information on the “, and to support the plan, please visit��.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, ���Ի���, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Christina Leigh Docteur

“Christina will do an excellent job in leading this highly needed office. Under the current competitive research environment, team work is essential to be competitive. She has had extensive experience in team building and facilitating grant activities. I am excited to work with her to provide research support to our faculty, students and staff,” says Vice President for Research John Liu.

As director of proposal support services, Docteur will focus on facilitating collaboration and communication around strategic funding opportunities; managing the University’s internal funding competitions, including both internally funded seed grant programs and externally funded limited submissions; and coordinating the management of various research awards and recognition programs, both internal and external. Docteur will also spearhead the development of services and adoption of systems designed to assist faculty and research support staff in proposal development activities. Under the direction of the vice president for research, and working closely with leadership in other units, Docteur will work to build the capabilities and visibility needed to advance research, scholarship and creative activities across campus.

Docteur brings years of experience as a research development professional to the Office of Research. Working as the grant development administrator for the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs since 2004, she facilitated proposal development activities for academic departments, centers and institutes, and individual faculty and graduate students.

In addition to developing and leading or supporting regular information and training sessions on finding funding and grantsmanship for the Maxwell School and ���ϲ�����, Docteur has presented numerous professional development sessions for national organizations on strategies for supporting proposal development, and working across research development units at the inter- and intra-university level.

“The energy and ambition that Christina brings to the newly formed Office of Proposal Support Services is truly exciting, and I look forward to our offices working closely to collaboratively support research, scholarship and artistic engagement. She has proven to be an excellent leader in grants development activities in the Maxwell School for many years, and now she will be able to leverage that experience to benefit the entire University community,” says Stuart Taub, director of the Office of Sponsored Programs.

“There is a tremendous wave of effort within the research development and research administration communities to identify new ways and best practices to support research faculty and staff in their proposal development and research management activities,” says Docteur. “This includes finding ways to reduce administrative burden, unifying and increasing transparency around institutional procedures, and identifying areas for research collaboration and resource sharing—in the broadest sense—for the maximum cumulative benefit of the university and the greater community. I am thrilled to join the Office of Research and for the opportunity to work with Dr. Liu, a proven leader in university research initiatives, to further advance these efforts at ���ϲ�����.”

In addition to her role in the Dean’s Office of the Maxwell School, Docteur has also taught grant writing for the Public Affairs Program since 2012, pairing with numerous community nonprofits to pass on valuable skills to ���ϲ����� students while assisting community efforts.

Docteur earned her doctorate of professional studies in information management and a master’s of library science from ���ϲ�����’s School of Information Studies, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the State University of New York at Oswego.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, ���Ի���, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Peter Wilcoxen

Peter Wilcoxen, professor of public administration and international affairs, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence and director of Maxwell’s (CEPA), will serve as the inaugural Ajello Professor in Energy and Environmental Policy. Wilcoxen, also a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, studies the effect of environmental and energy policies on economic growth, international trade and the performance of individual industries. He has published more than 70 papers and has co-authored books on the design of an international policy to control climate change, on the design and construction of large-scale economic models and on using environmental taxes as part of fiscal reform in the United States.

As Ajello Professor, Wilcoxen will oversee an ambitious array of research projects and opportunities for student involvement in CEPA. Funded initiatives will include interdisciplinary pilot projects connecting Maxwell School faculty with colleagues from across ���ϲ�����, thus linking Maxwell-based expertise in energy and environmental economics, environmental policy and sustainability, climate science, behavioral economics, data integration and analytics, geographic information systems and other areas with University-based expertise in such fields as electricity generation and distribution, renewable energy, cybersecurity, information technology and regulatory law, among many others.

The Ajello Professor will also train graduate and advanced undergraduate students in research methods and involve those students in interdisciplinary projects sponsored by the professorship. Via research apprenticeships for graduate students and undergraduate internships geared to experiential learning, students will play a role in developing solutions to real-world energy and environmental problems.

CEPA will assemble an advisory group of government and industry experts, providing real-world input to Maxwell on energy and environmental issues. These committed experts will provide input and help shape the center’s priorities for energy and environmental research while advising Wilcoxen on skills most needed by students interested in working in the sector.

According to Wilcoxen, the new funding will contribute directly to the strategic plans of Maxwell and the University, which emphasize interdisciplinary research. The Ajello Professorship “not only builds on Maxwell’s strengths in the social sciences, but also goes beyond that to provide resources and support for interdisciplinary work involving the natural sciences, engineering, information technology and law,” he says. Wilcoxen sees interdisciplinary work as particularly important for environmental and energy issues, which are “deeply interdisciplinary, because they occur where social and natural systems meet. It’s impossible to address these issues without understanding them from multiple perspectives.”

James Ajello

The donor, James Ajello, is a retired energy industry executive who, until last year, served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Hawaiian Electric Industries (HEI). He previously served as chairman of the U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management Advisory Board; senior vice president of business development at Reliant Energy (2000-09); and in various positions, including managing director for energy and natural resources, at UBS Financial Services (1984-98). Based in Houston, Ajello now serves on the board of directors of American Savings Bank, a subsidiary of HEI, and is also on the Board of Crius Energy in Toronto. He has served for many years as a member of the board of trustees of Hawaii Pacific University.

Ajello says his gift ties back directly to work he had done as a Maxwell student. “About 40 years ago I did research in Harry Lambright’s class on this very topic—multidisciplinary approaches to energy and environmental issues. As I look back on my career,” he says, “virtually every job I’ve had since Maxwell, in the public and private sectors, has immersed me in this very interesting topic.

“Yet there is so much more to learn to achieve an energy efficient and sustainable society,” Ajello adds. “This work is more important than ever, and that is why I am delighted to support training and research at Maxwell in this valuable field.”

“We are deeply grateful to Jim Ajello for his generous, forward-thinking support,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke. “As a school with a deep history working at the intersection of theory, policy and practice, Maxwell is the perfect location for the Ajello Professorship. I cannot think of a better, more qualified teacher and researcher to serve as the Ajello Professor than Pete Wilcoxen.��I look forward to seeing the many great results that come from Pete, our students and from CEPA as a result of Jim’s investment in the mission of the Maxwell School to use research and teaching to inform and advance policy.”

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, ���Ի���, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz

“To build on our history, draw from our community and embrace this new and exhilarating opportunity, Hendricks Chapel is fortunate to add such gifted and experienced leaders,” says Dean of Hendricks Chapel Brian Konkol. “Rebecca and Peg will help us to more fully align our collective efforts with our mission, in order to ensure a dynamic, thoughtful and supportive environment for the exploration of religious practice, personal spirituality, moral courage, the building of community and social service and action.”

As associate dean, Kantrowitz will focus on developing programming and services, increasing involvement with the chapel across the diverse student body and campus partners, and support efforts to grow the chapel’s visibility and impact. She brings three decades of experience as a student life professional, most recently in the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience, with previous leadership roles in student affairs, residence life and diversity and inclusion.

As director of operations, Northrup will provide strategic vision and oversight for the administrative functions of Hendricks Chapel and the Chancellor’s House, increase communication and assist in the growth of programming. As a seasoned event management and communications professional, Northrup’s experience at the University in University College, government and community relations, special events and strategic planning will serve as an asset to this new role.

Peg Northrup

“Alongside a committed team of chaplains, staff, and partners, Rebecca and Peg will help us to energize and expand Hendricks Chapel’s important role as the vibrant and dynamic center of religious and spiritual life. We plan to increase the chapel’s reach throughout the campus and beyond by accepting students as they are, appreciating what they seek, and accompanying them to the fullness of our abilities,” says Konkol. “This is the ideal moment to communicate and invigorate the vision, mission and values of Hendricks Chapel. From the outburst of global religious diversity, to the general embrace of multicultural competency and holistic well-being, as well as the prominence of local and global conflict, such dynamics—in arrangement with many others—has made the proactive interaction with religious, spiritual, ethical, and moral matters an educational requirement for those seeking to best equip global leaders.”

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, ���Ի���, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

M. Cristina Marchetti

Cristina Marchetti, the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor and Distinguished Professor of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been appointed director of the University’s Soft and Living Matter Program. Marchetti, who was nominated by her colleagues in the program and appointed last month by Dean Karin Ruhlandt, will serve a three-year term.

The Soft and Living Matter Program is the outgrowth of the Soft Matter Program, which began in 2011 under the direction of Mark Bowick, the Joel Dorman Steele Professor of Physics. Based in the Department of Physics, the Soft Matter Program was founded by then-Dean George Langford to promote fundamental research and education in soft and biological matter at a time of rapid national and global interest in the field.

The program has now expanded to increase participation and buy-in from faculty across multiple departments, schools and colleges, and local institutions. “We wanted the output of the program to be much more than the sum of its parts,” says Marchetti. The group changed the name to Soft and Living Matter Program to better reflect the expanded focus, and it implemented a new administrative structure and assessment protocols.

As program director, Marchetti, who has also chaired the American Physical Society’s Topical Group on Soft Matter, will oversee the program’s operations and intellectual progress and monitor research advancements and effectiveness of educational/outreach activities. She will be aided by an executive committee whose composition—including professors Lisa Manning of physics, Mat Maye of chemistry and Shikha Nangia of biomedical and chemical engineering— reflects the broad interdisciplinary span of the program.

“Cristina is an international leader in the area of soft matter and one of the college’s most recognized academic stars,” says Dean Ruhlandt. “She is an incredible asset to this program, and she was the natural choice to lead the program to even greater distinction.”

Marchetti says, “As director, I would like for the program to be able to establish itself as a center that will generate and support collaborative research projects and attract external funding. The goal is to make ���ϲ����� recognized nationally and internationally as one of the leading hubs for research on soft and living materials.”

The program has already established a number of new initiatives, such as travel grants for graduate students and a Distinguished Visitor Program. It also plans to build on the IGERT Soft Interfaces Program to grow various educational activities, including interdisciplinary courses and professional skills training for students at every stage of their academic career.

Faculty, postdocs, graduate and undergraduate students participating in the program today come from a range of disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, biomedical and chemical engineering, and mechanical and aerospace engineering. Several faculty from Upstate Medical University are associate members of the program.

These multidisciplinary teams are organized into research thrusts that members feel ���ϲ����� can become world renowned for, and that draw on current strengths, combining faculty, student, staff and facility capability and know how. The first topics include:

• Topological Materials: Combining supramolecular design with the rules of geometry and topology for designing new materials with programmable and reconfigurable properties.
• Bioinspired Materials: Formulating the rules for the fabrication and optimization of functional materials with properties generally associated with living matter, including replication, repair, self-assembly, signaling, and molecular and cellular recognition.
• Active Matter: Studying the emergent properties of collections of self-driven entities that exhibit organized behaviors on scales much larger than that of the individuals. Examples range from the flocking of birds to the sorting and organization of cells in morphogenesis, and include synthetic analogues, such as bot swarms and engineered microswimmers.
• Living Matter: Describing the mechanical properties of tissues, including the ability of different cell types to sort and to form and maintain compartment boundaries, mechanical mechanisms of cell patterning and organization.

The work on active and living matter has potential implications for better understanding how wounds heal and cancers metastasize and for the design of smart and reconfigurable materials.

While these are current focus areas, Marchetti says there is potential for expansion to new topics as new synergies emerge.

khristian kemp-delisser

The Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience announces the appointment of khristian kemp-delisser ’01 as the new director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Resource Center. kemp-delisser begins their appointment on April 2.

“We’re pleased to welcome khristian back to ���ϲ�����. As an alum, khristian brings a great passion for ���ϲ����� and supporting students as they shape their own ���ϲ����� experience. In addition to their familiarity with our campus, their experience as an educator and student life professional supporting LGBTQQIA students and fostering inclusive campus climates will greatly enhance the student experience,” says Dolan Evanovich, senior vice president for enrollment and the student experience.

Currently the assistant dean and director of LGBTQ initiatives at Colgate University, kemp-delisser played an instrumental role in developing the Gender Pronoun Service, increasing gender-inclusive restrooms, supporting peer-to-peer sexual assault prevention education initiatives, and strengthening programs for the LGBTQ and ally communities at Colgate. Prior to joining Colgate, kemp-delisser held roles in the African/Latino/Asian/Native American (ALANA) Student Center at the University of Vermont and in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Center at the University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign.

Once beginning in their role at ���ϲ�����, kemp-delisser’s top priorities are providing advice, counsel, referrals, educational resources and support to LGBTQQIA students and the greater campus community, starting the search for the vacant associate director position in the LGBT Resource Center, and working with colleagues across campus on initiatives in support of the preferred name policy.

“It is all coming full circle as this was the community that launched me, and now, is welcoming me back to lead the LGBT Resource Center. In my time returning to campus and meeting with the passionate students, faculty and staff involved with the center, I was energized and excited to return to my alma mater to begin working with the University community to support, educate and celebrate LGBTQQIA identities and students with marginalized genders and sexualities,” says kemp-delisser.

kemp-delisser earned a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies and a master’s in higher education and student affairs administration from the University of Vermont. They earned a bachelor’s degree in newspaper journalism and English and textual studies from ���ϲ�����. An active student leader, kemp-delisser served as president of Pride Union and earned awards for their leadership and involvement, including the La Fuerza Community Enhancement Award, the Michael O. Sawyer Award for Most Outstanding Student Leader and the Excellence in Diversity Programming Award.

About ���ϲ�����

Founded��in 1870, ���ϲ����� is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences ���Ի���professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus ���Ի���extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. ���ϲ�����’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ���ϲ����� also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

]]> /blog/2018/02/15/sheila-johnson-willis-appointed-chief-equal-opportunity-and-title-ix-officer/ Thu, 15 Feb 2018 15:52:47 +0000 /?p=129586

��Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Andrew Gordon has announced that Sheila R. Johnson-Willis has been named associate vice president and chief equal opportunity and Title IX officer. She has served in that position on an interim basis since June 2015.

“Following a national search announced last November, which attracted applicants from across the country, it became very clear to the search committee that Sheila has all the essential qualifications, skills, experience, sensitivity and commitment to carry out the duties of this critical role,” says Gordon. “She has earned the respect and trust of students, faculty and staff, and has done a stellar job of leading the office through some challenging times over the last few years.”

Gordon thanked the search committee, a diverse group of students, faculty and staff co-chaired by Dawn Johnson, associate professor and chair of the Department of Higher Education in the , and Jake Tanksley, senior human resource business partner in the Office of Human Resources.

“The committee understood the crucial nature of this position in fostering a culture of inclusion and acceptance and a safe and supportive learning, living and working environment,” says Gordon. “Sheila has already demonstrated her agility, sensitivity, compassion and professionalism in handling a myriad of equal opportunity, Title IX, disability and related issues. This position encompasses increasingly complex and demanding concerns.�� I look forward to working with her in partnership as we strengthen our services related to these complicated and vital issues.”

Reporting to Gordon, the associate vice president leads the Equal Opportunity and Inclusion Resolution Office (EOIRS) and is responsible for aligning all its functions, including training and investigation of equal opportunity claims, affirmative action planning and disability rights guidance and investigations. During her tenure as interim leader, Johnson-Willis has expanded services and staff, adding an experienced investigator and obtaining the resources necessary to hire two additional investigators. She also enhanced disability services and outreach to students to make them more aware of their rights and the support available.

“I am grateful for the support of the University in providing the resources critical to ensuring that we are a welcoming and inclusive campus committed to equal opportunity,” says Johnson-Willis.�� “As we move forward, my priorities include increased education and communication campuswide on issues related to accessibility, equality, sensitivity and safety for all members of the Orange family.”

Prior to being appointed interim associate vice president and chief equal opportunity and Title IX officer in June 2015, Johnson-Willis was director of equal opportunity and inclusion at ���ϲ����� from October 2012 to June 2015. She came to ���ϲ����� from Colgate University, where she was director of equal opportunity and affirmative action and Title IX officer. Before that, she was director for affirmative action compliance and Title IX coordinator at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. She earned a law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan.

About ���ϲ�����

Founded��in 1870, ���ϲ����� is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences ���Ի���professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus ���Ի���extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. ���ϲ�����’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ���ϲ����� also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

Robert D. Hradsky

“As a seasoned student development professional, Rob brings a student-centered approach and deep commitment to supporting student learning and growth both inside and outside the classroom,” says Senior Vice President for Enrollment and the Student Experience Dolan Evanovich. “His vast experience designing and delivering comprehensive student programs and services will be a great asset as we continue to create an unsurpassed experience for every student.”

Hradsky brings nearly three decades of experience in student affairs organizations to the role. He currently serves as the assistant vice president of campus life and dean of students at American University, a position he has held for nearly��10 years. Prior to this role, Hradsky served as assistant dean for student affairs at Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health and vice provost for enrollment management and student affairs at University of Baltimore. Spanning these roles, Hradsky has overseen offices and areas related to student learning and development, health and wellness, career services, conduct, student involvement, and diversity education and programs.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from Loyola University Maryland, a master’s in higher education and student affairs administration from the University of Vermont, and a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.

“The opportunity to join the team in the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience during such a transformational time is exciting,” says Hradsky. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in Enrollment and the Student Experience, as well as students, faculty and staff across campus to continue to enhance the student experience.”

Hradsky begins his appointment on March 26.

About ���ϲ�����

Founded��in 1870, ���ϲ����� is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences ���Ի���professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus ���Ի���extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. ���ϲ�����’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ���ϲ����� also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

Jenny Saluti

Starting her appointment on July 1, Saluti will serve as board liaison to one of the established NPDA committees, participate in regular board meetings and assist in planning the annual conference. Upcoming board projects include the development of a comprehensive strategic plan and a new website design.

��Saluti started her career in admissions in 2003 as a field recruitment representative with the VPA Office of Recruitment and Admissions, and she has held several positions in the office until taking over as director in November 2015. Prior to her work in admissions, Saluti taught foundation art and design courses at Louisiana State University, ���ϲ����� and Cazenovia College. Saluti earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in printmaking from VPA and a master of fine arts degree from Louisiana State University. In addition to her involvement with the NPDA, Saluti is an active member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the New York Association for College Admission Counseling (NYSACAC).

About ���ϲ�����

Founded��in 1870, ���ϲ����� is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences ���Ի���professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus ���Ի���extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. ���ϲ�����’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ���ϲ����� also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

The ��has named Danielle Taana Smith director of the .

Smith, who was selected after a national search, comes to ���ϲ����� from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where she is a professor of sociology and director of the school’s honors program. Her initial term of appointment is five years, with a formal review at three years.

“Danielle will further distinguish the honors program as a key component of advancing the University’s academic goals,” says Dean Karin Ruhlandt of the College of Arts and Sciences, which houses and administers the Universitywide program. “She has an impressive record of success as a scholar, teacher and administrator, and she has an obvious passion for challenging and inspiring students to strive for intellectual excellence. She is going to be a tremendous asset to an already strong program, and I look forward to working with her to make it even stronger.”

As director of the Honors Program, Smith will hold responsibility for all aspects of the program, including advancing its core values and mission, representing the program to internal and external constituencies, building positive and productive cross-campus relationships, chairing the program’s core faculty, overseeing staff and budgets, and teaching in the program. She also will hold a faculty appointment as professor in the Department of African American Studies.

Smith, whose areas of expertise include gender studies, population studies and global health and development, among others, joined the RIT faculty in 2003, and she has directed the honors program since 2009. In that capacity, she led several initiatives to advance the program and expand its impact, including establishing a comprehensive academic curriculum for the honors program and organizing an Honors Curriculum Committee to ensure that the program was sufficiently rigorous. She also advanced measures to enhance diversity within the honors program, including leading collaborations with the Multicultural Center for Academic Success and McNair Scholars Program and initiating National Technical Institute for the Deaf representation in the program. In 2016, she organized the first Honors Program Undergraduate Research Symposium. From 2008-2009, Smith also served as coordinator for RIT’s Urban and Community Studies Degree Program.

“In order for our students to succeed in today’s competitive, globalizing world, institutions of higher learning must ensure that they acquire core competencies and mastery of their respective fields of study,” Smith says. “They must also gain familiarity with broader areas of inquiry, particularly in the humanities and social sciences. After graduation and leaving the halls of their alma maters, they are then well-rounded, global citizens, who understand their responsibilities to push boundaries for the improvement of their communities, countries and the world at large. I believe that the Renée Crown University Honors Program is well-suited to lead in these endeavors. I look forward to the challenges ahead and to working with University partners and the larger ���ϲ����� community.”

Among other honors and awards, Smith in 2016 was named an ERASMUS+ Exchange Scholar, Faculty of Pedagogy and Social Work, at Liepaja University in Latvia. She is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Anthropological Association and the American Sociological Association.

Smith earned a Ph.D. in sociology from University of South Carolina; an MBA from Saint Martin’s College, in Lacey, Washington; and a B.A. in Russian Studies from Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H.

The Honors Program is named for Renée Schine Crown ’50, H’84, a civic leader and philanthropist, member of the A&S Board of Visitors, and member emerita of the University’s Board of Trustees.

About ���ϲ�����

Founded��in 1870, ���ϲ����� is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences ���Ի���professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus ���Ի���extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. ���ϲ�����’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ���ϲ����� also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

Francine D’Amico

In addition to teaching undergraduate courses on international law and organizations, global governance, and Latin America and the Caribbean, D’Amico currently serves as director of undergraduate studies in international relations. She directs academic advising for all undergraduate majors/minors and serves as the faculty advisor for the International Relations Learning Community, the Model United Nations Club and Team, Sigma Iota Rho Honor Society and the SU-UNICEF and OXFAM@SU student organizations. She serves on the University Senate and the LGBT Committee as well as the Academic Committee and the Standards Committee for the College of Arts and Sciences. She was co-chair of the Chancellor’s Work Group on Diversity and Inclusion 2015-2016 and is now a member of the University Council on Diversity and Inclusion.

D’Amico was named Faculty Advisor of the Year for 2010-2011 by both��the College of Arts and Sciences and Sigma Iota Rho National Honor Society for International Studies. The Maxwell-MUN Team she advises was named Outstanding Delegation (top honors) at the National Model United Nations Conference in New York: spring 2016, spring 2015, spring 2014, spring 2012; Washington, D.C.: fall 2014.

Carol Faulkner, associate dean for academic affairs, praises Professor D’Amico’s contributions to the student experience in the Maxwell School: “Francine D’Amico communicates her passion for international relations in everything she does. She is an exceptional teacher and mentor to our students.”

D’Amico’s research focuses on issues relating to gender and international relations and the experiences of women in non-gender traditional occupations. Her recent publications include chapters on “LGBTQ and (Dis)United Nations: Sexual and Gender Minorities, International Law, and UN Politics,” in “Sexualities in World Politics: How LGBTQ Claims Shape International Relations”; “Critical Feminism: Gender-at-Work in Waging War,” in “Making Sense of International Relations Theory 2E (Iraq)”; and The Women of Abu Ghraib,” in “One of the Guys”: Women as Aggressors and Torturers.

D’Amico earned a B.A. from William Smith College and a Ph.D. from Cornell University.

About ���ϲ�����

Founded��in 1870, ���ϲ����� is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences ���Ի���professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus ���Ի���extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. ���ϲ�����’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ���ϲ����� also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

James Haywood Rolling Jr.

The 18-member task force is charged with reviewing NAEA’s history through the lens of equity, diversity and inclusion; identifying similar initiatives underway with other professional organizations and study implications for NAEA’s work; understanding the demographics of the profession across the NAEA community and throughout the field as a whole; and developing a final report that summarizes the work and makes recommendations to the NAEA board of directors to include strategies toward enhancing and sustaining an equitable, diverse and inclusive professional community.

Rolling received the NAEA’s 2014 National Higher Education Art Educator of the Year Award. He serves as editor of Art Education, the journal of the NAEA, and is at-large commissioner of the NAEA’s Research Commission.

Rolling’s research interests include the arts and design in education, creative leadership, arts-based research, teacher preparation, narrative inquiry, social justice and urban education, visual culture and identity politics curriculum studies, and community-engaged scholarship. He has published articles, essays and book reviews in such peer-reviewed journals as Qualitative Inquiry, Studies in Art Education, the Journal of Aesthetic Education, the Journal of Curriculum Studies and the Journal of Curriculum & Pedagogy and serves as a review board member of the Journal of Cultural Research in Art Education. His books include “Swarm Intelligence: What Nature Teaches Us About Shaping Creative Leadership” (Palgrave MacMillan, 2013) and “Arts-Based Research Primer” (Peter Lang, 2013).

As a visual artist, Rolling specializes in mixed media explorations and portraiture.

About ���ϲ�����

Founded��in 1870, ���ϲ����� is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences ���Ի���professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus ���Ի���extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. ���ϲ�����’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ���ϲ����� also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

Tom Dwyer

Tom Dwyer, assistant director of Audit and Management Advisory Services (AMAS), has been named interim director of AMAS, effective Jan. 1. Dwyer, who has been with the office for 25 years, will follow current Director Stephen Colicci, who is retiring after 40 years at the University. A new director will be appointed following a search process.

The office provides internal auditing services and business advice, consistent with professional standards, to the University’s senior management, faculty and staff to enable efficient operations; compliance with applicable laws, regulations, University Policies and best practice guidelines; and accountability of the University’s assets. The director reports to the senior vice president and chief financial officer and the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees.

“Steve has been an outstanding leader and an integral part of our operational team here at the University for many years. We appreciate his service, his expertise and his wise guidance that have contributed greatly to our campus,” says Amir Rahnamay-Azar, senior vice president and chief financial officer. “As we search for a new leader for Audit and Management Advisory Services, Tom is an excellent choice to serve in the interim. His knowledge and work for the University in auditing; his familiarity with the management of the office; and his professional training and certifications show his depth of understanding in the field and for the University’s processes.”

Dwyer currently performs annual risk assessment and audit schedule planning for financial, operational and compliance-related audits. He manages and conducts operational, financial, compliance and fraud-related audits in the areas of University administration, academics, athletics and auxiliary operations.

His professional certifications include CIA (Certified Internal Auditor), CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner) and CBA (Chartered Bank Auditor). A member of the CNY Chapter of the IIA (Institute of Internal Auditors) and ACUA (national Association of College and University Auditors), he received ACUA’s highest annual award in 2016—the Outstanding Professional Contributions award—for his contributions in the field of internal auditing in higher education.

The finalists are��, professor of civil and environmental engineering in the and interim director of the Honors Program at ���ϲ�����, ���Ի���, professor of sociology and director of the Honors Program at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Each candidate recently presented at an on-campus forum, videos of which are available online. Students, faculty, staff and alumni are encouraged to view the videos and then send constructive feedback and critiques to��honorssearch@syr.edu. The deadline for feedback is noon on Thursday, Dec. 14. For more information, contact the Dean’s Office in the (A&S) at 315.443.3949.

Click����for Johnson’s presentation.

Click����for Smith’s presentation.

“Ultimately, we want a seasoned leader whose work and vision align with our institutional values,” says Karin Ruhlandt, dean of A&S and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry. “Timely and specific feedback about each finalist is vital to the search process.”

Based in A&S, Honors is an all-University program named for��, a civic leader and philanthropist who is a member of the A&S Board of Visitors and a member emerita of the University’s Board of Trustees. Described as an enhanced educational experience for exceptional undergraduates, the Honors Program offers intellectual challenge and curricular enrichment through seminars, special cultural events and close contact with faculty and students.

Andria Costello Staniec

Costello Staniec’s teaching and research are focused on applied environmental microbiology��and engineering education. She holds a bachelor’s in applied biology from Georgia Tech and master’s and Ph.D. degrees in environmental engineering science from Caltech.

Costello Staniec joined the college’s��faculty in 1999 and was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award in 2001 for her work with methane oxidizing bacteria in the Adirondacks. She is a key contributor to a current $4 million, NSF-funded project at SU to augment the number of underrepresented minority students pursuing STEM programs and careers.

Costello Staniec previously served as the college’s first associate dean for student affairs��and was responsible for the implementation of a new collegewide advising program. Following that, she served as the University’s associate provost for academic programs, where she created a new student-athlete academic support unit and the Office of Assessment and Accreditation. She also initiated a campuswide annual assessment program; instituted Orange SUccess (the campuswide advising program) and a degree audit system; and oversaw revisions to the University’s academic integrity policy.

Professor Ossama “Sam” Salem, who was previously serving as department chair, was named chair of the Sid and Reva Dewberry Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering at George Mason University this fall.

The University was founded on March 24, 1870, and 2020 will be its 150^th anniversary.

The committee is a cross-section of students, faculty, staff, Trustees and alumni. “I expect the committee to engage the entire University community, across the globe, in a sustained reflection on the 150^th anniversary of what is truly a great University,” Chancellor Syverud says. “We will plan a yearlong celebration and host events that will reflect our values.”

The steering committee is co-chaired by Bea González, vice president for community engagement, and Susan Ballard, associate vice president for alumni engagement. The committee includes the following members:

• Colleen Bench, associate vice president in the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience;
• Tom Benzel, assistant director of business operations for athletics;
• Shiu-Kai Chin, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence and professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science;
• Ravi Dharwadkar, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence, professor and chair of the Department of Management in the Whitman School of Management;
• Chris Fuller, deputy director of athletics;
• Neil Gold, member of the Board of Trustees;
• Jaclyn Grosso, executive director of communications and public relations;
• Rachel Harms,��associate University secretary and executive director of Office of the Board of Trustees;
• Jeff Hoone, executive director of the Coalition of Museums and Art Centers (CMAC);
• Robert Hupp, artistic director at ���ϲ����� Stage;
• Ellen King, executive director of the Office of Special Events;
• Chuck Merrihew, vice president for advancement and external affairs;
• Judith Mower, member of the Board of Trustees;
• Ron Novack, executive director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs;
• Kevin Quinn, senior advisor to the Chancellor for executive��communications and public affairs;
• LaVonda Reed, professor of law and associate provost for faculty affairs;
• David Seaman, dean of University libraries and University librarian;
• Scott Manning Stevens, associate professor and director of Native American and indigenous studies and associate professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Margaret Susan Thompson, associate professor of history and political science in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences; and
• David Van Slyke, dean of the Maxwell School, professor and Louis A. Bantle Chair in Business and Government Policy.

The student participants are:

• Eduardo Gomez ’20 Arts and Sciences, Greek Life student representative;
• John Jankovic ’20 Arts and Sciences, Student Association representative;
• Chloe Milliken ’20, Whitman School of Management, veterans/military student representative;
• Tyler R. Newman ’20, Whitman School of Management, Forever Orange Young Alumni representative;
• Erin Riley ’20, Newhouse School of Public Communications, U100 representative;
• Jerry Lamont Robinson, doctoral student, School of Information Studies, disability student representative; and
• Rikki Sargent, doctoral student,��social psychology, VP Internal Affairs, Graduate Student Organization.

The steering committee will appoint subcommittees and working groups, and welcomes the involvement of others in the University community who are interested in the planning process. Those who are interested may contact Kathryn Zubal-Strang, assistant director of principal gifts in Advancement and External Affairs, at 315.443.5195 or khzubal@syr.edu.