Dear Colleagues:
During the past several months, members of senior staff have reviewed the college’s organizational structure to better align key leadership positions with priorities of the college. As a result, I am pleased to share the following changes that were recommended to and approved by the Board of Trustees.
Reflecting an increasing focus on assessment and the deployment of technology to enhance our administrative functions and learning environment, Dr. Michael Green’s position will be changed from Executive to the President for Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning to Vice President for Technology, Institutional Assessment and Planning.
As you know, Michael led the college’s Middle States reaccreditation efforts during the past three years, and I am pleased to report that Hudson Valley will be recommended for full re-accreditation in June. While this is extremely positive news, we must renew and strengthen our commitment to college-wide assessment efforts going forward. Accordingly, I am appointing Dr. Margaret Geehan to work with Dr. Green in the new role of Dean of Institutional Assessment. She will oversee the implementation of recommendations recently provided by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and ongoing assessment activities. Dr. Geehan has been a successful leader as Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Health Sciences and is uniquely qualified to take on this very important role.
For years, the college has had a significant disparity between the schools of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Health Sciences, which include 15 academic departments, and the schools of Business and Engineering and Industrial Technologies, which include six departments. Therefore, we will divide Liberal Arts and Sciences and Health Sciences and begin a search for two new deans, one for Liberal Arts and Sciences and another for Health Sciences. In the interim, department chairs in both areas will report to Dr. Carolyn Curtis.
The Individual Studies and Liberal Arts academic department also will be divided as it is significantly larger than all others at Hudson Valley, with approximately 4,300 students. In fact, this department is larger than the enrollment of many colleges in New York State. Brian Vlieg will oversee one department including Individual Studies, the Health Sciences Certificate, Special Programs and the 24 Credit Hour Program. We will commence a search for a new department chair for Liberal Arts and Sciences, which includes Advisement Tracks and Liberal Arts Honors programs, as well as the supervision of the new Liberal Arts Advisement Center to be located on the third floor of Fitzgibbons.
As you know, the college has undergone an extensive review of technology utilization with the goal of charting new strategic directions for student, administrative and instructional technology. In order to enhance our coordination of those services, Instructional Technologies and Viking Video Technologies will be reassigned to Dr. Green and united with Information Technology Services.
In addition, Christine Helwig will be promoted from Associate Dean to Dean for Educational Outreach and Academic Services. As you know, growth in online learning and College in the High School are strategic priorities for the college. In her new role, she will focus on these priorities while continuing to oversee Community and Professional Education.
All services to students with disabilities, whether physical or learning-related, will be consolidated in the Center for Access and Assistive Technologies, under the direction of Deanne Martocci.
Finally, the Center for Counseling and Transfer, Center for Careers and Employment and Health Services will be reorganized. Dr. Kelly Sweener will become the Executive Director of Student Development and Wellness, overseeing counseling services, career and transfer planning and health services, while proactively introducing wellness-related services on campus. Claudine Potvin-Giordano will continue to direct Health Services, and Gayle Healy will lead a new office, the Center for Careers and Transfer.
More information will be provided as our planning is implemented, and all of the organizational changes will be effective on June 1, 2015.
Published: Fri, 01 May 2015 12:20:58 +0000 by a.matonak