University of the Arts has successfully appointed Mr. Eric Leal as their new Vice President for Finance and Administration. Mr. Leal has served as the Associate Dean for Budget and Administration in the College of Arts and Sciences at American University since the Spring of 2019. He previously served as the Associate Dean for Administration and Finance for the College of Medicine at Howard University, and as the Assistant Dean of Administration and Finance for the School of Optometry at the University of California, Berkeley. A former active duty Air Force member and Appropriation Manager at The Pentagon, Mr. Leal holds an MBA from the University of Tennessee and a BA in Psychology from the University of Arizona. Read more.
Marist College has successfully appointed Dr. Ron Buckmire as their new Dean of the School of Computer Science and Mathematics. Dr. Buckmire will begin on August 1, 2024. Dr. Buckmire comes to Marist College from Occidental College in Los Angeles, where he served as Professor of Mathematics and had been on the faculty since receiving a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1994. He has served the national mathematics community in a wide array of capacities in multiple organizations, including as a Program Officer in the Division of Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation. Dr. Buckmire also holds an M.Sc. and B.Sc. in mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Read more.
The University of Utah has successfully appointed Dr. Charles Musgrave as their next Dean of the John & Marcia Price College of Engineering. Dr. Musgrave will begin on July 1st. Dr. Musgrave currently serves as Chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Colorado, with a joint appointment at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He earlier served as Associate Chair and Director of the Graduate Program of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and, most recently, as Associate Dean for Graduate Education for the College of Engineering and Applied Science. He is a fellow of the Materials Science and Engineering Program and Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute at the University of Colorado. Before his nearly 16 years in Colorado, Musgrave served as an assistant professor of chemical engineering at Stanford University, and as a visiting professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Harvard University. He has collaborated with Intel Corporation, SC Solutions Corporation, General Motors Corporation, and Xerox Corporation, among many others. Along with his notable achievements, Musgrave brings a unique perspective to his leadership role as a first-generation student and son of an immigrant. Dr. Musgrave earned his B.S. in materials science and engineering at the University of California Berkeley. Both his M.S. and Ph.D. in materials science were earned at California Institute of Technology. Read more.
Stony Brook University has successfully appointed Ms. Joan McCormick as their new Director of Development, School of Communication and Journalism/Academic Affairs. Ms. McCormick started her new role on February 19th. Ms. McCormick comes to Stony Brook from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, where she served as Executive Director of Development from 2019 to 2023. Prior to CUNY, she was Vice President and Major Gift Officer for the East at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (2019) and Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Pratt Institute (2016-2018). Ms. McCormick earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism at Rutger's University and her Master of Public Administration from Kean University. Read more.
The Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education has announced the appointment of Dr. Jack R. Warner as the 11th President of Rhode Island College. Dr. Warner has been serving as Interim President of RIC since April 2022. Dr. Warner, a Rhode Island native, was the commissioner of the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education from 2002 to 2009, and then served as the Executive Director and CEO of the South Dakota Board of Regents before returning to Rhode Island. He was also an Associate Professor at Johnson & Wales University’s Educational Leadership Doctoral Program from 2015 to 2022. Dr. Warner holds an Ed.D. in Education Administration from Boston College, a Master of Education in Guidance and Psychological Services / Student Affairs Administration from Springfield College, and a BA in Psychology from the University of Vermont. Read more.
Santa Fe College has successfully appointed Dr. J. Nathaniel Southerland as their new Provost. Dr. Southerland has served in multiple leadership roles in higher education, including four and a half years as Provost at Coconino Community College in Flagstaff, Arizona, which followed five years as Associate Provost during his nine-year career in academic leadership at Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has led efforts in developing academic master plans and has launched multiple innovative academic programs. He understands that robust Liberal Arts and Career and Technical programs are vital to a well-rounded college experience, promotes the importance of dual enrollment programs to support a college-going culture, and has 20 years of teaching experience, including nearly a decade of experience as an adjunct in both community college and university settings. Most recently, Dr. Southerland served St. Johns River State College as Assistant Vice President for Workforce Development. Read more.
Central State University has successfully appointed Dr. Morakinyo A.O. Kuti as their new president. Dr. Kuti has been a member of the Central State Community since 1997, and has ascended the ranks from Grant Manager to most recently serving as the Vice President of Research and Economic Development and Director of the Land Grant Programs. As noted in the press release, "Under Kuti's leadership, Central State has achieved significant growth in external awards and has climbed the ranks in the National Science Foundation survey. This recognition is a testament to Kuti's ability to foster a culture of research and innovation within the university. By securing funding and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, Kuti has created an environment where faculty and students can thrive." Read more.
Stony Brook University has successfully appointed Mr. Adam Siepiola as their new Director of Development within the College of Business. Mr. Siepiola started his new role on February 5th. Mr. Siepiola comes to Stony Brook from Adelphi University, where he served as a major gift officer from 2017 to 2019, and then served as Director of Advancement from 2022 to 2024. Between those roles, he served as a major gift officer at Columbia University's School of Professional Studies. Mr. Siepiola earned his bachelor’s degree in Sports Studies at St. John Fisher College and his MBA from Adelphi University.
Quinnipiac University has successfully appointed Dr. Nadine Barnett Cosby as their new Dean of the School of Communications. Dr. Cosby will begin her new role on June 17th. Dr. Cosby comes to Quinnipiac from Iona University, where she has held a number of roles since 2011, including Founding Director of the Black Studies program, Assistant Provost/Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development, and, most recently, Associate Vice Provost. Dr. Cosby is also Associate Professor of Media & Strategic Communication at Iona. In addition to her academic experience, Dr. Cosby has worked in broadcasting at networks including ABC and Lifetime. She earned her bachelor’s in mass communications at CUNY Lehman College. She holds master’s degrees in organizational communications from Iona College and in media studies from The New School for Public Engagement. She earned her Ph.D. in communication from Regent University. Read more.