April 14, 2021

To the Campus Community:

Today I am announcing a number of changes in our organizational structure.

Effective immediately, Dr. Laura Joseph will become Provost and Senior Vice President. Mr. Gregory O’Connor will become Executive Vice President and CFO. Both Greg and Laura have performed in exemplary fashion and richly deserve the upgrades to their titles.

In addition, retirements in the Office for Institutional Advancement, coupled with some notable trends in higher education, present an opportunity to reconsider our organizational structure. To that end, we will soon begin a national search for a Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Engagement. This newly created position will oversee enrollment management and student engagement functions to deliver a more seamless experience to our students and better engage them in ways that bolster student success.

Further, as part of our commitment to remain one of SUNY’s most diverse and inclusive campuses, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will become a separate office apart from the current Student Affairs structure. Dr. Kevin Jordan will head the newly reformed Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as the Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer. He will assume responsibility for some functional areas that now fall under Academics, Student Affairs and Administration. Our campus continues to become more diverse. Kevin has been pivotal to our DEI initiatives. I look forward to expanding the work of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion which will support a more engaging environment for students, faculty and staff and ensure that all members of our community are welcomed and valued.

As Dr. Michael Goodstone has decided to return to faculty in the fall, the position of Associate Provost will also be filled through a national search. This position includes service as the Middle States Accreditation Liaison Officer and direct oversight of various areas within the Provost’s Office. I want to thank Michael for his many invaluable contributions to academic administration and the College more broadly.

Finally, for the last year I have periodically expanded the number of individuals who attend Cabinet meetings as we navigated many issues, most notably the challenges presented by COVID. It has been helpful to hear from multiple areas and I expect to continue the practice of convening an expanded cabinet on a regular basis to fully leverage the skills and talent of our extraordinary campus staff.

John Nader
President