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.
Oakton College has successfully appointed Ms. Michele Roberts as their new Vice President of Administrative Affairs. Bringing a robust background in higher education finance, Ms. Roberts recently managed a $130 million annual operating fund portfolio as the vice chancellor of Administration and Finance for the Ivy Tech Community College system. Overseeing four campuses, she led the finance, HR, facilities and IT departments. Ms. Roberts holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Iowa, a bachelor's degree in Accounting from Western Governors University, and a Juris Doctorate and an MBA from Indiana University. In her role at Oakton, Ms. Roberts will oversee business and finance functions, encompassing budget services, purchasing, facilities, police, emergency management, risk management, auxiliary services and IT. Additionally, she will offer strategic analysis and counsel for the College's business operations, supporting multi-year planning. Read more.
California State University Monterey Bay has successfully appointed Ms. Tara Hughes as their new Chief Information Officer. Ms. Hughes brings over 10 years of IT experience within the California State University System and since 2021 has served as the Chief Information Officer at California State University Maritime Academy. In addition, as noted in the campus announcement, "She is active within the broader higher education IT community and serves on the Board of Directors for EDUCAUSE and was elected by fellow CIOs to serve on the Executive Council for the CSU CIO Council. She received a National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Virtual Innovation Award in 2021 and a Strategic Initiatives Award for looking at how AI could improve retention in 2019." Ms. Hughes holds a Bachelor of Arts in Counseling from The Master’s University in Santa Clarita and a Master’s in Public Administration from Cal State, San Bernardino.
Florida Institute of Technology has named Dr. John Z. Kiss as its next Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dr. Kiss will join Florida Tech on May 1st. Since 2016, Dr. Kiss has served as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of biology at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Kiss’s research focuses on the gravitational and space biology of plants. He has published 128 peer-reviewed papers, most co-authored with his students. He also has been invited to present seminars based on his research at universities throughout the U.S. and in 14 other countries. Kiss served as dean of the Graduate School at the University of Mississippi from 2012-16. He was on the faculty of Miami University from 1993 to 2012 where he was a university distinguished professor and chair of the Botany Department. He holds a B.S. in biology from Georgetown University and a Ph.D. in botany and plant physiology from Rutgers University. In 2014, Kiss received the NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal “for exceptional contributions in spaceflight research in the fundamental biology of plants in support of NASA’s exploration mission.” In 2021, he received the International Cooperation Medal from the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), and asteroid Kiss 8267 was named in his honor. Read more.
Augustana College has successfully appointed Dr. Gauri Pitale as their new Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Dr. Pitale will begin her new role on February 29th. Dr. Pitale comes to Augustana from 3 years as Associate Dean of Students for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Bridgewater College. She has extensive experience in DEI programming and in the advising of student clubs and organizations. Previously, Dr. Pitale served as assistant professor in the department of life sciences at Ivy Tech Community College. She earned her bachelor’s in ancient Indian culture at St. Xavier’s College (University of Mumbai), Mumbai, India. She holds master’s degrees in biological anthropology from Southern Illinois University and in ancient Indian culture, history and archaeology from Deccan College (Deemed University), Pune, India. She earned her Ph.D. in medical anthropology from Southern Illinois University. Read more.
Boston Architectural College has sucessfully appointed Mr. William "Bill" Judge as the new Vice President of Finance and Administration. He will begin at The BAC on January 16, 2024. Bill's distinguished career includes over 30 years of impactful leadership roles where his accomplishments in financial management and strategic planning have been truly commendable. Currently the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer at the World Wide Web Consortium, Inc. (W3C) in Cambridge, MA, he oversees budget development, financial planning, and performance for the international consortium. Previously, he played a crucial role at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), leading the transition of W3C to an independent legal entity. Bill has also held senior leadership positions at Brown University, Episcopal Divinity School, University of Massachusetts President's Office, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, and Massachusetts Microelectronics Center, where he consistently demonstrated expertise in financial administration, human resources, information technology, and facilities management, making significant contributions to the success of the organizations he has served. As Vice President of Finance and Administration, Bill will play a pivotal role in shaping and guiding the BAC’s financial strategies and administrative functions. His strategic approach and financial acumen will ensure the sound financial health of the college while also supporting The BAC’s ongoing commitment to fostering an environment where students can thrive and excel in the dynamic and evolving fields of design and architecture. Expressing his excitement about becoming a part of the BAC, Bill stated, "I am honored to join The Boston Architectural College and support the community's deep commitment to its mission of diversifying the design professions. I am excited to contribute to the BAC's growth phase and collaborate with an exceptionally talented team for continued success."