Dear Members of the Campus Community:

I am writing to inform you of actions taken by the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York at its meeting on June 25, 2012, concerning administrative positions within the Office of the President, Academic Affairs, Finance and Administration, and Institutional Advancement and External Affairs.

William J. Fritz has been appointed Interim President of the College of Staten Island effective August 15, 2012.  Dr. Fritz has served as Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs since 2008. CUNY’s previously issued announcement, Prominent Geologist Dr. William J. Fritz Named Interim President of the College of Staten Island, provides detailed information regarding this appointment.

Distinguished Professor Fred Naider has been named Interim Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective August 15, 2012. He will serve for up to two years with no immediate plans to initiate a search. Dr. Naider has a long and distinguished career at the College of Staten Island. He joined the faculty of the Chemistry Department in 1973 and quickly established an international reputation in the area of cell-cell communications, applying the tools of organic chemical synthesis, biophysical chemistry, and molecular biology in a highly complementary and synergistic fashion. His experiments have yielded fundamental insight into the transport of peptides through cell membranes and practical guidance in the design of antifungal drugs for human medicine.

In his time at CSI, Dr. Naider served as chair of the Chemistry Department, Acting Dean of Science and Technology, and has served on numerous College and University committees including the Chemistry Department Personnel and Budget Committee, as well as the Appointments Committee, Promotions Committee, and Commencement Committee. He also was co-chair of the Safety Committee, and chair of the PreMedical Advisory Committee. He chaired many search committees and co-chaired the Resource and Budget Advisory Committee. He is a member of The University Faculty Advisory Committee to the Faculty Senate, the Finance Committee of the Research Foundation, and the Board of the Research Foundation of CUNY. In addition, he chaired the 2009 CUNY Nobel Science Challenge Essay Competition in Physiology and Medicine. He also serves on numerous national advisory boards.

Dr. Naider has received many grants in support of his research, and his National Institutes of Health grant has been continually supported for more than 35 years. He has been invited to speak at universities and symposia on a national and international level and has given invited lectures in California, Florida, New York, Italy, and Israel.

Dr. Naider was awarded the President’s Medal in 2010 in recognition of his exceptional and longstanding commitment to the College and community. He holds a BChE and an MS in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University, and a PhD in Polymer Chemistry from the Polytechnic Institute.

Following a nationwide search, Mr. Stephen J. Brennan has been appointed as the new Assistant Vice President for Campus Planning and Facilities, effective July 2, 2012. Mr. Brennan has more than 20 years of progressive experience with oversight of staff, budget, operations, and facilities, including over ten years in higher education. Prior to coming to CSI, Mr. Brennan served as the Director of Facilities at Pratt Institute, where he managed the Brooklyn and Manhattan campuses. While at Pratt, Mr. Brennan initiated a 100-percent recycling program, reducing costs by 20 percent, and introduced technology through the implementation of a Web-based work order tracking and inventory system. He has extensive experience in HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) and physical plant services. Mr. Brennan also developed a deferred maintenance budget and managed Pratt’s capital budget. He was instrumental in the development of a 140,000-square-foot LEED gold building, and a 40,000-square-foot design center building.

Due to increased job duties and responsibilities associated with managing the most comprehensive array of enrollment offices and student cohorts within the CUNY system, the position of Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management has been reclassified to the position of Vice President of Enrollment Management. Accordingly, I am pleased to announce that Mary Beth Reilly has been appointed as Vice President, effective June 26, 2012. Ms. Reilly’s service with the College of Staten Island began in 2000 when she was hired as Director of Recruitment and Admissions, and she has served as Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management since 2008.

Barbara Eshoo, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and External Affairs, has announced that she will be leaving her employment with CSI. Dr. Kenneth Boyden, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement and External Affairs, has been named Acting Vice President, effective June 26, 2012. Please join me in thanking Barbara for her dedicated service to the faculty, staff, students, and the Staten Island community as we wish her well in her future endeavors.

Please also join me in congratulating William J. Fritz, Fred Naider, Stephen Brennan, Mary Beth Reilly, and Kenneth Boyden on their respective appointments.

Sincerely,

Tomás D. Morales, PhD

President