As 2024 begins and a new academic term commences, I write with information about staffing changes at the College.
Effective Monday, Jan. 8, the Office of Academic Affairs welcomed Dr. Carey Manifold as our new Interim Assistant Provost for Student Success. Most recently at Kingsborough Community College, where she served as Interim Assistant Dean for Advising, Dr. Manifold will provide leadership to units including ACE, ASAP, BMI, CAAS, OAS, and SEEK. Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and serving on the Provost’s Council, Dr. Manifold will advance efforts related to student persistence, retention, success, and graduation. We would like to thank Dr. Ralf Peetz for his work in leading these operations for the past several years, and to congratulate him for his recent appointment as Dean of Science and Technology.
Also, effective Tuesday, Jan. 16, the Office of Academic Affairs will welcome Dr. Laxmi Ramasubramanian as our new Associate Provost for Faculty Success. Most recently at San José State University, where she has served as both Interim Associate Dean for Research in the College of Social Sciences and the Chair of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Dr. Ramasubramanian will be responsible for supporting faculty in their research, scholarship, creative activities, and teaching. In this capacity, Dr. Ramasubramanian will provide leadership to the Animal Research Facility, the Office of Sponsored Programs, and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development. Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and serving on the Provost’s Council, Dr. Ramasubramanian will ensure that faculty and staff flourish at the College of Staten Island. We would like to thank the hiring committee, led by Dean Sarolta Takács, for their efforts in the search process.
We also want to thank Dr. Jonathan Wesley for his contributions as Executive Chief Diversity Officer and inaugural Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Belonging, as he will be departing CSI this week. In his 12 months in the role, Dr. Wesley advanced several important initiatives and made lasting contributions that will lead to significant structural and institutional change for our campus and our system. His work on campus climate assessment and improvement initiatives, including interfacing with agencies and departments external to CSI, was impressive. His leadership of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion allowed for meaningful progress on several fronts, including an enhanced sense of belonging for our workforce and for our students, and important advances in our hiring practices. We are grateful for his many contributions over the past year, and wish him the very best in his new endeavors. With Dr. Wesley’s departure, BMI/Men’s Center will report to the Office of Academic Affairs (as noted above), the Center for Accessibility Services and the LGBTQIA+ Resource Center will report to the Division of Student Affairs and Strategic Initiatives, while the Office of Title IX and Institutional Equity will report to the Chief of Staff.
Speaking of the Chief of Staff, it is my great pleasure to congratulate Jessica Collura for her permanent appointment to this role. In so doing, she will oversee the Offices of Public Safety, Communications and Marketing, and Human Resources, the latter office to be led by HR Director, Manuela Alongi. Congratulations to Jessica and Manuela!
Please join me in welcoming our new colleagues and wishing all listed here the very best in their new roles.
By Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
