A full copy of the report can be found here.

The Law School

Despite the challenging environment for law schools nationwide, Fordham Law has maintained the quality of its student body and has seen clear improvements in graduates’ initial employment placement experience. The Law School is ranked No. 34 in US News & World Report, up two points from the previous year and four points from 2013. The evening program was ranked No. 3 out of 85 such programs across the country.

The Law School—which moved into its new home in fall 2014—saw several curricular changes in 2014-15. First-year curriculum expanded to include an additional doctrinal course and an additional writing intensive course. The faculty worked collaboratively to craft and implement five upper-level concentrations and approved a new two-year advanced-standing JD offering for international students who have obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) from a US law school.

In addition, two new Master of Studies in Law degrees—corporate compliance and fashion law—began admitting students in spring 2016.

The Law School welcomed its new dean, Matthew Diller, former dean of Cardozo Law, who began serving in the 2015-16 academic year.

Goals for 2015-16:

• Continue work on curricular reform
• Expand non-JD programs, including executive education and distance learning
• Develop programs to complement traditional strengths pedagogically and programmatically

Graduate School of Social Service

At 1,522 students, GSS maintains the highest traditional Master of Social Work (MSW) student enrollment in the nation—approximately three times higher than the average size of other social work schools.

Enrollment in the online MSW program both increased and diversified in 2014-15. The program now includes an option for non-matriculated students and welcomed its first advanced-standing students in January 2015. The faculty approved a full-time option for the online MSW program (previously there had only been a part-time option).

The Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership degree, a partnership between GSS and the Gabelli School of Business, launched in August 2014. It is the first joint graduate-level program at Fordham and the first in the nation to merge a social service and business curriculum with a social justice emphasis. Also in fall 2014, GSS enrolled its first students in the new MSW/Master’s in Public Health with Mount Sinai.

GSS has successfully increased funding from external research grants and contracts. Fiscal year 2015 saw 25 awards totaling $3.2 million and multi-year funding totaling $9 million.

NASA astronaut and visiting GSS professor Yvonne Cagle, MD has been working with faculty from multiple Fordham departments and schools as part of the ongoing Interdisciplinary Collaborative in Health, Environment, and Human Performance to research long-duration space exploration.

Goals for 2015-16:

• Develop plans for expansion of the MS in Nonprofit Leadership program with a possible hybrid option
• Expand online course and program options with particular emphasis on inter-professional programs
• Anchor curriculum and program changes within a comprehensive strategic planning process and in relation to current market forces and student learning outcomes
• Develop a comprehensive plan in coordination with Development and University Relations for the school’s centennial celebration, with a priority on involving and engaging GSS alumni

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

After many years of serving GSAS with distinction, Dean Nancy Busch, PhD, stepped down and Eva Badowska, PhD, associate professor of English and interim dean, was appointed to the position in July 2015.

GSAS has been working to “de-couple” its various doctoral programs from master’s programs in the same or related disciplines in order to 1) re-envision these programs as serving distinct goals and diverse students populations and 2) develop a different mix of programs at the master’s level.

The school is also initiating innovative and marketable master’s programs, among them an MS in clinical research methods (Department of Psychology) and an MA in public media (Department of Communication and Media Studies). The school also submitted for approval from the New York State Education Department a new MS program in data analytics (Department of Computer and Information Sciences).

The launch of GSAS Futures an initiative co-sponsored by GSAS and the Graduate Student Association, was just one of GSAS’s efforts to meet the professional needs of its students. GSAS Futures readies students for careers both within and outside of academia by offering: development seminars; leadership programs and training in new technologies; academic and collaborative careers and skill-building workshops; and networking, career planning, and mentoring.

Highlights of 2015-16 goals:

• Begin GSAS portion of Continuous University Strategic Planning (CUSP) process
• Undertake thorough review of GSAS functions and processes as part of the reorganization of the Arts and Sciences area
• Partner with PCS to move the MS in cybersecurity into GSAS
• In collaboration with the Graduate School of Social Service and the Gabelli School of Business, develop and submit the new program in healthcare administration for NYSED approval
• Work to develop additional new program ideas, including an MA in global history (Department of History), an MA in international security and advanced certificate in polling (Department of Political Science), and master’s degrees in sustainable development and in behavioral economics (Department of Economics)

Graduate School of Education

GSE successfully completed its search for a new dean, appointing Virginia Roach, EdD, formerly dean of the Graduate School of Education at Bank Street College of Education in New York City, in July 2015.

For the first time in GSE’s history, all of its professional preparation programs are accredited or have recognized status by their professional associations. In addition, GSE submitted evaluation reports to 22 specialty professional associations (SPA), which periodically evaluate professional programs that lead to state certification. GSE submitted evaluation reports to these SPAs for its teacher education, leadership preparation, and advanced certificate school psychology programs, all of which yielded positive results. These evaluations were important prerequisites in advance of GSE’s NCATE/CAEP review in April 2016.

Continuing its stellar record of scholarship, GSE faculty produced 28 books and book chapters, 17 scholarly articles, 29 international presentations, 23 national presentations, and 11 regional, state, and local presentations.

GSE enters its 100th anniversary year having made significant contributions to Fordham and to the wider world, and is poised to rise to the challenges and opportunities that awaits in its second century of service.

Goals for 2015-16:

• Make a successful transition in leadership that allows for development of a set of GSE-wide goals and specific goals put forward by the divisions and programs
• Increase enrollment through strategies and tactics determined by the new dean and leadership team

Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education

After three years of work, GRE had the highest revenues in its history, reflecting a growth of 1.4 percent in 2014-15 and 16.8 percent over the last three years, and has improved the overall quality of its students and programs. In 2015, GRE had one of its three largest graduating classes in its history.

A new Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program was approved and is growing rapidly. Two new online programs that were launched in the previous year have generated 7 percent growth in online enrollments. GRE has applied for accreditation from the Master’s in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) for its master’s in pastoral counseling, which has important implications for enrollment. The application process is ongoing.

Over the next five to seven years, the school is on track to grow a stable population of students ranging from 275 to 300 without having to increase fixed costs. Overall, GRE is positioned for growth and becoming a focal point for new, collaborative programs within both Fordham and the broader Jesuit and Catholic world.

Goals for 2015-16

• Complete the implementation of the new admissions plan
• Achieve MPCAC accreditation
• Continue momentum generated toward forming a clear and cohesive identity as a school
• Review the PhD program in religious education
• Pursue program development that requires cooperation with the other Fordham schools and new external relationships

READ THE FULL REPORT.

Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH): Enrollment 3,649 (fall 2013)

During 2013, Fordham College at Rose Hill focused on four goals, two of which were advancing the University’s Jesuit mission and improving recruitment, advising, and retention of students.

The college collaborated more with the Jesuit Community and University Mission and Ministry, expanded service learning, and began a spring break “Urban Immersion” service experience. Eight core and elective courses with a Bronx-based service learning dimension were offered.

Science programs expanded, with Fordham’s membership in the Bronx Science Consortium giving students research opportunities at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and The New York Botanical Garden. Also, 315 students and 95 faculty mentors took part in the Undergraduate Research Symposium.

International programs in Pretoria and London enjoyed strong participation, and a pre-health study-abroad program began at Javeriana University in Cali, Colombia.

Pre-law enrollment increased and student interest surged in pre-health education.

The college offered “Faculty E-Grants” to promote digital instruction of liberal arts courses, an initiative that continues this year.

By the numbers, FCRH saw an average SAT of 1265, a minority percentage of 24.5 and a 25 percent increase in international enrollment.

Gabelli School of Business: Enrollment 2,001 (fall 2013)

Among the Gabelli School’s priorities for 2013-14 were globalization, personal and professional development, and pedagogical innovation, all within the philosophy of “business with a purpose.

Applications for the new program in global business at Lincoln Center surpassed expectations, and the inaugural class yielded an average SAT score of 1310. There was higher enrollment of Gabelli School students at the Fordham London Centre, new study tours were added in Tokyo and Turkey, and 30 percent more students reported some kind of international experience.

The school strengthened its hiring pipeline among mid-tier and smaller firms, and 75 percent of 2014 graduates received an employment or academic admission offer.

Innovations in teaching included more consulting-style projects and business simulations. The school also joined with Stanford University to develop the University’s first MOOC (massive open online course).

By the numbers, the Gabelli School saw an average SAT of 1277 and a minority percentage of 27, and rose two points to No. 38 in Bloomberg’s Businessweek rankings.

Fordham College at Lincoln Center: Enrollment, 1,765 (fall 2013)

Fordham College at Lincoln Center expanded students’ research activities and exposure to the neighboring community. It offered a new Arts and Research Showcase for students, a career fair, and the pre-business council, all which demonstrate the value of a liberal arts degree.

The college developed new performance opportunities at Jazz at Lincoln Center. The college also began preparing for new majors in new media and digital design and in humanitarian studies, and several faculty positions were approved to support the influx of new students. Applications to the college grew 57 percent, to 12,260.

The FCLC Mock Trial team placed 2nd among 15 in regional competition, and the student-run Observer newspaper took several awards from the New York Press Association.

By the numbers, FCLC saw an average SAT of 1240, a minority percentage of 41, and a 30 percent increase in international enrollment.

Fordham School of Professional and Continuing Studies: Enrollment, 950 (fall 2013)

Enrollment grew at the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, particularly among veterans, who now make up 25 percent of the student body. Eight percent are in the post-baccalaureate pre-med/pre-health program, a new growth area.

The school prepared for the fall 2014 launch of its first graduate-degree program, a master’s in cybersecurity.

Under the auspices of the Graduate School of Social Service, the school has a collaborative agreement that will allow undergraduates from China Youth University to complete the undergraduate social work curriculum and receive a bachelor’s degree. The school is also fostering stronger collaboration with other Fordham schools to develop new projects.

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of articles on academics from the 2011-2012 Annual Report of the Office of the Provost to be published in Inside Fordham, this issue focusing on undergraduate education.

The 2010-2011 Annual Report for the Office of the Provost highlights the accomplishments of the academic units of the University and provides a detailed account of the state of the schools. It lays the foundation for achieving the academic priorities of the provost for the 2011-2012 academic year, which emphasize the vision for a global curriculum, partnerships (in particular, the development of a Bronx Science Consortium), academic programming, academic financial planning, and faculty capacity and research, among others.

During its first year of operations, the Office of the Provost implemented the initial phase of integrated academic budget planning, focusing on the alignment of resources with the University’s mission, strategic goals, and assessment. It also supported the successful completion of the Middle States Periodic Review Report, which highlights assessment of student learning outcomes and mission integration at all levels of academic planning. The Office of the Provost and the academic departments also made significant progress on a broad range of initiatives supporting the University’s strategic vision articulated in Toward 2016, which focus on academic rigor and quality. Though the University pursues academic excellence for its own sake, one intended effect of these efforts is for Fordham to rank in the top 25 nationally in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” rankings. The 2012 edition ranks Fordham at 53, an improvement from 56 in 2011 and significantly, an improvement from 84th place in 2002.

Graduate education featured prominently in the annual report on academics for 2009-2010. Overall, the year was one of growth and reorganization in the graduate and professional schools. The fall 2010 semester began with a new dean of the faculty of business; a new dean of the Graduate School of Business Administration; and an interim dean at the School of Law.

The University launched a number of new graduate programs and initiatives in 2009-2010 that strengthened research and curriculum, increased the number and breadth of Fordham’s international partnerships, and enhanced faculty development.

New Degree and Certificate Programs

Fordham continued to develop new degree and certificate programs in 2009-2010.

The Graduate School of Social Service (GSS) received approval for an online master of social work program, the first of its kind in the region. Marketing for the program begins in January 2011, with the first cohort enrolled for September 2011. This pro­gram integrates GSS’s new curriculum foci of human rights and social justice. With the support of JesuitNET, the University’s partner in developing online programs, the development of the online MSW program capitalizes on the knowledge and expertise of GSS faculty and administrators as well as on the staff and infrastructure of Fordham’s Instructional and Technology Academic Computing division.

The Graduate School of Business Administration (GBA) celebrated the successful launch of its new Master of Science in Global Finance (MSGF) program, offered in cooperation with Peking University. GBA also signed an agreement with Shanghai University of Finance and Economics to establish a joint program, and launched a dual degree executive MBA program with Kadir Has University in Turkey. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) received approval for three new programs: a Master of Arts in Applied Psychological Methods (in collaboration with the Graduate School of Education); a Master of Arts in International Humanitarian Action (in collaboration with the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs); and an Advanced Certificate in Financial Computing (to serve GBA students).

Also during 2009-2010, the Law School received approval for a Master’s (LLM) in International and Comparative Law and a Doctor of Juridical Sciences (SJD). Targeted toward international students, the SJD will enhance the school’s academic environment and international reputation.

Academic Partnerships, Affiliations, and Centers

Fordham continued the expansion of academic partnerships, affiliations and centers of research and service in the 2009-2010 year, with an emphasis on international programs. These include GBA’s partnerships with Peking University and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, and the GSAS’s International Political Economy and Development Emerging Markets program with the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

The University also expanded its partnerships and affiliations at the local, regional and national level. GSE’s Partnership Support Organization (PSO) network was designated as a Children First Network under the new City of New York Department of Education organizational model. As a result of 100 percent satisfaction ratings by currently participating schools, the number of schools in the GSE network increased from 10 to 17 during the year, and GSE anticipates expansion to 24 schools in the coming year. A GSE partnership with two New York City school districts and the Council of Supervisors and Administrators re­sulted in a successful New York State Education Department grant supporting the preparation of urban school leaders. Fordham was one of only six institutions statewide to receive the grant, thereby establishing the Bilingual Education/English as a Second Language Teacher Leadership Academy last April. The school’s two Bilingual Education Technical Assistance Centers continued to provide technical assistance and professional development in English language learning to more than 300 schools in the Bronx and in Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam counties. With these partnerships, GSE continued in its development of innovative, cutting-edge programs that are responsive to educational reform efforts in New York City and the country.

GBA’s W. Edward Deming Memorial Conference benefited from partnerships with the Aspen Institute’s Center for Business Education and the United Nations’ Principles of Responsible Management Education Initiative. The daylong conference was titled “MBA Under Siege: Reimagining Management Education,” and brought together key academics with global reputations.

GRE took a leading role in the formation of the AJCU Conference on Pastoral, Theological, and Ministerial Education. The conference involved 12 Jesuit universities and focused on sharing resources and developing creative programs in pastoral and theological leadership. GRE worked in partnership with the Archdiocese of New York and the American Bible Society to co-sponsor a national colloquium on the outcomes of Pope Benedict XVI’s Synod of Bishops as it pertained to the Bible. In addition, GRE continues its strong participation in the University’s Latino/a programs sponsored by the Latin American and Latino Studies Institute, as well as initiating partnerships with the American Bible Society and the Pastoral Life Center in 2009-2010.

The Center for Ethics Education (CEE) formalized its work with St. Barnabas Hospital (SBH) through an agreement establishing SBH as a practicum site for the CEE’s M.A. in Ethics and Society program and involvement of an SBH physician as an instructor in the program. The Center for Urban Ecology in the Department of Biological Sciences will support research and training programs, as well as promote collaboration among scientists at Fordham and regional institutions such as the New York Botanical Garden and the Wildlife Conservation Society/Bronx Zoo.

New centers include the Law School’s Fashion Law Institute. A first-of-its-kind initiative, the Institute will establish a position of preeminence for the school in the city’s second largest industry, enhance the strength of the school’s intellectual property program (a focus of its strategic plan) and be of tremendous help in assisting graduates in search of jobs.

GBA established the Global Healthcare Innovation Management Center “to conduct independent research and training in the management of the global innovation process in pharmaceuticals and healthcare delivery systems.” In addition, GBA established the Center for Research in Contemporary Finance. The mission of this center is to “conduct research and provide continuous discourse on contemporary challenges and developments in the financial industry, with a view to bringing together diverse participants of the industry and to providing meaningful guidance to policy makers.” It will do so in the context of Fordham’s fundamental Jesuit philosophy of critical analysis, ethics and social justice.

GSS and GBA launched the Center for Nonprofit Leaders, which has brought about a new focus on interdisciplinary collaborations. The center, which provides a low-cost opportunity for managers of small nonprofits to improve their ability to provide ethical, competent service to very vulnerable populations, included an intensive executive training program on three Saturdays in April, and a year of free mentoring for students by top-level agency executives.

Student Academic Development

In the last year, Fordham has seen tremendous growth in student research, underlining the University’s commitment to increasing research opportunities at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

GSAS students continued to be deeply involved in research, publishing two edited books (theology and English), 52 papers, chapters, short stories, and poems and presented 137 papers at professional conferences in 2009-2010. The annual GSAS Communitas celebration included a GSAS student research competition featuring 33 posters and seven videos, and a panel of 10 student judges was mentored by two GSAS alumni for a preliminary round of the competition. The New York Botanical Garden continued to provide partial support for a Ph.D. student in biological sciences, who subsequently received a Fulbright Scholarship to support his research.

Noteworthy Student Achievements

This year the University had its first Cambridge University International Scholars Ph.D. Award, to Mohammad Usmani, FCLC ’10, whose candidacy was supported by The St. Edmund Campion Institute for the Advancement of Intellectual Excellence.

Other graduate program successes included a team of GBA students defeating 15 other schools to win the prestigious New York Society of Security Analysts Annual Investment Research Challenge; the second annual Fordham Business Plan Competition being won by GBA student Stefani Gartenberg; and exceptional placement at regional, national and international competitions by the Law School’s Dispute Resolution, Moot Court, and Moore Advocates teams. This year, law students received 11 prestigious fellowships and awards (almost three times the number of the previous year).

GSAS students received 57 prestigious national and international awards, including Fulbright Scholarships to students in biological sciences, international political economy and development, law and history. Other prestigious awards include the American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship to a student in clinical psychology;the Boren Fellowship to an IPED student; and Folger Library Awards to two students in graduate English, among many other awards.

Faculty Development

In the graduate and professional schools, faculty renewal and development comprised a broad range of initiatives over the past year. In the schools of business, for example, faculty scholarship was enhanced through an expanded number of fellowships and summer research fellowships; and two new centers were launched to support research in contemporary finance and global healthcare management.

The Office of Research initiated a new Fordham Research Grant program to provide summer research stipends. A rigorous application process focused on demonstrated research activity resulted in a successful first year with the receipt of 26 applications and nine awards. Focused on providing initial funding for pilot research, the program will utilize a new process that tracks the efficacy of the initial research in terms of published scholarship and external grants. The regular Fordham Re­search Grant program received 85 applications; 43 were funded. New external grant applications increased 28 percent and new external funding awards increased 83 percent over the 2009-2010 levels.

A digital humanities working group was established to develop cross-disciplinary dialogue among digital humanities scholars, librarians, computer science faculty, and information technologists at Fordham.

Online Learning Initiatives

Fordham’s online learning initiative continued to develop and expand with GSS’s online MSW, Fordham College of Liberal Studies’ renewed focus on online courses, and Summer Session’s interest in expanding its online offerings. GRE’s three online programs accounted for 25 percent of its overall enrollment, with the master’s in pastoral care showing strong growth as the programs moved to eight-week terms. Additional systematic online learning opportunities are also being considered by the School of Law and the Graduate School of Education.

With the increased interest in online learning, the graduate schools continued to work with JesuitNET and the University’s distance learning task force to outline a scalable internal infrastructure to support both full-fledged programs as well as individual course development. The infrastructure will take into account the specialized needs of students in online courses. As part of the infrastructure development and to ensure that online resources are effective academically and financially, processes and models that provide critical information necessary to understanding program growth and how to plan additional online activity are being developed. The JesuitNET-delivered Competency Assessment in Distributed Education (CADE) workshop for faculty developing online courses is proving to be an excellent pedagogical tool, as it directly connects learning outcomes and assessment with course content and assignments.

Development of International Initiatives

The graduate schools of the University continued to build upon international partnerships and programmatic development with a focus in three key locations: London, Beijing and Pretoria. These initiatives are natural gateways for the future growth and direction of Fordham’s presence on the international educational scene.

Asia

The graduate and professional schools, working with the Office of the Provost and the Office of International Initiatives, continued to develop a cohesive strategy to link University programs to other worldwide learning opportunities for students in China in 2009-2010. The BiMBA program in Beijing, now in its second decade, provides a gateway to Asia for Fordham, which expanded this key collaboration with the National School of Development within Peking University in 2009-2010 with the launch of its master of science in global finance. A grant for $1 million from the NASDAQ OMX Educational Foundation will help to fund the program in its first three years, and Fordham’s relationship with NASDAQ will allow the University to expand opportunities for international education, especially in the burgeoning China market.

Fordham and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE) concluded an agreement for a joint program under which SUFE will recruit suitable candidates for Fordham’s MBA. Prospective students will receive language and pre-MBA training from SUFE prior to their application to Fordham. This agreement will increase the pool of well-equipped international applicants and enrich the educational experience for all students enrolled in the program.

Fordham also established a new affiliation with Wuhan University that will facilitate faculty and student exchange and research collaboration.

At the School of Law, the Institute for the Rule of Law in Asia, housed in the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice, provided opportunities for lawyers outside of China to support Chinese colleagues in their quest to establish the rule of law, with the support and commitment of the Chinese government.

The Korea Exchange Agreement finalized in 2008-2009 between South Korea’s Ministry of Justice and Fordham Law was further developed over the past academic year. The agreement marks Korea’s first such initiative in the United States.

Africa

The development of Fordham’s agreement with the University of Pretoria (UP), completed in 2008-2009, has considerably strengthened Fordham’s growing presence in Africa. In 2009-2010, the provost traveled to South Africa to meet with senior administrators, faculty, business leaders and government officials to discuss initiatives designed to expand this critical partnership. Nancy Busch, Ph.D., dean of GSAS, also met with UP officials in South Africa to explore further partnerships in economics, urban studies, theology, psychology, research, entrepreneurship and community engagement.

James Hennessy, Ph.D., dean of GSE, visited Pretoria last spring and discussed possible plans with his counterpart there, as did the dean of GSS, Peter Vaughan, Ph.D. Michael Latham, Ph.D., dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill, similarly visited the University of Pretoria to build new relationships and plan for shared programs and faculty and student exchange opportunities, particularly in the areas of international affairs, international political economy, economics and political science.

In May 2010, the inaugural cohort of South African students arrived in New York to attend a five-week program sponsored by Fordham’s International Political Economy and Development program and to earn certificates in the Emerging Markets and Country Risk Analysis Program.

The 10 UP students were co-sponsored by the consul general of South Africa in New York. This exchange complements the trips taken by Fordham students to South Africa in August 2008 and 2009.

At the School of Law, the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice’s 2010 Crowley Project focused on the difficulties women face in securing adequate housing in urban areas in Tanzania. In May, Fordham Law professors were joined by seven students to conduct field work in consultation with non-governmental organizations in Tanzania, and their report will be distributed internationally. The nations of Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi, and Sierra Leone are also part of the Leitner clinic’s focus countries in Africa. The clinic works in partnership with non-governmental organizations and law schools on international human rights projects ranging from legal and policy analysis, fact-finding and report writing, to human rights training and capacity-building, and public interest litigation.

South America

South America is another important area in the development of Fordham’s international partnerships. During the coming year, the University will make further efforts to improve existing exchange agreements with current partners in Mexico and Brazil.
The School of Law has expanded international judicial internship and externship opportunities, which provide law students the opportunity to work with world-renowned jurists, to include placements with the high courts of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. The Leitner Clinic also plans to expand its human rights focus to Latin America.

Academic Leadership Development

The Office of the Provost planned and oversaw an important series of decanal transitions beginning in 2008-2009, which continued to evolve this past academic year.

John P. Harrington, Ph.D., was appointed dean of the faculty of arts and sciences, with a mandate to strengthen undergraduate education and the role of arts and sciences at the University. In his first year, Harrington has collaborated with the deans of FCRH, FCLC, GSAS and FCLS in producing significant achievements in curricular revision and renewal, in faculty growth in scholarship and teaching, and in integrated strategic planning and communication.

David A. Gautschi, Ph.D., was appointed dean of GBA in July 2010. Gautschi came to Fordham from the Lally School of Management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he served since 2005 as dean and professor of marketing and business economics and as acting director of the Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship. Donna Rapaccioli, Ph.D., dean of the Gabelli School of Business, was named dean of the faculty of the schools of business and assumed direct responsibility for a unified business faculty in July 2010. Rapaccioli is working closely with Gautschi to advance research and high-level teaching skills among a diverse faculty of 200 scholars and industry experts.

This year Michael M. Martin was named interim dean of the School of Law. An expert in the fields of torts, civil procedure, evidence, and conflicts of law, Martin served as associate dean from 1995 to 2001 and has twice since served as associate dean for administration. A search committee was appointed in summer 2010, and the national search for the dean’s position began in the fall.

Graduate and Adult Admission Council

The Graduate and Adult Admission Council (GAAC), a shared endeavor of the graduate and professional schools, the Office of the Provost, the Enrollment Group, and IT, completed its second full year of work. The council expanded its collaboration through the formation of four subcommittees whose memberships include not only GAAC members but staff from the Law School, the Office of International Services, the Institute of American Language and Culture, Marketing and Communications, Institutional Research, and International Admission – Undergraduates. In addition, GAAC also worked with Career Services and the Office of Legal Counsel on specific projects and policies.

The Year Ahead

Fordham’s graduate and professional schools have made significant progress toward strengthening the academic life of the University in the past year. As the University moves toward the goals of prominence and preeminence as stated in Toward 2016, the schools will continue to align their individual goals and priorities with those of the University.

The search for a dean of the School of Law is among the highest priorities in graduate education this year. Likewise, the graduate and professional schools will continue to emphasize and invest in growth at Fordham Westchester.

In collaboration with the Office of the Provost, schools will also continue to focus on international initiatives and University partnerships and developing and supporting innovative curricular programs.