Apr 17, 2012

President Kennedy Announces New Academic Leadership Structure

President Robert A. Kennedy announced a new academic leadership structure at the Board of Regents, helping to streamline and strengthen academic affairs.

President Robert A. Kennedy today announced a new academic leadership structure at the Board of Regents for Higher Education, which will fulfill the statutory obligation to appoint two Vice Presidents, while helping to streamline and strengthen the academic affairs department within the central office. President Kennedy will ask the Board of Regents to approve Dr. David Levinson as the Vice President for Community Colleges, and Dr. Elsa Núñez as the Vice President for the State Universities. Dr. Levinson, who has been serving as the Interim Vice President for Community Colleges, as well as the President of Norwalk Community College, would continue in both roles. Dr. Núñez would perform a parallel role, remaining as the President of Eastern Connecticut State University, while assuming additional responsibilities as the Vice President for the State Universities. The Board of Regents will commence a search for an academic leader who will collaborate with both Drs. Levinson and Núñez and be the primary point person for academic issues concerning the community colleges, the state universities and Charter Oak State College. Dr. Louise Feroe, who had been serving as the Interim Vice President for the State Universities, has chosen to leave the Board of Regents to pursue other opportunities.

“As I’ve assembled my executive leadership team at the Board of Regents, it’s become clear to me that in order to break down the silos that exist in higher education, while still fulfilling the statutory obligation to appoint two Vice Presidents, this arrangement is a win-win,” said President Kennedy. “Dr. Levinson’s unique perspective as a campus president and his insight and guidance in his role as the Interim Vice President for the Community Colleges has been critical. I know that Dr. Núñez will contribute to our new organization in exactly the same way. Our new academic leader will work with both Drs. Levinson and Núñez and help to lead the implementation of the transfer and articulation proposal, streamline the academic approval process and help ensure our new organization maintains rigorous and robust academic standards and programs for the students we serve. I truly feel as though this new structure provides us with the best of both worlds – first-hand, on-campus insight and guidance, with an academic leader who will help the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (ConnSCU) thrive.

“I’d like to thank Dr. Feroe for her years of service to Connecticut, the former Connecticut State University System, and most recently, to the Board of Regents,” said President Kennedy. “It’s been a pleasure getting to know her and we all wish her the best in her future endeavors.”

Aside from making the academic department more efficient and responsive, this new leadership structure will allow additional funding to be redirected to the campuses for more faculty and direct student support service positions. This new structure will save approximately $450,000 in salary and benefit expenses that would have been incurred by the Board of Regents central office. This money is in addition to the more than $4 million in savings that President Kennedy has already identified through the elimination of central office administrative positions and other cost-cutting measures.