Provost Ritter Appoints Faculty Center Task Force

Syracuse University Vice Chancellor and Provost Gretchen Ritter today announced the members of the Faculty Center Task Force.

At the beginning of the 2022 spring semester, the Syracuse University Office of Admissions relocated from the first floor of Crouse Hinds Hall to 401 University Place, the Goldstein Alumni and Faculty Center. This move provides a location for a Welcome Center that is close to a campus gateway, warm and hospitable for guests and more convenient for visitors. In January, Provost Ritter and Vice President Pete Sala announced availability of the Faculty Commons in Bird Library and the availability of temporary alternative dining options for faculty while the Faculty Center Task Force begins its work.

The task force will assess the faculty’s needs for convening and dining space. In charging the task force, Provost Ritter said, “I would like the task force to assess historic use data from the Goldstein facility, survey the faculty about their aspirations, study peer institutions’ facilities of this kind, and evaluate options that exist within the University’s current footprint. I also ask that the task force consider the new assets that have been brought online to meet faculty needs, particularly the Faculty Commons on the fifth floor of Bird Library.”

The task force includes faculty from across the University and staff from academic affairs, auxiliary services and campus planning, design and construction. The members are:

• Joseph Alfieri, director, Campus Planning, Design and Construction
• Tyler Bell, assistant teaching professor, College of Professional Studies
• Steve Bennett, senior vice president, Academic Affairs
• Pamela Brandes, professor, Whitman School of Management
• Jay Golden, professor, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Bradford Horn, professor of practice, Newhouse School of Public Communications
• Kris Klinger, associate vice president, Auxiliary Services
• Seyeon Lee, associate professor, College of Visual and Performing Arts
• Xiyuan Liu, assistant teaching professor, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Tina Nabatchi, professor, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Dalia Rodriguez, associate professor, School of Education
• James Spencer, professor, College of Arts and Sciences
• Jamie Winders, associate provost, Faculty Affairs
• Douglas Yung, associate teaching professor, College of Engineering and Computer Sciences
• Ping Zhang, professor, School of Information Studies

The Task Force Report will be submitted to Provost Ritter by the end of the fiscal year on June 30.