Johnson appointed executive vice provost

Johnson appointed executive vice provostSeptember 29, 2001Kelly Homan Rodoskikahoman@syr.edu

Vice Chancellor and Provost Deborah A. Freund has named Howard C. Johnson, dean of the University’s Graduate School and a nationally known graduate administrator and scholar in the field of mathematics education, as executive vice provost for academic affairs.

In his new position, Johnson will work on portions of the Academic Plan dealing with diversity and on fund raising as it pertains to the Graduate School and the University’s Academic Plan. The appointment is effective Jan. 1, 2002.

“Howard is one of the most talented individuals I have worked with. He simply is the best at helping me-and the campus-understand what we need to do to make diversity a reality here,” says Freund. “He has been a national leader on graduate education, particularly in relationship to those developmental programs for graduate students and faculty that are meant to prepare future faculty for stronger and more creative teaching. It is for these reasons that I wanted him to work closer with me on a daily basis.

“He will continue to represent us externally through working on grants to help us with our graduate program and through fund raising. In addition, he will be an invaluable addition to the group of people working to make our Academic Plan not only a reality but an instrument of betterment,” Freund says.

Johnson, president-elect of the Association of Graduate Schools (AGS) and chair of the Educational Testing Services GRE Minority Graduate Education Committee, will continue his representation on all external boards and associations related to graduate education, including the College board and the AGS boards.

Johnson has served as dean of the Graduate School since 1995. He was interim dean of the school for a year prior to his appointment. As dean, he secured external funding for graduate and undergraduate education in excess of $2.5 million. He has enhanced the TA Program and the Future Professoriate Program, and has also been an integral part of the University’s efforts in the area of diversity.

In 2000-01, Johnson was charged by Freund with identifying potential minority faculty candidates, recruiting those candidates for campus visits and negotiating between the University and those candidates selected as finalists for every faculty search on campus. His efforts have resulted in the largest group of stellar new minority faculty that the University has recruited in recent history. His additional accomplishments in that area have been to review affirmative action in all faculty and exempt staff searches; write grant proposals and develop programs to foster the presence of minority faculty and develop programs for undergraduate and graduate minority students to strengthen the academic pipeline.

During his tenure, the University was selected as one of 168 sites across the nation for the highly competitive Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program. Johnson has served as SU’s co-executive director of the program, which provides grants to higher education institutions to develop programs that assist students in meeting their educational goals.

He is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools Advisory Committee on Minorities, the Educational Testing Services GRE Board, the Educational Testing Services Computer Based Testing Models Research Advisory Group and the Educational Services TOEFL Policy Board, among other organizations.

As dean of the Graduate School, he has continued his work as a nationally known mathematics scholar. He co-authored student and teachers’ editions of “Math Advantage,” an elementary and middle school textbook series published by Harcourt Brace, and “Secondary Math: An Integrated Approach,” published by Addison-Wesley. He is also the author of numerous articles and chapters.

Johnson has served as associate vice chancellor for academic affairs since 1989. He began his SU career in 1973 as a dual assistant professor in mathematics and mathematics education in The College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education. He was elevated to associate professor in 1976 and professor in 1987. He served as chair of the mathematics education department for 18 years, from 1982 to 2000. During that time, he oversaw a turnaround of the mathematics education department, increasing enrollment in the mathematics graduate program from three to 50 students in the period from 1982 to 1987.

Johnson holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from Chicago State University, a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois and a doctorate in mathematics education from Northwestern University.