Bruce Kingma named associate provost for entrepreneurship and innovation at Syracuse University

Bruce Kingma named associate provost for entrepreneurship and innovation at Syracuse UniversityMarch 26, 2007Sara Millersemortim@syr.edu

Bruce Kingma, professor and associate dean in Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies (iSchool), has been appointed to the new position of SU associate provost for entrepreneurship and innovation. The appointment — made by Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric F. Spina — is effective immediately.

As associate provost for entrepreneurship and innovation, Kingma will provide leadership for the Syracuse Campus-Community Entrepreneurship Initiative — a collaborative partnership made possible by a five-year, $3 million grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The Syracuse Campus-Community Entrepreneurship Initiative builds on the key tenets of Scholarship in Action by encouraging faculty and students throughout Central New York to work with communities of experts across disciplines and geographic boundaries to foster entrepreneurial education and innovation in three key areas — technology, neighborhood and arts entrepreneurship — while utilizing three experiential sites in the region: the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems headquarters; The Warehouse and the Arts Quarter in downtown Syracuse; and the South Side Innovation Center.

Kingma will work with SU and partner institutions to develop new curricula and curricular elements, enable research, and facilitate experiential learning that builds on the excellence of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management’s No.1-ranked entrepreneurship program and that integrates the concept of entrepreneurship and innovation across disciplines.

The Kauffman project will contribute to the continued changes in the Central New York region, including the formation of new ventures, improved entrepreneurial skills in the local business community and key not-for-profit organizations, and revitalization of inner-city neighborhoods by fostering entrepreneurship. In his new role, Kingma will serve as an advocate and enabler within SU and with its academic and community partners — Morrisville State College, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Le Moyne College, Cayuga Community College, Onondaga Community College, the Central New York Community Foundation, The Gifford Foundation, the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce, Messenger Associates Inc. and National Grid — to develop a coherent effort in Central New York that builds on the visible successes of Scholarship in Action.

“I am thrilled that Bruce has accepted this important and exciting new position. I know that he will work very collaboratively with deans and faculty at SU and our partners to make the promise of the Kauffman project a reality,” Spina says. “He comes to the position with strong administrative experience; disciplinary and research background in economics and business within the context of information technology; and valuable ideas for Kauffman that come from being a major contributor in the iSchool’s development of a new entrepreneurship curriculum with the Whitman School.

“In addition, Bruce has excellent relationships across campus and a track record of working closely with faculty to enable their success,” Spina says. “Under his leadership, I expect that the Syracuse Campus-Community Entrepreneurship Initiative will make a significant impact on campus and in the Central New York community, and build on the economic and entrepreneurial momentum of our region.”

“Syracuse University already has the faculty and student talent that — mixed with the world-class entrepreneurship curriculum, the mission of Scholarship in Action, the efforts of the partner colleges and universities, and the support of community organizations — will make the Kauffman initiative a success,” Kingma says. “This program will provide grants for research and education projects for faculty and students who are ready and willing to participate in a community-wide implementation of entrepreneurial Scholarship in Action.”

As associate dean in the iSchool, Kingma focuses on faculty and curriculum development and oversees research activities in the school’s five academic programs. As a professor, he has pursued research interests in the economics of information, information technology and access to information, among other topics. He has authored several books based on his research, including “The Economics of Information in the Networked Environment” (Association of Research Libraries, 1996), co-edited with Meredith Butler; “The Economics of Access Versus Ownership to Scholarly Information” (Haworth Press, 1996), co-authored with Suzanne Irving; “Assessing Interlibrary Loan Document Delivery Services” (Association of Research Libraries, 2004); and “The Economics of Information: A Guide to Economics and Cost-Benefit Analysis for Information Professionals” (Libraries Unlimited, 2001).

In 2004 and 2006, Kingma received two grants totaling more than $1,650,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to create a cost-effective, collaborative distance education program to increase quality, access and diversity of online educational opportunities. The program, known as the Web-based Information Science Education consortium (WISE), today provides faculty training for online pedagogy, establishes standards and metrics for online library and information science (LIS) education, and provides a collaborative marketplace for online LIS courses. Since its inaugural year as an online course-sharing model for master’s programs in LIS, WISE has welcomed 13 LIS programs from participating colleges and universities around the world and 18 LIS associations as WISE partners, and has offered more than 200 online courses to students. WISE pedagogical training has included 150 faculty members and potential faculty members participating in WISE online sessions and face-to-face sessions at the ALISE and ALA conferences. In 2006, WISE won the prestigious Sloan-C Award for Excellence in Online Education.

Kingma joined the iSchool faculty in 2000 from the University at Albany, where he held a joint appointment in the Department of Economics in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Information Science and Policy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Chicago and master’s and doctoral degrees in economics from the University of Rochester.

Kingma will remain as associate dean for the iSchool through the arrival of the school’s new dean; current dean Raymond F. von Dran steps down from his position in August 2007.