Campus & Community

Energized Leadership Team Welcomes New Students and New Academic Year

Friday, September 1, 2017, By News Staff

Last week, nearly 4,000 first-year and transfer students began their academic careers at Syracuse University, an exciting milestone in their young lives. As these new students acclimate to the Syracuse community, they will find a leadership team ready to ensure their success.  Some on the team have newly expanded roles and some are new to campus themselves. All have brought skills and experience to campus that will enhance the student experience in unique and diverse ways.

Chancellor Kent Syverud says he’s grateful to have such skilled leaders serving in critical roles. “Each new leader will allow our university to enhance academic excellence, innovate programmatic opportunities and expand campus engagement. I look forward to working with these leaders and am confident our students, faculty, staff and alumni will benefit from their high-caliber leadership.”

Since May 2017, several new leaders and new roles for current leaders have been announced. They include:

  • Gene Anderson, dean of the Whitman School of Management;
  • Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel;
  • Zhanjiang “John” Liu, vice president for Research;
  • Kevin Quinn, senior advisor to the Chancellor for Executive Communications and Public Affairs; and
  • Dara Royer, senior vice president and chief communications officer.

Anderson and Konkol are already serving in their new positions. Liu, Quinn and Royer begin their new roles the first week of September.

Michele G. Wheatly, vice chancellor and provost, says the new leaders will help the University implement significant initiatives, such as the Academic Strategic Plan, the Campus Framework and Invest Syracuse: Advancing Academic Excellence and the Student Experience.

“Chancellor Syverud has done an excellent job attracting leaders who believe in and want to see the University achieve its ambitious vision and mission,” says Wheatly. “As we seek to bring to life the innovative goals contained in the Academic Strategic Plan, the Campus Framework and Invest Syracuse, I have no doubt the new members of our leadership team will play central roles in these collective efforts. I am excited for the new academic year and am eager to partner with our new senior leaders in the months and years ahead.”

Syracuse University will also add an impressive cohort of faculty this academic year. Syracuse University News will introduce the campus community to these leaders in an article to be featured next week. Be sure to regularly visit http://news.syr.edu for the latest news, notes and highlights from Syracuse University.