In this issue of The Albright Reporter, you will find some very important news for Albright. First, Albright will offer its first graduate program, a master’s in education, in September. Second, Albright has appointed the College’s first provost. And finally, the College’s new strategic plan has been approved by the Board of Trustees.

These three events are tremendously exciting for Albright, and although it may not appear obvious at first, they are all integrally connected, and reflect the realization of major goals for the College.

One of our strategic objectives is to bring Albright’s academic excellence to the master’s level. I am delighted that months of hard work came to fruition in February when we received state approval to offer a master’s degree in education. We will launch the new program in September. We anticipate the education program to be only the first of several master’s programs. Congratulations to Professor Sarel Fuchs, chair of the Education Department, Professor Rodney Warfield, and Ron Green, dean of the Graduate and Professional Division, for their accomplishment!

The appointment of Albright’s first provost is another major first for the College. David Stinebeck, who joins Albright on May 1, brings exceptional administrative skills and outstanding academic credentials to this newly created position.

Why have we created the position of provost? Until now, the title of Albright’s chief academic officer has been vice president for academic affairs. However, as we created goals for the future, including graduate programs, it became clear we needed to expand the role of Albright’s chief academic officer.

The provost, as senior academic officer, provides academic leadership, both strategic and operational, and has responsibility for creating and implementing a strategic vision for academic affairs on every level, and helping to integrate and implement every aspect of our future as an increasingly prestigious and distinctive institution of higher learning. The provost also oversees our 94 full-time and 43 adjunct faculty. With the prospect of unprecedented faculty growth, and the supervision of both graduate and undergraduate divisions, the job description of the College’s senior academic officer needed to be redefined.

Appropriately for an academic institution, the provost is second-in-command and will act as president in my absence.

All of us are deeply indebted to Professor Thomas Brogan, who took on the position of interim vice president of academic affairs during our planning and subsequent search for a provost. Under Tom’s remarkable leadership, academic affairs have prospered, but he is now looking forward (quite eagerly, he tells me) to returning to the faculty and the Political Science Department.

Finally, with the completion of the College’s new strategic plan, we have the link that connects the former two initiatives. Our plan, “Taking the Lead in the 21st Century” is explicit about our goal of taking a leadership position among liberal arts colleges nationwide. Of our five strategic goals, academic leadership is primary, and our new provost and graduate program are two major objectives already completed toward fully achieving that strategic goal.

I hope you will take the time to read about David Stinebeck and the full story about the master’s degree in education in this issue. It is an exciting time at Albright as we translate our strategic vision into reality — and more exciting news about Albright’s future in the next issue!

Henry A. Zimon, PhD.,
President, Albright College