Dennis R. DeLong

June 2010 

Statement of Responsibilities in Recent (1999-2010) Positions
and Qualifications for Academic Leadership Role
 

I.  Responsibilities in Recent Positions

Summary of Duties in Caldwell Position           

July 2007-May 2010

Dean of the Center for Graduate and Continuing Studies

Caldwell College

Caldwell, NJ

                                                                                                                     

I served as the chief operating office of the Center (GCS which had just been formed and I was recruited to serve as the inaugural Dean. In this position I supervised programs for both adult undergraduate and graduate programs. During my time at Caldwell and under my leadership, working closely with my supervisor, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, new Master’s programs were begun as well as a new Ph.D. in applied Behavior Analysis.  The initial non-credit offers also were begun serving military personnel nationally. Although the College experienced a drop in enrollment during the three years I served in this position, adult UG enrollments were stable and graduate enrollments grew. GCS’s revenue targets were met or exceeded during the period

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Summary of Duties in Marist Position                                                                                                                     

 September 2003-June 2005

Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean

School of Graduate and Continuing Education

Marist College

Poughkeepsie, NY


 
 I served as the chief operating officer for the School of Graduate and Continuing Education (GCE). I reported to the Academic Vice President/Dean of Faculty and was expected to provide strong and entrepreneurial leadership in the development and marketing of new programs and to supervise graduate and continuing education programs on and off Campus.  GCE offered UG degree completion programs (BA degrees) in Organizational Leadership & Change and in Integrative Studies as well as a number of certificates and advanced certificates. GCE also coordinated and marketed all Marist graduate programs, including fully online MBA and MPA degrees.  GCE also offered instruction in off-campus locations in Fishkill, Goshen, Kingston, and Monticello.                  

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Summary of Duties in CUC Dean Position                                                                                                                                                       

September 2001-September 2003

Dean, University College

Chapman University (now Brandman University)

Orange, CA


 I served as the chief executive officer for Chapman University's extended learning operation, University College.  Chapman University College (CUC) operated learning centers in 24 sites in California, Arizona and Washington State serving returning adult students in K-12 Education and other undergraduate and graduate programs In this position, I was responsible for all aspects of University College's operations, including budget, marketing and programs as well as supervision of four Associate Deans, Program Chairs and Directors of Operations and Extended Education. Under my leadership, CUC moved more extensively into distance learning and continuing education, including non-credit training activities, adopted performance measures for all academic programs and initiated the development of prior learning assessment.

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Summary of Duties in CSU Position                                                                                                                                 

January 1999- August 2001

Deputy Chief Academic Officer

Connecticut State University System Office

Hartford, CT

 

In this position, I assisted the Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer in the review and development of academic programs for the Connecticut State University (CTSU) System Office. The CTSU System includes Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Connecticut State Universities. My responsibilities included: coordination of basic academic management processes, including program review and assessment, accreditation, curriculum development and new degrees; liaison with university faculty, administrators and other educational and business leaders; assistance in the design of academic programs for delivery in traditional and non-traditional learning contexts, including online and technologically assisted instruction; the provision of advice to university and external agencies on instructional issues, including the role of technology in curriculum and teaching both within CTSU and externally; the coordination of CTSU initiatives in lifelong learning and efforts to assure quality in teaching and learning innovations; and the promotion of CTSU academic programs in the State, regionally and nationally.

 

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 II. Overall Academic Leadership Qualifications

Since 1982, I have held administrative positions of increasing responsibility over a range of academic programs. I have supervised operations at the associate, baccalaureate and graduate levels in traditional and nontraditional settings. For over seventeen years, I served in various capacities for SUNY Empire State College (ESC) and in early 1999 moved to the Connecticut State University System Office (CTSUSO) in Hartford to assume significant responsibilities in the Office of Academic Programs. In January 2000 I was promoted to Deputy Chief Academic Officer and in July 2001 to Interim Chief Academic Officer. I left this position in August 2001 to become Dean, University College, for Chapman University in California. In this position I answered directly to the University Provost. September 2003 I moved to Marist College to lead the School of Graduate and Continuing Education.  I left Marist in late June 2005 because of dissatisfaction with my supervisor and insufficient support from the College for the programs for which I was responsible. After a two-year break, I reengaged in higher education accepted a position at Caldwell College in New Jersey.

At Caldwell I was expected to expand graduate offerings, introduce online learning and initiate no-credit programs.  Considerable success was achieved at the graduate level including new programs as well as new specialties within programs. Enrollments expanded by 100+ students during my tenure.   Non-credit offerings were initiated under my leadership and revenue will approach a half a million dollars in the inaugural year. There was significant faculty resistance to the move into online learning although the College has had a distance product (mostly guided I independent study which requires at least one visit to campus) for over 20 years. By the time of my departure, I had negotiated successfully with faculty leadership and the College likely will launch an online product in the near future.  My resignation in May of 2010 was prompted by an administrative shake-up, which included the termination of the VPAA to whom I answered. I always will be fond of Caldwell and enjoyed my time in the Dean’s role but it seemed like a good time to seek new opportunities.

At Marist I was expected to expand degree and certificate offerings, on-ground and online, at both the UG and graduate levels. I also worked closely with the other Marist Deans and the senior College leadership in forging new relationships and partnerships with external organizations. As AVP/Dean I am a member to the Cabinet, the Deans Council and the Internal Organizing Group, which advises the President. I supervise two Assistant Deans, seven functional and Program directors and 20 additional staff.  

I moved to Chapman in 2001 for the opportunity to move University College (CUC) aggressively into distance learning and new programming utilizing Chapman's regional "footprint" in Arizona, California and Washington State. The University committed substantial new resources to CUC and expects tit o return to the forefront of nontraditional institutions - a position it enjoyed in the past as one of the first group of higher education entities to enter this arena. In my role there I drew on my extensive experience in nontraditional education at SUNY Empire State College and the Connecticut State University System Office.

My Primary Responsibilities were:

·        supervised directly four (regional) Associate Deans, Directors of Operation and Extended Learning, a small   central staff  and all CUC personnel indirectly

·        responsible, in consultation with Associate Provost for Assessment and Accreditation, for CUC compliance with Western Association and California Teaching Commission standards

·         represented CUC in all University affairs internally and externally

·        had full executive authority over CUC’s budgetary, programmatic, outreach and personnel activities

In my roles at the CTSU System Office, I was involved in leading the CTSU system in adopting online learning and performance assessment as well as coordinating the development of grant applications and federal and state legislative items to assist the System and its universities in attaining these objectives. In late Summer 1999, I authored a grant proposal to e.College.com seeking funding support through its "100 Degrees Online" initiative for Southern Connecticut State University’s efforts to put its MLS fully online. The proposal was chosen by e.College.com as one of the largest projects funded for 1999-2000. Fall 1999, I collaborated with CTSU's representative in DC in securing a federal set-aside of $1.25 million which is assisting CTSU in establishing a Center for the Assessment of Technology-Assisted Learning. I also worked closely with the Chancellor in finalizing an assortment of performance indicators, which CTSU was mandated to adopt by state statute, for submission to the Connecticut Legislature. This mandate was implemented in 2001, including efforts to assure that the campuses were in full compliance. I also assisted the CTSU campuses in developing online Master's programs in Accounting, Data Mining, Educational Technology and Nursing.

Other significant duties:

·        represented the Chancellor or the Chief Academic Officer on the four CTSU campuses or in other public settings.

·        served as CTSU liaison to Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium (CTDLC) which in 2000 was one of 15 institutions nationally to be awarded a Demonstration Project by the US Department of Education enabling waivers to current restrictions on financial aid to students enrolled in online courses; co-authored the CTDLC application.

·        coordinated transfer and articulation between CTSU's four campuses and the 12 Community Colleges in Connecticut and assisted in the CTSU System’s efforts to create an effective pricing strategy for its online offerings and in encouraging new online programs.

·        served as System Office representative to teams developing CTSU's first doctoral programs - an (Ed.D. in Educational leadership at CCentral Connecticut State University and Southern Connecticut State University and led effort for approval by CTSU Board of Trustees and CT Department of Higher Education.

·        served as System Office liaison to the Departments of Education and Higher Education.

·        provided staff support to the CTSU Board of Trustees; all program approvals and other formal academic actions requiring BOT action flow through my staff and supervision

·        represented CTSU in a collaborative effort to develop a work-force training proposal with the University of Connecticut, the Community College System, and Charter Oak State College to assist Connecticut's response to the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998.

·        served as System consultant on technology-based learning and its application approach to educational delivery both at the college-level and in K-12 education; authored several recent grant applications on the use of technology-based learning.

·        supervised System Office functions of institutional research, planning and grant writing