Fordham University has reorganized its administrative structure this fall, naming Stephen Freedman, Ph.D., the University’s provost, and Thomas A. Dunne, Esq., as vice president for administration. Both promotions are effective immediately.
The changes come as Fordham enters the final phase of Excelsior | Ever Upward | The Campaign for Fordham, typically regarded as the most challenging portion of a capital campaign. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University, in consultation with the Board of Trustees, has elected to streamline Fordham’s administrative structure so that he can devote more of his time and energy to fundraising.
Freedman, formerly senior vice president/chief academic officer, and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, came to Fordham in 2007 from Gonzaga University, where he was academic vice president.
“This promotion comes in recognition of both the strong record of achievement that Dr. Freedman has compiled in the course of his tenure at Fordham, and the centrality of academics in the life of the University,” said Father McShane. “In Stephen the faculty find a warm colleague, very able administrator and staunch advocate.”
Dunne was named vice president for government relations and urban affairs at Fordham in 2008, when he came to the University from Verizon-New York, where he was the vice president of public policy and external affairs.
“Tom Dunne has proved himself again and again since his arrival at Fordham,” said Father McShane. “His steady hand and legal experience were pivotal in the approval for the development of the Lincoln Center campus, and his willingness to take on a greater administrative burden will be critical as I devote more of my time to the campaign.”
Fordham publicly launched its campaign in March of 2009. Since that time, in spite of the economic downturn the University has raised $338 million toward the campaign’s $500 million goal.
As provost, Freedman will continue to oversee the operations of the University’s ten schools as well as the University Library, Fordham University Press, WFUV, Institutional Research, Prestigious Fellows and Fordham’s efforts in international education and distance learning. He will also direct all strategic and curricular planning for all of the University’s academic units, and will take on expanded responsibility for the planning and disbursement of all academic budgets.
Dunne’s portfolio as vice president for administration will include the Office of the Vice President for Lincoln Center, and the Office of the Vice President for Facilities Management. Dunne will continue to direct the staff of the Office of Government and Urban Affairs.
In addition to Freedman and Dunne, the following vice presidents will serve in the president’s cabinet:
- John Lordan, senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer. He will continue to oversee all of the financial operations of the University, and will continue to coordinate and direct the University’s budget planning process. The Office of the Vice President for Finance, and the Office of the Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer will continue to report to Lordan.
- Peter Stace, Ph.D., vice president for enrollment. He will continue to coordinate and direct all of the efforts of the staffs of the Admissions Office, the Financial Aid Office, the Academic Records Office and the Student Accounts Office.
- Jeffrey Gray, vice president for student affairs. He will continue to supervise the offices of Student Affairs and Athletics, and in addition, will direct all of the planning and budgeting work within the Division of Student Affairs. His portfolio will include the Office of the Vice President for University Mission and Ministry.
- Roger Milici, interim vice president for development and University relations. He will continue to oversee the staffs in the offices of Development, Marketing and Communications and Alumni Relations, and will work closely with Father McShane to bring the capital campaign to a successful conclusion.
“I am deeply grateful to Dr. Freedman and Tom Dunne for their willingness to take on additional responsibilities,” Father McShane said in a letter to the University community. “I am also grateful to all of the vice presidents for the devotion, creativity and generosity of spirit that they have shown and continue to show in their service of the University and its students. I would ask all of the members of the University community to keep both the vice presidents and the success of the capital campaign in their thoughts and prayers.”
