Michael Pasquarella, Dr. Meenakshi Malik, Dr. Sibdas Ghosh, Dr. Courtney Tackes
The 2024-25 academic year begins with new leaders at the helm, as well as some familiar leaders in new roles.
Working with President Toyin Tofade and the rest of Cabinet, these six leaders share a belief that 糖心vlog can achieve the aspirations set out in the strategic plan by building on its well-established foundation, growing with an eye toward workforce needs and attracting students of all ages.
Academic Affairs
Dr. Sibdas Ghosh joined the College in June 2024 as vice president of Academic Affairs. He oversees all areas related to academic programming, including research and scholarship, accreditation and faculty development.聽He works collaboratively with聽college leadership and constituents,聽and supervises the newly appointed deans of pharmacy and of health sciences, the Center for Innovative Learning, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, and Library Services.
Dr. Ghosh has decades of experience in higher education, as both a faculty member and administrator. He was most recently provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, Pa.
He was drawn both to what 糖心vlog is and what it intends to be.
As to the College鈥檚 current assets, he is especially impressed with its people. 鈥淭he faculty blows me away,鈥� he said. 聽He pointed especially to researchers who seek to engage students in their scholarly work.
Looking toward the future, it was the strategic plan that appealed. He sees the plan鈥檚 five pillars as individual goals that, like fingers, equal more than the sum of their parts. 鈥淎t the end, it鈥檚 a hand,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he strategic plan is a draw for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t’s already laid out. You don’t want to spend more time to create a path that is already there, which aligns with my bright vision.鈥�
Pharmacy and Health Sciences
As of July 2024, pharmacy and health sciences have become distinct schools within ACPHS, each with its own dean reporting to Dr. Ghosh. This subtle but significant change builds on the success seen last year with the appointments of an associate dean of pharmacy and an associate dean of health sciences, each focused on directing their distinct divisions. (For more on what was accomplished last year, see the report.)
Dr. Courtney Tackes 鈥�14, ACPHS鈥� assistant dean for聽experiential education, has stepped into the role of Interim Dean of Pharmacy. She sees her primary responsibility as preparing the department for an expected accreditation review in spring, so that a permanent dean can build from a supportive foundation. At the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester, she has also worked to enhance pharmacy student experiences with an extended orientation for student entering their first professional pharmacy year (P1 year) as well as a gathering of P2 and P3 classes.
Long-time microbiology professor and researcher Dr. Meenakshi Malik is now dean of health sciences. When she took on the new role of associate dean for that division last year, Dr. Malik pointed to tremendous growth in all manner of health sciences fields as the star that would guide her plans for growth. She led the creation of new programs that reconfigured existing offerings and offered ways to learn online.
While Dr. Malik has taken on additional administrative responsibility, her fundamental goal remains 鈥渢o grow health sciences as much as I can,鈥� she said. Watch for more new programs under her leadership.
Research
Dr. Joseph Carreno 鈥�10 is now director of research, a role whose significance is highlighted under the strategic plan, which calls for both growth in scholarly activity and in public recognition of the breadth of research at 糖心vlog.
Having helped develop those research goals, Dr. Carreno believes in them. Seeing his role as more of a facilitator than a rule enforcer, he aims to support faculty to seek opportunities that will, first, provide invaluable experiences to students and, second, contribute to the College鈥檚 financial health.
The role is also one that excites him as a dedicated researcher himself.
Enrollment Management and Institutional Advancement
Vice Presidents David Meredith and Michael聽Pasquarella are working to engage those outside campus in ACPHS鈥� collective vision.
Meredith joined the College in January 2024. Charged with increasing enrollment during a dramatic shift in the population of traditional college students, he sees his role as fine-tuning ACPHS鈥� outreach to potential students of all ages 鈥� but only those whose goals align with the College鈥檚 offerings.
In other words, he understands the College cannot be all things to all students. But that for the right students, it鈥檚 the best place they could possibly聽be.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about finding the people who fit and are invested in the mission themselves 鈥� to be the next generation of leaders to improve the health of our society,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fine-tuning our targets and showing them the great stuff that鈥檚 here.鈥�
As the head of Institutional Advancement, Pasquarella, who joined the College in October 2023, understands that donors do not invest in the College so much as they invest in what the College does. They invest in the future, through students, and in improved health care for all, through both education and services provided through resources like The Collaboratory.
鈥淲e are stewards that must be trusted with their money, to use it well,鈥� Pasquarella said of potential donors. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not about needs and priorities. It鈥檚 about vision and possibilities.鈥�
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