December 6, 2006

1. CEO for Stony Brook University Medical Center.

Steven L. Strongwater, M.D., has accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer at Stony Brook University Medical Center.

Dr. Strongwater has been Hospital Director and Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at John Dempsey Hospital, University of Connecticut, since 2000.  John Dempsey is a 224-bed facility with a strong reputation in neonatal intensive care and comprehensive cardiovascular, cancer, and musculoskeletal services.

While at the University of Connecticut, Dr. Strongwater developed a patient safety center and a Collaborative Center for Clinical Care Improvement.  He ran the faculty practice plan.  During his tenure, the University’s Health Center was selected from among more than 6,000 acute and specialty hospitals as a “Top 100 Hospitals® Performance Improvement Leader” by Solucient, a prominent healthcare information and data analysis software company.

Prior to his appointment at the University of Connecticut, Dr. Strongwater was Medical Director at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester and Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology. His medical degree is from SUNY Upstate Medical Center.

Dr. Strongwater will assume his new post on January 1, 2007.

Interim CEO, Fred Sganga, who directed our Hospital during the search process, will return to his position as Executive Director of the Long Island State Veterans Home.  We are very  grateful for his fine contribution during this transitional period.

2. Southampton

The New York State Department of Education has approved Stony Brook’s operating its Southampton campus as an alternate site of the main campus.

Next, the University will apply for+ Middle States accreditation, to be considered at the Commission’s February meeting.

3.  Faculty Numbers

University records show an increase of 71 faculty members to a total of 2,034 since November 2005.

Of the new appointments, 19 are tenure-track and 63 off track. Fifty two are on West Campus and 19 on East Campus.    

4.  Vice President for Administration

Dr.  Richard Mann, Vice President for Administration, will leave Stony Brook in January to become Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 

Dr. Mann has served at Stony Brook for ten years, overseeing an extensive program of construction and rehabilitation on the campus.  He directed a number of major projects including the building of new residences, the construction of the Ambulatory Surgery Building and renovation of the Hospital, the preparation of Stony Brook Manhattan, and the acquisition of our Research Park and Stony Brook Southampton campus.

I wish him well in his new position.

Ms. Karol Kain Gray and Ms. Barbara Chernow have agreed to serve as Interim Vice Presidents for Finance, and Facilities and Services, respectively.

Ms. Gray currently serves as Associate Vice President for Administration/Finance and Ms. Chernow as Associate Vice President for Facilities and Services. 

 

5. Research Park Construction

Water, electrical, and telephone services have been installed at the Research Park site.  

Construction on the CEWIT building is under way.  The concrete footings for the northern section of the building have been installed, and the basement walls completed. The parking area has been rough graded, and drainage is being installed. Electrical conduit to the building will be installed in the course of the coming week.

6. December Graduation

The mid-year commencement ceremony will be held on Sunday, December 17, at 1 p.m. in the Main Arena of the Sports Complex.  More than 700 students will be individually presented for graduation.  I urge the attendance of as many faculty members as possible.

Academic dress for the ceremony may be obtained by arrangement with the University Bookstore.  Participants should assemble in the Pritchard Gym at 12:15 p.m. for the academic procession.

For further details, please contact the Office of Conferences and Special Events at 2-6320.

7. Marching Band

Stony Brook now has a University Marching Band that has performed at a number of campus events.

The Band comprises an exceptionally diverse group of students from across New York State and as far away as California.  From their late teens to their late twenties, the Band members are Caucasian, African-American, South Asian East Asian, Central Asian, and Hispanic in ethnicity, and from widely differing religious, economic, and social backgrounds.  Two Band members are members of the Armed Forces; one is an Iraq War veteran.

Many of the members are active in other University activities as Student Ambassadors, Resident Assistants, club presidents, fraternity and sorority presidents, EMS volunteers, research scholars (including a URECA Researcher of the Month).  One band member is Executive Vice President of the National Leadership Council for the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

Photographs of the band members can be found at the following link:

http://homepage.mac.com/jjleddy/PhotoAlbum7.html

8. Winter Holidays

I wish all University faculty and staff, and their families, a very happy and peaceful holiday season.

 

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