The City University of New York (CUNY) recently appointed interim administrative members to help run Medgar Evers College while it searches for a new president.
Last week, the university announced the appointment of Dr. Theresa Williams to assistant provost at MEC, Dr. Karrin Wilks to interim provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs at MEC (as former Provost Howard Johnson has taken a leave) and G. Scott Anderson as interim vice president for Administration and Finance.
Before the appointment,
Williams has served as the associate dean of Academic Support and director of Academic Enrichment Programs at the New York Institute of Technology for nine years. As an associate dean, she provided administrative, budgetary, supervisory and conceptual leadership.
Wilks has served as the university dean for undergraduate studies for CUNY since 2010. She has also served as senior vice president at the Vermont State Colleges from 2006 to 2010.
Anderson has served as vice president of Administration and Planning at Borough of Manhattan Community College since 2000. When Fiterman Hall was destroyed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Anderson helped manage the recovery of BMCC’s campus and assisted in increasing enrollment.
Dr. William Pollard resigned earlier this year after a chaotic three and a half years at MEC. While he sometimes was at odds with faculty, students and the community, CUNY’s Jay Hershenson told the AmNews that Pollard–who will continue to serve until a replacement is found–did a good job at MEC.
“Last night, I was at the Brooklyn borough hearing for the CUNY Board of Trustees,” said Hershenson on Tuesday. “There were a number of speakers who spoke about Medgar Evers and they spoke very positively about the mission of the college and the programs at the college. So this is a very smooth transition.
“President Pollard, during his three and a half years, made many important changes that were important to the well-being of the institution, and now a new chapter is getting ready to unfold as we search for a new leader at Medgar Evers,” he said. “So the college is moving forward in a productive way.
Hershenson also emphasized to the AmNews the importance of Medgar Evers to CUNY’s well-being. He also stated that Board of Trustees member Valerie Lancaster Beal was appointed head of the search committee for a new president. The committee will also include members of the faculty, student and alumni constituencies, a president from the CUNY system and the head of the community advisory council at MEC.