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Dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

THE INVITATION

Binghamton University, one of four research universities in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (“the School”) was established in 2017, graduated its inaugural class of Doctor of Pharmacy students in 2021, and became accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education in June 2021. The dean will provide dynamic leadership in pharmacy education, research, and clinical practice and help the School achieve its aspiration of becoming one of the top 25 pharmacy schools in the nation.

THE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1946, Binghamton enrolls more than 18,000 undergraduate and graduate students in its six schools and colleges:  Harpur College of Arts and Sciences; College of Community and Public Affairs; Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences; School of Management; Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science; and the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Consistently ranked among the top 40 public universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and among the most selective public institutions for undergraduates in the nation, the University has built a reputation for excellence in undergraduate education that is bolstered by a rapidly expanding research enterprise that has earned the institution its R1 Carnegie Classification. It also boasts a wide range of highly ranked PhD programs as well as clinical doctorates in many fields within the health sciences — which is a growing emphasis for the University.

Under the University’s strategic plan, the health sciences has been identified as one of six areas of emphasis for transdisciplinary research and offers fertile opportunities for pharmacy faculty to collaborate with highly productive colleagues in biomedical engineering, biology, biochemistry, biomedical anthropology, chemistry, computer science, health systems engineering, neuroscience, nursing, and developing programs in occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech language pathology.

Binghamton University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. It granted the University full reaccreditation in 2021 with no recommendations or requirements. The University’s self-study may be found here.

The SUNY System

SUNY is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive state university system, consisting of 64 campuses including major research universities, health sciences centers, comprehensive and technical colleges, and community colleges committed to providing a broad range of outstanding academic programs for students both within New York and from around the world. Binghamton is one of four research universities in the SUNY system along with the University at Albany, University at Buffalo, and Stony Brook University. Each college and university within SUNY has its own council and is administered by a president who recruits and leads the administrative team. The campus presidents report to the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees of SUNY.

SUNY enrolls over 424,000 students, employs more than 91,000 individuals, and has a projected all-funds budget in excess of $13 billion. The system annually receives upwards of $1 billion in sponsored research. SUNY is a vital economic, social, and cultural engine for the state of New York, as well as a significant force in higher education nationally, with increasing global impact.

Binghamton University is renowned within the SUNY system for the exceptional quality of its students. It prides itself on the educational opportunities and access it provides to its diverse student body; 20 percent of its students are from underrepresented minority groups, almost 30 percent are Pell-eligible, and 25 percent are first-generation college students. Binghamton is the most selective state-operated campus in admitting undergraduates and among the most selective public universities in the nation. Binghamton’s strengths align well with New York state’s needs for economic development, an educated work force, green energy and sustainability, internationalization, research and workforce development in healthcare, and artistically vibrant communities.

History

In 1946, Binghamton University was founded to serve the needs of local veterans at the end of World War II. At its origin, it was named Triple Cities College, was a branch of Syracuse University, and was located in Endicott, five miles west of the present campus and the home of IBM. When the college was incorporated into the State University of New York in 1950, it was renamed Harpur College in honor of Robert Harpur, a Colonial teacher, patriot and pioneer who devoted his later years to settling the area around Binghamton.

Until 1953, Harpur College was one of only two public liberal arts colleges in New York. In 1961, the campus was moved across the Susquehanna River to Vestal. Growing enrollments and a reputation for excellence soon led to the selection of Harpur College as one of four doctoral-granting university centers in the state system. In 1965, the campus was formally designated the State University of New York at Binghamton, though its college of arts and sciences retained the Harpur College name. New colleges and schools followed: Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences (1969); the School of Management (1970); the Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science (1983); the College of Community and Public Affairs (2006); and the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (2017). While officially still the State University of New York at Binghamton, the name Binghamton University was adopted in 1992.

Leadership

Dr. Harvey G. Stenger assumed the presidency of Binghamton University on January 1, 2012, after serving in senior leadership positions at Lehigh University and the University at Buffalo. A chemical engineer by training, President Stenger earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Cornell University and his doctorate in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Strategic Plan – The Road Map

Under President Stenger’s leadership, the University developed its strategic plan, the Road Map to Premier. Unveiled in 2013, its purpose was to position Binghamton to become the premier public university of the 21st century. After thorough, inclusive reviews in 2017, and again in 2021, the strategic plan has been updated to ensure that it remains relevant to dynamic trends in education and research. The plan identifies six strategic priorities, with clear goals and timelines for each priority, and generated investments of approximately $70 million.

Guided by the Road Map, the University’s enrollment has grown dramatically, from 14,746 in 2011 to 18,090 in Fall 2021, an increase of 23 percent. Graduate enrollment has grown by 30 percent, even accounting for the temporary decline in international enrollment caused by the recent global pandemic. Support from the state of New York and modest, predictable tuition increases generated new resources that the University invested in faculty, staff, programs, and facilities. The University increased its tenure track faculty from 450 in 2011 to 619 in 2021, an increase of 37 percent. New programs in the health sciences, including pharmacy, were created and additional programs in occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech language pathology are in development.

The Road Map calls for strategic development of new degree programs, notably pharmacy, and investment in current high-quality, in-demand programs; expansion of diversity among student, faculty, and staff populations; increased access for economically disadvantaged students; and enhanced research, scholarship, and graduate programs through strategic investments in faculty. The plan simultaneously identifies opportunities for investment in emerging fields; an enhanced reputation for student experiences in student life, advising, counseling, career guidance, and post-graduate assistance; and significant expansion of our development program to accelerate the growth of annual and endowed funds. By following the Road Map and making nimble changes as dictated by circumstances, Binghamton University has become a force for expanding educational opportunity and driving economic development in the region and in the state.

Faculty and Research

In fall 2020, the University had 773 full-time teaching faculty members, of whom 93 percent held a PhD or the highest terminal degree in their fields. The Binghamton University faculty includes a Nobel Prize winner, National Science Foundation Career Award winners, Guggenheim Fellows, Fulbright Scholars, members of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, and others with numerous recognitions for scholarly distinction.

Since 2011, Binghamton University’s research expenditures have grown by almost 25 percent and stood at $46.5 million in FY 2020-2021. The University is home to four federally funded research centers. Research awards are administered through the Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit educational corporation that administers externally funded contracts and grants for and on behalf of the State University of New York. While deans work closely with the Research Foundation to administer the funds, the foundation provides the independence and administrative flexibility to respond quickly to the special demands of sponsored programs to facilitate their scientific or technical execution and could not be as easily accommodated through state processes.

Faculty collaborate on interdisciplinary research through Binghamton’s 19 organized research centers and nine institutes for advanced study. As part of the Road Map, the University placed even greater emphasis on research collaboration by creating Transdisciplinary Areas of Excellence (TAEs). The TAEs include Citizenship, Rights, and Cultural Belonging; Data Science; Health Sciences; Material and Visual Worlds; Smart Energy; and Sustainable Communities. These six areas capitalize on the University’s existing strengths and potential to become internationally recognized through wise investments in additional faculty and facilities. The TAEs are designed to bring faculty together from multiple disciplines to address some of the most challenging problems of our time. Currently, more than 120 faculty participate in TAE activities.

Innovation and Economic Development

Binghamton has a strong tradition in technology transfer and working with industry. Almost 7.5 percent of its sponsored research comes from industry partners. Programs like SPIR and WISE engage students with companies and provide cost-competitive industry support services. The  New York State Center of Excellence in Small Scale Systems Integration and Packaging is a partnership between academia, government, and industry that focuses on the development of new electronic applications that will enhance the way people live and interact with their surroundings.

The University’s innovators and inventors are supported by the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnership, which provides guidance and support through the invention disclosure process and leads patenting and licensing efforts. Space for start-up companies has been set aside in the Start-Up Suite pre-incubator located at the Innovative Technologies Complex. The Start-Up Suite currently has 22 offices and additional lab space. In addition, Binghamton, with its sister campus SUNY Broome, has joined with local, state, and federal partners, to construct the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator in downtown Binghamton. The incubator opened in 2016 with a focus on energy, electronics, and health. It is currently home to 30 companies, with 24 virtual members, and has graduated another 19 companies into the community.

Students

Binghamton students are hard-working, motivated, and successful. The University is home to more than 14,300 undergraduate students. Binghamton received over 39,500 applications for the class of 2025. Of these, nearly 3,100 students enrolled. During the past ten years, 91 to 93 percent of its first-year students returned for their sophomore year. On average, 72 percent of first-time, full-time students graduate after four years and 81 percent after five years, well above the national averages. Twenty-five percent of Binghamton’s undergraduate students are the first in their families to attend college and twenty percent are from underrepresented minority groups.

Binghamton is also an attractive destination for graduate work and the University enrolls more than 3,800 graduate students across 60 master’s degree programs and over 30 doctoral programs, with an average of more than 150 doctorates awarded annually over the past decade. As teaching assistants, many graduate students contribute substantially to the cutting-edge intellectual atmosphere for undergraduate education in classrooms, laboratories and studios across the campus. They also play a critical role in research and discovery. In addition to teaching and research, many graduate students devote their time by providing needed services within the community and contributing their expertise toward the development and implementation of SUNY initiatives.

Over half of Binghamton graduates join the workforce after graduation and more than 40 percent pursue graduate and professional degrees within a year of graduating. Binghamton’s acceptance rates for medical school and law school are 10 to 15 percent higher than the national average. Notably, Binghamton undergraduates provide a rich recruitment opportunity for the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Of the 2021 P1 class, 37 (49 percent) were Binghamton University undergraduates.

Student Life

Much of Binghamton’s success in retention and student satisfaction is attributed to the integration of student life and academics through its living and learning communities. Originally modeled after Oxford University, each community is distinctive, with its own dining hall, area government, professional staff, and tenured collegiate professor. The collegiate professor, who reports jointly to the vice provost for undergraduate education and the director of residential life, is dedicated to facilitating learning outside the classroom. These distinctive communities provide students with a strong sense of identity at the University that continues long after they graduate.

Binghamton undergraduates enjoy a wide range of self-directed learning opportunities. Specialized programs allow creation of individualized majors, service learning in the community, and experiential education with community and industry partners. Working closely with faculty, students have access to research and scholarship opportunities in partnership with graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Almost 500 first-year students gain experience with faculty-mentored research in Binghamton’s unique First-year Research Immersion Program and Source Project. Access to cutting-edge research facilities and research-active faculty, in an accessible collegiate environment, are key to student success. Binghamton students also make significant contributions to community service through volunteer and course-based activities of many kinds. In recent years, Binghamton undergraduates have won scholarships which include U.S. Presidential Scholar, Goldwater, Luce, Fulbright, National Science Foundation, Gates-Cambridge, Udall, Thayer, and Truman.

Internationalization

Internationalization is woven into nearly every aspect of academic and co-curricular life at Binghamton. In non-COVID years, there are approximately 2,000 international students from 100 countries enrolled, placing Binghamton among the top 100 colleges and universities in the United States based on international student enrollment. The University has also established numerous international partnerships with distinguished institutions around the world including student exchanges, faculty collaborations, and dual-degree programs. Many partnerships are with world-class research universities such as the London School of Economics, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology and Soochow University. The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has recently signed its first agreement with Nirma University in Ahmedabad, India.

Campus Facilities

Binghamton’s Vestal campus — spread over 930 acres on a wooded hillside above the Susquehanna River — features physical facilities that are modern, attractive, accessible, and exceptionally well-maintained. The campus includes the Nature Preserve, a 190-acre forest and wetland area with a six-acre pond that adjoins the campus and is used for teaching, research, and recreation.

The University’s facilities are in excellent condition with little deferred maintenance as a result of construction projects completed in the last decade. Those projects include a $375 million housing project; construction or renovation of four buildings at the Innovative Technologies Complex (Biotechnology Building, the Watson College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the Center of Excellence Building, and the Smart Energy Building) totaling over $165 million; construction of the $60 million School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; and other renovations totaling $50 million for the Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences Building. A process of forward-looking budgeting, careful planning, rigorous execution and dedicated physical plant staff support the quality of the facilities.

The five-building science complex on the Vestal campus includes a recently completed building with state-of-the-art life science laboratories and a new vivarium. The complex also boasts a multi-climate greenhouse — one of the largest teaching and research facilities of its kind — and science laboratories equipped with some of the most sophisticated instruments and equipment available today. The greenhouse also provides space for plants used in toxicology education for the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Binghamton’s facilities for the fine and performing arts include a world-class performance complex, the Floyd E. Anderson Center for the Performing Arts. The center features the 1,200-seat Osterhout Concert Theater and a 420-seat Chamber Hall for small stage productions and recitals. The Fine Arts Building also features the 550-seat Watters Theater and two small black box theaters. Concerts, plays, dance performances, faculty and student recitals, and guest artists are all showcased in the Anderson Center and the Fine Arts Building. The University Art Museum has an Asian Art Gallery and a permanent collection of 4,000 art objects representing many periods and styles. Special traveling and loan exhibits as well as works of University artists are on regular display.

In 2007, the University expanded its reach to downtown Binghamton — about five miles from the Vestal campus—with the construction of the University Downtown Center, a 74,400 square-foot facility that is home to the College of Community and Public Affairs and supports a wide range of community related programming. In 2016, it opened the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator that supports start-ups and economic innovation.

The University’s technology environment provides comprehensive services for students, faculty, and staff. The campus is fully networked with a high-speed wired network overlaid with wireless covering all campus buildings. Binghamton is a founding member of the NYSERNet regional research and education network, is a member of Internet2 and participates in XSEDE (the reconstituted National TeraGrid). The campus supports multiple information commons and public computing lab sites featuring a range of desktop software for students and administers a planned cycle of setting standards for and upgrading information technology in more than 150 general classrooms. The University has a rich administrative computing environment, employing best-in-breed software to support key processes, including Bright Space, exLibris, Banner Student, Oracle ERP, Recruitment Plus, Resource25, Slate, Advise, and a variety of other vendor and locally developed applications.

Binghamton’s extensive athletic and recreation facilities include two large gymnasiums with swimming pools; an indoor track; and basketball, volleyball, and racquetball courts. FitSpace, a 10,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art fitness facility, is available to the entire campus community. Outdoor facilities include 26 tennis courts, a fitness trail, a 400-meter track and soccer field, and numerous playing fields. The multi-purpose 156,000-square-foot Events Center is home to basketball, indoor track, and tennis. Large concerts and other programs are held in the center, as are University Commencement ceremonies.

Binghamton’s official color is green and the “green” theme carries through in its commitment to the environment and sustainability. In September 2007, then-President Lois B. DeFleur endorsed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, pledging to eliminate, over time, greenhouse gas emissions associated with Binghamton’s campus activities. Binghamton’s sustainability efforts range from a sophisticated energy management system to extensive recycling efforts that include organic gardening and composting. Other initiatives include a variety of energy-savings projects, LEED building standards, and educational efforts that engage and educate the campus community in thinking about and changing energy habits. The University has been selected by The Princeton Review as one of the “greenest” universities in the nation since the inception of the ranking.

Location

Binghamton University’s central campus is located in the town of Vestal, just one mile beyond the Binghamton city limits in the southern tier of upstate New York. Binghamton, Endicott, and Johnson City — along with Vestal and a few other suburban towns and villages — make up Greater Binghamton, offering a sophisticated cultural life, lively spectator sports, and accessible outdoor recreation. Major employers include United Health Services, Lourdes Hospital, IBM, Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, BAE Systems Controls, Universal Instruments, and the University itself, which is one of the largest employers in Greater Binghamton.

Several theaters, a professional opera company, symphony and pops orchestras, the Roberson Museum, and the Kopernik Observatory are well supported by the community. The Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, home to the Binghamton Black Bears hockey team, also hosts rock, country, and pop concerts. The Binghamton Rumble Ponies, an AA affiliate of the New York Mets, play baseball in a downtown stadium. The area offers restaurants, shopping centers, and many urban and wooded parks and picnic areas as well as a rail-to-trail path and a bicycle trail from downtown Binghamton to the Vestal campus.

Binghamton is located at the crossroads of I-81, I-88, and NY Route 17, within easy reach of major metropolitan areas. Binghamton is 50 miles from Ithaca, 72 miles from Syracuse, 140 miles from Albany, and about 200 miles from both New York City and Philadelphia. The Greater Binghamton airport is served by Delta Airlines.

Since 2007, several sites have expanded the University’s reach and provided new facilities to support research, teaching and economic development. They include the Innovative Technologies Complex on the east side of the Vestal campus (dedicated to engineering, biotechnology, and physical sciences), the University Downtown Center and Koffman Southern Tier Incubator (both in downtown Binghamton), and the new Health Sciences Campus in Johnson City.

The Health Sciences Campus, located only 2.5 miles from the Vestal campus and proximate to the region’s largest hospital, includes the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (a 105,000-square-foot research and teaching facility) and the Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences (a 112,000-square-foot structure that opened in 2020 and houses programs in nursing, public health, and the therapies as well as a regional simulation center and SUNY Upstate Medical University’s Binghamton-based clinical campus). The Health Sciences Campus continues to expand with construction of a new research and development facility for the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and an elder clinic scheduled to begin this winter.

Finances

Binghamton has an endowment valued at approximately $148.1 million, as of June 30, 2021. The University’s expenditures from all fund sources total over $374 million annually. About 20 percent of the operating budget is supported by general revenues of the state and an additional 31 percent is from student tuition and fees. Tuition, fees, and room and board for in-state undergraduate students is $24,134 and $41,974 for out-of-state undergraduate students. This year, U.S. News ranked Binghamton its 57th “Best Value” school. 

Alumni and Development

Binghamton University has more than 143,000 alumni, who live within all 50 states and in countries around the world. It is a young alumni body with an average age of 45 years. The Binghamton University Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established to raise funds for the University. In total, gifts from donors have enabled the Binghamton University Foundation to award more than $3.4 million to more than 1,900 Binghamton students in the most recent year. Specifically, the foundation administers 435 named scholarships, 113 named awards, and 59 fellowships. The foundation is a led by a board of 25 alumni, friends, and elected officers who work closely with the University’s development team.

The Foundation is closely linked to the Binghamton University Forum, a membership organization established in 1977, that opens doors to the campus and allows business, professional, and community leaders the opportunity to know the University on a personal basis, while also promoting community relations. The University Forum has been very successful in developing a mutually beneficial relationship between the University and the community.

Historically, Binghamton completed its very first comprehensive gifts campaign in 2003, with its $36 million Believe in Binghamton Campaign. The highly successful first-time campaign concluded one year ahead of schedule and surpassed its original goal by 122 percent, raising a total of $43.7 million to be used towards faculty and academic program support, student support, campus enrichment, and facilities enhancement. Within two years after, the University launched its second campaign, Bold. Brilliant. Binghamton — The Campaign for Binghamton University. In April 2010, the University launched the public phase of the campaign via an innovative, live Internet event with over 1,100 participants. Started at a time of fiscal uncertainty across the nation, the campaign came to a successful conclusion by surpassing its original $95 million goal, having raised more than $101 million.

Currently, the University is in the silent phase of a comprehensive campaign that will have a goal in excess of $200 million, an indication of the potential for philanthropy to enrich the University. The public launch is scheduled for April 9, 2022.

The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

As part of the Road Map, Binghamton University committed itself to developing a School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (“the School”). The goal was to create a research-intensive school that would prepare graduates to practice at the top of their license in a field with expanding opportunities; conduct basic, translational, and clinical research; and facilitate partnerships with industry.

In 2018, the School was constructed in Johnson City, about 2.5 miles from the Vestal campus. It is located one block from United Health Services Wilson Medical Center, a teaching hospital and trauma center with 280 beds. The School is also proximate to the Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences, a new 112,000-square-foot building that houses the University’s programs in nursing, public health, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech language pathology. The two buildings are the core of Binghamton University’s 15-acre Health Sciences Campus, which offers superb opportunities for interprofessional education and collaboration.

The School boasts a new, ultramodern 105,000-square-foot building with multiple advanced spaces for education including a fully equipped simulation suite, USP 797 sterile room, telehealth and home-care facilities, and two floors (offering more than 15,000 square feet) for research. In addition, the University is presently adding a 17,000-square-foot Research and Development building (completion projected for 2023) linked to the School at the first floor.  Educationally, the School has an innovative, fully integrated curriculum that is interwoven with scholarly and advanced practice opportunities for all students and a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1. Pharmacy students benefit from a robust interprofessional education model that enables them to learn along with nursing, social work, public health, and medical students to prepare them to work within healthcare teams. The School’s research initiatives include the establishment of the Opioid Research Center for Central New York and support for a toxicology fellowship. Faculty pursue research avenues in clinical, health outcomes, and drug development and delivery (e.g., cancer, autoimmune diseases, muscular dystrophy).

The School’s Mission

To develop outstanding leaders in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences using contemporary medication management and innovative research in order to transform human health locally and globally.

The School’s Vision

To be recognized nationally as a leader and innovator in pharmacy education and research. Our pharmacy graduates will employ quality, evidence-based, patient-centered pharmaceutical care and will be practice-ready and team-ready. They will provide care to diverse groups of patients, especially those who are underserved or living in rural communities. Our research graduates will be renowned for their contributions to translational, clinical, and outcomes research sciences.

Faculty and Staff

There are 31 faculty currently employed and distributed over three departments (Pharmacy Practice and the Office of Experiential Education has 14 faculty members and one Fellow; Health Outcomes and Administrative Sciences has four faculty members and Pharmaceutical Sciences has 13). Faculty openings for seven positions are yet to be filled, five of which are presently advertised. There are 17 staff members including the IT administrator. The Health Science Librarian is a faculty member of the libraries.

Research

The University has achieved the R1 Carnegie Classification of Doctoral Universities — Very High Research Activity and the School has developed a strong research program. In FY 2020-2021, it generated $1 million in research expenditures, with funding coming from various sponsors including the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity. In 2020, the School was ranked 56 out of 145 U.S. pharmacy schools in NIH funding (Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research). While faculty have recruited PhD students from programs such a biomedical engineering and undergraduates from Harpur College of Arts and Sciences to work in their labs, the School is currently recruiting students who will enter MS and PhD programs in pharmaceutical sciences in fall 2022, further supporting the research enterprise.

Philanthropy 

The School has also enjoyed tremendous support from the community. The Dr. G. Clifford and Florence B. Decker Foundation has provided more than $2.5 million to support the purchase of state-of-the-art research equipment. Binghamton University alumni and friends have provided additional financial support for the School, including an endowed faculty fellowship and named, endowed scholarships.

Educational Programs

In addition to new MS and PhD programs which will annually enroll an anticipated 15 to 30 students, the PharmD program enrolls 80 to 90 students each year. Hospitals and community pharmacies in the region, both upstate as well as downstate, enthusiastically provide clinical placements for IPPEs and APPEs through the service of 615 pharmacist preceptors. This spring, the School will open a Clinical Education Center at Long Island’s Northwell Hospital that will teach nine second-semester P3 students and subsequently supervise their APPEs. The University has established an Interprofessional Education (IPE) program, supported by a director and administrative assistant, and includes faculty and staff from pharmacy, nursing, social work, public health, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech language pathology. The School of Pharmacy also includes third- and fourth-year medical students from SUNY Upstate Medical University’s Binghamton Clinical campus in IPE activities

THE POSITION

The Dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is the School’s chief academic officer and reports to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. The dean oversees an executive committee comprised of a vice dean, one associate dean, and four assistant deans, as well as directors of various programs. The dean will work in close collaboration with the University’s senior administration as well as the deans of the other five schools and colleges and the Graduate School.

The dean will be a visionary and collaborative leader with a record of research and scholarship that merits appointment as a full professor with tenure in the School. The dean will have a record of administrative effectiveness and be skilled at team building, program development, financial management, and fundraising as well as possess a thorough understanding of the dynamic healthcare and higher education environments that influence modern pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences education.

Aligned with the University’s commitment to diversity, the dean will take advantage of current initiatives to further the institution’s goal to recruit and retain a diverse faculty. The dean will work with the president and the provost and an outstanding team of associate and assistant deans, faculty, staff, preceptors, and healthcare providers to ensure that the School’s PharmD, MS, PhD, and research programs continue to grow in strength and help the School achieve its ambitious goal of becoming one of the nation’s top-25 pharmacy schools.

Opportunities and Challenges

Binghamton University has a nationally respected academic reputation, a growing research profile, exceptional faculty and staff, and a student-focused culture. Since its inception in 2015, the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has enjoyed great success. The School’s facility is the envy of pharmacy schools across the Northeast and the U.S. The School has recruited excellent faculty and staff; developed a strong, dedicated network of preceptors and clinical placements; engaged in pathbreaking research; and attracted an outstanding, highly diverse student body. It presents a tremendous opportunity for a leader in pharmacy education and research to build on the accomplishments of the founding dean and move the School forward into the ranks of the nation’s top pharmacy schools. By valuing and understanding that being a dean is inherently a service role, the dean will embrace these opportunities and challenges:

  • Strategic Visioning. The dean will lead strategic planning for the School, ensuring that its mission, vision, and goals are appropriate and vigorously pursued in alignment with a dynamic strategic plan and to enable the School to join the ranks of the nation’s top pharmacy schools.

  • Faculty Hiring and Development. The dean will provide leadership for faculty and staff hiring, evaluating, and mentoring to ensure that faculty and staff achieve their full potential.
  • Budget Management. Supported by a talented staff, the dean will serve as the School’s chief budget officer, making decisions about resource allocation to advance the School’s strategic vision.
  • Student Recruitment. With the number of applications to pharmacy schools declining nationally, the dean will work with faculty and staff to develop creative strategies to help the School meet its enrollment targets while recruiting diverse, academically well-prepared students who will become leaders in the profession.
  • Fostering Research. With Binghamton’s strategic priority to enhance its stature as a major research university, the dean will foster an environment of educational and scholarly excellence. The dean will set ambitious expectations and provide support for faculty to establish a strong research agenda within the School and engage in productive collaborations with colleagues at Binghamton and other universities.
  • Expanding Graduate Programs. With students scheduled to enter the MS and PhD programs in fall 2022, the dean will work with faculty to ensure that the School recruits top students and prepares them to compete for top positions in research, education and industry. The dean will work closely with other schools and programs to develop dual degree opportunities for PharmD students.
  • Providing Leadership Beyond the Campus. Partnerships with hospitals, clinical sites, retail pharmacies, and other health sciences programs at Binghamton and SUNY Upstate Medical University are critical to the School’s ability to provide experiential education opportunities, a robust program of interprofessional education, and opportunities for preceptors and healthcare providers. The dean shall enhance and build upon existing partnerships and relationships with internal and external constituencies to ensure that the School increases its strength in these areas and creates new, attractive opportunities for students and faculty.
  • Developing New Resources. Realizing the vision and key goals of the School will likely be challenged by limited state resources. The dean will establish a strong record of successful fundraising, through grant activity, foundations, and development efforts to support students, faculty, and programs.
  • Assessment and Quality. Binghamton University has a well-deserved reputation for excellence and is committed to satisfying both internal and external expectations for the assessment of its programs. The dean shall ensure that the School complies with and exceeds the expectations of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
  • Valuing and Promoting Diversity. Binghamton University has a historic commitment to diversity and inclusion and remains dedicated to creating an inclusive campus climate supporting enhanced diversity from underrepresented groups. The dean shall ensure that the School recruits and retains diverse faculty, staff, and students and establishes a climate of mutual respect, inclusion, and collegiality that will enable it to flourish.

Qualifications and Characteristics

The School seeks an innovative and accomplished academic leader with an entrepreneurial mindset and vision for continued success The dean will foster a collaborative culture with everyone’s perspective is honored and respected. The dean will be a divergent thinker with the ability to transform different perspectives into new initiatives and solutions. The dean shall have a PharmD, PhD, or equivalent doctoral degree in a discipline that aligns with the mission of the School and with scholarly credentials meriting appointment as a tenured full professor within a discipline that aligns with the mission of the School.

In addition, the dean will possess many of the following qualities and characteristics:

  • A demonstrated understanding of pharmacy education and all of the various employment opportunities that it enables and fosters for joining healthcare teams;
  • A record of effective administrative leadership experience;
  • A collegial administrative style and a commitment to shared governance;
  • Openness in dealing with others and acceptance of diverging perspectives;
  • The ability to foster resolution of issues and conflict by bringing individuals and groups with diverse views together to arrive at consensus and common action;
  • A strong commitment to inclusive excellence and success;
  • Familiarity with ACPE accreditation standards and processes;
  • Experience in collaborating with a wide range of healthcare partners;
  • Outstanding listening, writing, and communication skills;
  • The ability to articulate a compelling vision for the school;
  • A successful track record in private, foundation, and corporate fundraising;
  • The ability to inspire others to excel;
  • The highest personal integrity;
  • A commitment to academic freedom;
  • A value for and enjoyment of personal contact and communication with students, faculty, and staff; and
  • Poise, stamina, and a sense of humor.

Nominations and Applications

Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Confidential inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be directed to:

For more information about Binghamton University, SUNY, visit www.binghamton.edu

An equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, Binghamton University is committed to building a diverse community and encourages the applications of women and minority candidates.