- Joined
- Feb 28, 2003
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Well, Dean Alfano was offered a postion he could not refuse. He is such a smart and nice guy. The next dean has some real big shoes to fill. Atleast Dean Alfano will still be working for NYU.
Here is a letter from the President of NYU and it talks about how Dean Alfano turned this school from a crap hole to a world class institution.
I think everything he has done he is remarkable, but I bolded probably the 3 biggies pre-dents might be looking for
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The past eight-year period has been the most exciting and productive time in
the history of NYUCD/CN, and we expect the next chapter will continue this
extraordinary trajectory.
As Dean, Mike Alfano has served the NYUDC/CN and the University with such
distinction that we can only begin to present some of the highlights here. And
while many of us thought Mike would be Dean of the College for many more years,
he will now apply his remarkable talents to the University as Executive Vice
President, and all of NYU will benefit from his high standards and commitment
to the common enterprise. We are thrilled Mike is joining the leadership group
at the University, and we are committed to achieving new heights in the future
at the Dental College.
Mike prides himself on the team he has built at the Dental College - faculty,
students and administrators - yet all of us recognize that Mike himself
deserves a great deal of the credit for the remarkable progress on all
dimensions of the Dental College's mission: teaching, research, clinical care,
and service. Mike aims high, and then he regularly exceeds even those high
targets.
Before sharing several aspects of the transition period going forward, it is
appropriate to pause for just a brief time to reflect how far the College has
come under Mike's leadership.
One of the most impressive features of the College of Dentistry is the spirit
and sense of community that has been created under Mike's leadership. Not only
does this community spirit create a place where we all want to be, it makes
possible achievements that cannot be accomplished without the real esprit de
corps that has flourished. A key part of this community spirit is a
significant focus on ethics, integrity, and humanism, qualities that are
pivotal in a rapidly changing world.
Mike has recruited outstanding full and part-time faculty to the Dental
College; both the quality and the size of the faculty has reached new levels
and this contributes to the outstanding record in research. The College of
Dentistry's research ranking has improved from 41st in 2000 to 6th in 2005 and
we are likely to be in the top five in 2006. We are already number one in
terms of research at dental schools based at private universities.
The administrative dimension of the NYUCD/CN has excelled because of the
contributions of both long-term managers and significant new personnel. Both
faculty and staff have benefited from the novel Faculty Staff Development
Commission that fosters the continuing learning that is essential in our
challenging environment.
Many academic improvements have occurred over the past eight years. Indeed,
the recent independent accreditations of Dentistry and Nursing were virtually
flawless. In addition, student quality has increased dramatically, and the
acceptance rate has gone from 40 percent to 18 percent over the past eight
years in the dental program while the percentage of the class from
underrepresented groups has increased. There has been a marked improvement in
the clinical board scores of our students, with a consistent pass rate in
excess of 95 percent during the senior year of both programs.
On the program front, the changes have been equally dramatic. Most recently
the bold and innovative combination of the College of Nursing with the College
of Dentistry is a significant example of his bold approach to higher education
and health care. Despite the many skeptics, Mike stood firm in his belief that
many gains would accrue from the novel combination; the early results are
positive, with other universities beginning not only to take notice, but to
replicate key aspects of our merger. Also, Mike took the lead in eliminating
the dual DDS programs, successfully combining them into an integrated program.
There have been many successful academic initiatives, many in public health,
and we can only mention a few. Our program in oral cancer has raised the
visibility of this disease nationally; the program has received five national
awards in the past five years. The NYU Dental College is the leader in the
profession on the issue of catastrophe preparedness and has played a leading
role in the reform of dental education. Mike has reached out to numerous
organizations for collaborations including Colgate, the Levin Group, and Nobel
Biocare. The global Dental College programs have grown substantially, and our
programs now operate in Tanzania, Dominican Republic, Nigeria, Brazil,
Honduras, Jamaica, South Africa, and Nicaragua. The successful expansion of
continuing education has made NYU a leader in dental CPE both nationally and
internationally.
During Mike's tenure, the College of Dentistry has established a sound
financial foundation, and its financial performance has benefited from dramatic
enhancements in clinic operations and a much expanded revenue base. Mike's
passion for the Dental College's programs has resulted in record-setting years
in philanthropy; fundraising in 2005 and 2006 each exceeded $9 million, and the
annual fund has increased eight times in eight years. Indeed, the
transformation of the physical plant has been directly linked to these revenue
enhancements.
Not surprisingly, the reputation of the Dental College has soared over these
past eight years. One way the word has spread about the NYU Dental College is
through the award winning publication, NEXUS, which communicates what we do in
a context of a global dental professional community. Our commitment to serving
clients with great need through our Dental Van has also contributed to our well-
deserved reputation for service.
In each of these areas, we will continue to build and improve. Mike has led an
incredible period in the Dental College's advancement and set the stage for a
bright future.
As Mike announced yesterday, he will be leaving the NYUCD/CN deanship effective
on July 1, 2006, and this will lead to changes in the leadership of the College
until we find a new dean.
We are extremely pleased to announce that Professor Richard Vogel has agreed to
serve as Interim Dean until a successor to Mike can be found. Rich, a noted
clinical researcher and a Diplomate of both the American Board of
Periodontology and the American Board of Oral Medicine, joined the faculty of
the College of Dentistry in January of 2000 as Professor in the Departments of
Periodontics and Oral Medicine and as Executive Associate Dean for Academic
Programs.
As Executive Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Rich has partnered with Mike
on many of the academic initiatives noted above. For example, as the chief
academic and clinical officer of the College, among other accomplishments, Rich
has played a lead role in increasing the size and breadth of the faculty,
developing and instituting competency/proficiency based curricula, and revising
clinical care programs to respond to the needs of the College's diverse patient
population.
As the chief architect of the College's two-year self-study, the results of
which lead to a myriad of positive changes in the College, Rich was the
individual most responsible for the College's most recent "near-perfect"
accreditation site visit report, which included no recommendations and more
than two dozen commendations. We are fortunate to have a leader of Rich's
ability and stature to lead us until a new dean is named.
We will be naming a College of Dentistry Dean Search Committee in the coming
weeks. The majority of the committee will be made up of faculty from the
College, and, among others, it will also include students, an administrator
from the College, and a dean from outside of the College. We would be pleased
if as a member of the Dental College community, you would be willing to
nominate a colleague to serve on the Dean Search Committee. You may respond to
the email address from which this email was sent and please include a brief
rationale for the name or names that you present.
At New York University, change is part of our being. In this case, the myriad
talents of Mike Alfano will now benefit all of NYU and we are committed to
continuing the outstanding upward trajectory that Mike has led at the Dental
College.
Here is a letter from the President of NYU and it talks about how Dean Alfano turned this school from a crap hole to a world class institution.
I think everything he has done he is remarkable, but I bolded probably the 3 biggies pre-dents might be looking for
----------
The past eight-year period has been the most exciting and productive time in
the history of NYUCD/CN, and we expect the next chapter will continue this
extraordinary trajectory.
As Dean, Mike Alfano has served the NYUDC/CN and the University with such
distinction that we can only begin to present some of the highlights here. And
while many of us thought Mike would be Dean of the College for many more years,
he will now apply his remarkable talents to the University as Executive Vice
President, and all of NYU will benefit from his high standards and commitment
to the common enterprise. We are thrilled Mike is joining the leadership group
at the University, and we are committed to achieving new heights in the future
at the Dental College.
Mike prides himself on the team he has built at the Dental College - faculty,
students and administrators - yet all of us recognize that Mike himself
deserves a great deal of the credit for the remarkable progress on all
dimensions of the Dental College's mission: teaching, research, clinical care,
and service. Mike aims high, and then he regularly exceeds even those high
targets.
Before sharing several aspects of the transition period going forward, it is
appropriate to pause for just a brief time to reflect how far the College has
come under Mike's leadership.
One of the most impressive features of the College of Dentistry is the spirit
and sense of community that has been created under Mike's leadership. Not only
does this community spirit create a place where we all want to be, it makes
possible achievements that cannot be accomplished without the real esprit de
corps that has flourished. A key part of this community spirit is a
significant focus on ethics, integrity, and humanism, qualities that are
pivotal in a rapidly changing world.
Mike has recruited outstanding full and part-time faculty to the Dental
College; both the quality and the size of the faculty has reached new levels
and this contributes to the outstanding record in research. The College of
Dentistry's research ranking has improved from 41st in 2000 to 6th in 2005 and
we are likely to be in the top five in 2006. We are already number one in
terms of research at dental schools based at private universities.
The administrative dimension of the NYUCD/CN has excelled because of the
contributions of both long-term managers and significant new personnel. Both
faculty and staff have benefited from the novel Faculty Staff Development
Commission that fosters the continuing learning that is essential in our
challenging environment.
Many academic improvements have occurred over the past eight years. Indeed,
the recent independent accreditations of Dentistry and Nursing were virtually
flawless. In addition, student quality has increased dramatically, and the
acceptance rate has gone from 40 percent to 18 percent over the past eight
years in the dental program while the percentage of the class from
underrepresented groups has increased. There has been a marked improvement in
the clinical board scores of our students, with a consistent pass rate in
excess of 95 percent during the senior year of both programs.
On the program front, the changes have been equally dramatic. Most recently
the bold and innovative combination of the College of Nursing with the College
of Dentistry is a significant example of his bold approach to higher education
and health care. Despite the many skeptics, Mike stood firm in his belief that
many gains would accrue from the novel combination; the early results are
positive, with other universities beginning not only to take notice, but to
replicate key aspects of our merger. Also, Mike took the lead in eliminating
the dual DDS programs, successfully combining them into an integrated program.
There have been many successful academic initiatives, many in public health,
and we can only mention a few. Our program in oral cancer has raised the
visibility of this disease nationally; the program has received five national
awards in the past five years. The NYU Dental College is the leader in the
profession on the issue of catastrophe preparedness and has played a leading
role in the reform of dental education. Mike has reached out to numerous
organizations for collaborations including Colgate, the Levin Group, and Nobel
Biocare. The global Dental College programs have grown substantially, and our
programs now operate in Tanzania, Dominican Republic, Nigeria, Brazil,
Honduras, Jamaica, South Africa, and Nicaragua. The successful expansion of
continuing education has made NYU a leader in dental CPE both nationally and
internationally.
During Mike's tenure, the College of Dentistry has established a sound
financial foundation, and its financial performance has benefited from dramatic
enhancements in clinic operations and a much expanded revenue base. Mike's
passion for the Dental College's programs has resulted in record-setting years
in philanthropy; fundraising in 2005 and 2006 each exceeded $9 million, and the
annual fund has increased eight times in eight years. Indeed, the
transformation of the physical plant has been directly linked to these revenue
enhancements.
Not surprisingly, the reputation of the Dental College has soared over these
past eight years. One way the word has spread about the NYU Dental College is
through the award winning publication, NEXUS, which communicates what we do in
a context of a global dental professional community. Our commitment to serving
clients with great need through our Dental Van has also contributed to our well-
deserved reputation for service.
In each of these areas, we will continue to build and improve. Mike has led an
incredible period in the Dental College's advancement and set the stage for a
bright future.
As Mike announced yesterday, he will be leaving the NYUCD/CN deanship effective
on July 1, 2006, and this will lead to changes in the leadership of the College
until we find a new dean.
We are extremely pleased to announce that Professor Richard Vogel has agreed to
serve as Interim Dean until a successor to Mike can be found. Rich, a noted
clinical researcher and a Diplomate of both the American Board of
Periodontology and the American Board of Oral Medicine, joined the faculty of
the College of Dentistry in January of 2000 as Professor in the Departments of
Periodontics and Oral Medicine and as Executive Associate Dean for Academic
Programs.
As Executive Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Rich has partnered with Mike
on many of the academic initiatives noted above. For example, as the chief
academic and clinical officer of the College, among other accomplishments, Rich
has played a lead role in increasing the size and breadth of the faculty,
developing and instituting competency/proficiency based curricula, and revising
clinical care programs to respond to the needs of the College's diverse patient
population.
As the chief architect of the College's two-year self-study, the results of
which lead to a myriad of positive changes in the College, Rich was the
individual most responsible for the College's most recent "near-perfect"
accreditation site visit report, which included no recommendations and more
than two dozen commendations. We are fortunate to have a leader of Rich's
ability and stature to lead us until a new dean is named.
We will be naming a College of Dentistry Dean Search Committee in the coming
weeks. The majority of the committee will be made up of faculty from the
College, and, among others, it will also include students, an administrator
from the College, and a dean from outside of the College. We would be pleased
if as a member of the Dental College community, you would be willing to
nominate a colleague to serve on the Dean Search Committee. You may respond to
the email address from which this email was sent and please include a brief
rationale for the name or names that you present.
At New York University, change is part of our being. In this case, the myriad
talents of Mike Alfano will now benefit all of NYU and we are committed to
continuing the outstanding upward trajectory that Mike has led at the Dental
College.
