Ithaca College

Contributed on behalf of La Jerne Terry Cornish, Provost & Sr. VP for Academic Affairs:

I am pleased to provide the following update to the campus community regarding staffing within the Office of the Provost:

Rowan Larkin joined our team on September 4 as the Office of the Provost Receptionist.  Their responsibilities include supporting the Phi Kappa Phi and Oracle Honor Societies, the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), the Academic Challenge and Mini grants, the ROTC program, Title IX and other internal duties.  Rowan is a recent Ithaca College graduate (Summa cum laude, May 2019) with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Minor in Asian Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies.

Zaira Sylvain joined the office on September 16 as an Administrative Assistant.  She is responsible for providing operational support for curriculum, assessment, and graduate programs which include staffing the Graduate Council, Academic Policies Committee (APC) and Middle States.  She is also supports the Dana and Emerson Internships, Commencement, Convocation, faculty NTEN reviews and 2, 4 and mid-point faculty reviews.  Zaira is also a recent Ithaca College graduate (August 2019) with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry.

Patrick Luker, Project Coordinator, joined the office on October 14.  He provides operational support for sponsored research programs, which includes staffing the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), and Research Council.  He also assists staff and faculty with submission of externally-funded grants.  Patrick is also the coordinator for tenure and promotion and will support the Faculty Handbook Amendment Committee. He comes to us from Cornell University where he was a Research Administration Coordinator.  Patrick graduated from Marywood University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Hospitality Management.

MaryAnn Taylor, Executive Assistant to the Provost, continues to provide direct assistance and executive support to the provost and serves as the primary contact for internal and external constituencies in representing the office. She oversees the administrative operations of the Provost’s Office and leads special projects, events and initiatives in addition to personnel management. In addition, she manages the annual faculty reappointment process, and coordinates submission of all faculty reviews, and sabbaticals.

Other important transitions in the office include:

Omar Stoute (Ithaca College 2018) is the new Project Coordinator for the Office of Civic Engagement and the Honors Program.  He also coordinates the college-wide Whalen Symposium and supports the Faculty Council. Omar was previously an administrative assistant in the Office of the Provost.  The Office of Civic Engagement and the Honors Program are located on the garden level of the Peggy Ryan Williams Center, Room ­­­­­072.  

Angela Gian-Cusio Ellis has moved to the Academic Advising Center as their newest Academic Advisor.  In addition to her advising duties, she continues to support the Integrative Core Curriculum (ICC), Ithaca Seminar program (ICSM), and the Committee on College-wide Requirements (CCR).  Angela’s previous role was an administrative assistant in the Office of the Provost.   The Academic Advising Office is located at 130A Rothschild Place.

For a full list of those in the Office of the Provost see below:

Jeane Copenhaver-Johnson, Associate Provost for Academic Programs

La Jerne Terry Cornish, Provost and Sr. Vice President for Academic Affairs

Sue-Je Gage, Faculty Advocate – Gannett Center – G121

David Harker, Director of Civic Engagement – PRWC G072

Brad Hougham, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs

Marc Israel, Assistant Provost for Finance and Administrative Operations

Rowan Larkin, Receptionist

Patrick Luker, Project Coordinator, Sponsored Research/Tenure and Promotion

Judith Pena-Schaff, Associate Professor, Presidential Fellow

Gordon Rowland, Director, Center for Faculty Excellence – Gannett 316

Omar Stoute, Project Coordinator, Civic Engagement and Honors Program/Whalen Symposium – PRWC G072

Tanya Saunders, Assistant Provost for International Programs and Extended Studies – Job 203

Zaira Sylvain, Administrative Assistant

Thomas Swensen, Professor, Presidential Fellow

Alicia Swords, Director of Honors Program – PRWC G072

MaryAnn Taylor, Executive Assistant to the Provost