Dennis Assanis Named University President
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G O © © udreview The University of Delaware’s independent student newspaper since 1882 | udreview.com T he Review ------------------------------- TU ESD AY, D E C E M B E R 1, 2015 V O LU M E 142, ISSU E 12 ---------------------------------- Future President Dennis Assanis Assanis plans to uphold named university student engagement president ALISON WILSON The individual success of Managing News Editor students is very important to him, he said. Dennis Assanis is eager to Among other subjects that Philadelphia. The announcement continue Acting President Nancy Assanis is looking to tackle as ends an} speculation of current Targett’s level of engagement with president are rising tuition costs, Vice President and Delaware students, he said, when he assumes a strategy that will extend benefits alumnus Joe Biden being selected his role as university president of the Science, Technology and for the position. effective July 1. Advanced Research (STAR) campus Assanis leaves behind a post “I really look forward to walking beyond health sciences students at Stony Brook that saw him build the campus, and listening to your and strengthening the university’s a reputation as a fair, deliberate voice,” Assanis said. “Understanding relationship with die City of Newark. decision maker who was more what motivates you, understanding Assanis comes to the state interested in accuracy than your problems and trying to find of Delaware from Stony Brook expedience. Stella Tsirka, who some solutions.” University on Long Island where he served as deputy provost under Assanis said he believes in currently serves as provost and senior Assanis for the last year at Stony “active dialogue” between the vice president for academic affairs. Brook, said he made the office president and the student body and is He said he believes his professional a warm, comfortable place and committed to initiating connections background has prepared him for that Assanis himself is smart and with student representatives of the presidency. empathetic. multicultural groups on campus. In Assanis has been an educator all “He cares,” Tsirka said. “He keeping with this statement, after the his life. He has been a researcher and collects all the information before announcement of his nomination, scholar in various disciplines and has making a decision, and when he Assanis met with leaders of resident worked in the administrative side of does it is an informed decision. He student organizations. higher education for approximately wants to get it right.” He spoke with undergraduate 15 years. Assanis has an extensive and graduate students, faculty “I’ve led diverse groups,” Assanis background in the energy and and administrators at celebrations said. “I’ve built centers and institutes, sustainability field. He is the around campus. I’ve chaired academic departments.” founding director of the U.S.- In terms of diversity, Assanis Before serving at Stony Brook, he China Clean Energy Research said he wants to foster inclusivity, worked at the University of Michigan Center for Clean Vehicles, a joint and with the help of the university for 17 years as an engineering initiative between both countries community, create a welcoming professor and director of numerous to conduct research into clean campus climate. He will continue to academic programs. He received his energy innovation as part of work with the task force initiated by bachelor’s degree from Newcastle larger clean energy initiatives. Targett to address issues of race on University in England and later earned According to his employee page campus. four degrees from Massachusetts at Srony Brook, Assanis oversaw Assanis stressed the importance Institute of Technology, including almost all academic programs at of arts and humanities within three masters and one doctorate. the university, and worked with the genetic makeup of a student, Although Assanis emphasized coordinating education among especially for those in sciences and his intention to work with the them. He was also primarily engineering. community to continue the recent charged with pursuing the “It's what basically develops progress Targett made concerning EMILY MC5ORE/ THE REVIEW academic mission of the school. campus inclusivity, he does not have Dennis Assanis will take over as university president July 1. creative individuals to enter society,” When he was hired at Stony he said. “It is what leads to great specific strategies in mind as of yet Brook, Assanis was praised for entrepreneurs, it’s what’s making to accomplish this task. his dedication to undergraduate responsible citizens to enter the “I want to listen to the voice of MATT BUTLER & KEN CHANG of Michigan. education. According to an article world.” the community first,” he said. Editor in Chief & Senior Reporter Assanis completed his in The Statesman, Stony Brook’s Bachelor’s degree at Newcastle student newspaper, members of At a special meeting on University in England, and has three the search committee were won Wednesday, the Board of Trustees master’s degrees and a doctorate over particularly by that aspect voted to approve Dennis Assanis as in power and propulsion, all from of his character, including search the new president of the university. the Massachusetts Institute of committee . member Alexandra Assanis will assume his role July 1, Technology. He began his career in Dimitriyadi in a quote given to The and will become the 27th president 1986. Statesman in 2011. of the school. “He is a natural leader and “There were many great Prior to the announcement, an outstanding scholar. Dennis candidates but what really stood Assanis had been serving as Assanis walks the walk,” Don out about Dr. Assanis was the the vice provost and senior vice Puglisi, head of the presidential passion he had for teaching president for academic affairs search committee, said. and its importance, particularly at Stony Brook University, where The Board of Trustees voted in undergraduate education,” he also served as a mechanical unanimously to approve Assanis Dimitriyadi said at the time of his engineering professor. Assanis as president, who takes over hiring. “I think at a major research held this position since October for Nancy Targett, the acting university that point is sometimes 2011, after he left his post as an president. Targett had stepped in forgotten, but he truly gets it.” engineering professor and leader on a temporary basis in July after Assanis is married to Helen of the Michigan Memorial Phoenix former president Patrick Harker Assanis, has two boys and will live EMILY MOORE/ THE REVIEW Energy Institute at the University left his post to take a prominent on campus. Prior to the announcement, Assanis had served as the provost and senior vice job at the Federal Reserve in president for academic affairs at Stony Brook University. stick out among other candidates, Senior Georgina Class-Peters, Riera said. the student representative on Students, dean weigh in on Assanis will take over as the search committee, described president on July 1. Riera said Assanis as a welcoming family the upcoming months will give man. She said she sees him Assanis an opportunity to study building staff morale and working the university and start learning through the “negative perceptions new president about what’s happened over the that Harker left here.” last year as well as during President Assanis previously served as Harker’s term. He said he imagines the vice president of academic MARGARET MCNAMARA he responds in a way that’s right,” any assumptions about Assanis' Targett will be heavily involved in affairs at Stony Brook University. Associate News Editor Mpasi said. stances but as a black student, he his orientation. His background is in mechanical Senior Jessica Franzetti said said he’s a little tired of the same Riera said Targett “raised the engineering and higher education Following former President Targett’s communication and face on the president portraits. bar” and he thinks the transition administration and he has a strong Patrick Harker’s controversial presence around campus set a Both Mpasi and Faison said will be Assanis’ biggest challenge. focus in building STEM programs, tenure, students insist their voices precedent for administrative that diversity should be prioritized He said he hopes for a student- while also committing to arts, remain heard as Dennis Assanis transparency. in Assanis’ agenda. As a member centered president who values humanities and social sciences. steps into Acting President Nancy Keenan Faison, a junior, said of the committee, Jose-Luis Riera inclusion. He acknowledged Assanis was the presidential Targett's “big shoes.” he looks forward to working said during the search Assanis that it’s complex, but it starts search committee’s unanimous Senior Pernilla Mpasi said she with the new president, although talked about students and issues with a leader that knows how recommendation. expects the president actually he’s disappointed in the search of diversity unprompted, and was to operationalize a personal “I see him building Blue Hen listen to students, not just say he’s committee for choosing “yet again, sincerely interested in getting connection with the student body spirit again,” Class-Peters said. listening. another older, white, straight, to know the community. Riera and make it sustainable. “You want to see that he cisgender man running our described Assanis’ demeanor as “Targett has left some big understands where we’re coming school.” genuine and warm. His love for the shoes to fill," senior Melissa Kelley from on certain issues and that Faison said he hasn’t made academic environment made him said. CZ3 LU r Q SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLOSE QUARTERS ROCKY START FOR , , , , BASKETBALL 7"? Reason for former Professor Vincent Mar- An update on the forced triples of many freshmen this semester. , ■ * • u i C/z tin’s exit from Delaware exposed during Despite early victories, Hens lose arbitration. playmaker Corbett for season. NEWS Page 3 NEWS Page 4 SPORTS Page 15 DECEMBER 1,2015 udreview.com FRIDAY, DEC.