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Provost's Staff

Ali A. Houshmand, Provost
James Newell , Interim Associate Provost for Academic Affairs
Robert Zazzali, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs

Karen Giunta, Managing Administrative Assistant
Marty Cucinotta, Managing Administrative Assistant
Bonnie Shoemaker, Administrative Assistant
Joanne Showers, Secretarial Assistant

856.256.4108
houshmand@rowan.edu

The Provost is the Chief Academic Officer of the University responsible for assuring the integrity and quality of the academic program. The Academic Action Plan is an elaboration of the academic aspects of the University's Five-Year Plan. The Academic Action Plan details current objectives and aligned activities designed to reach an enhanced level of academic quality.

Reporting directly to the President, the Provost's principal responsibilities include academic and financial oversight of all undergraduate and graduate academic programs and the hiring of faculty, librarians, professional staff and other personnel in collaboration with the Deans of the Colleges of Business, Communications, Education, Engineering, Fine and Performing Arts, and Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School as well as the Library through a Dean. Three Associate Provosts and additional Office Staff report to the Provost with responsibilities for budget, curriculum, technology and telecommunications, personnel and contractual issues.

The Provost represents the President, when so designated, with internal and external constituents. Within the University, he chairs the Academic Affairs Council and the Dean's Council, and is a member of the President's Cabinet.

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James Newell
Interim Associate Provost for Academic Affairs
856.256.4012
newell@rowan.edu

The Office of the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs provides oversight for the following departments/units:

The Thomas N. Bantivoglio Honors Program
Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Center for the Study of Student Life
Rowan Seminar
ROTC

In addition, the Associate Provost works closely with issues of curriculum, accreditation, academic policies, academic calendar, university catalog, program review and assessment, student grievances and academic dismissal, and in the day-to-day operation of the Office of the Provost.

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Robert Zazzali
Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs
856.256.4110
zazzali@rowan.edu

The Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs reports to the Provost and serves as the liaison between the Rowan University Administration and the Council of New Jersey State College Locals, AFT, AFL-CIO Unions which represent the faculty, librarians and professional staff. In this capacity, the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs serves as the President's designee as the Administration's chief negotiator for all local agreements and serves as the point person in mediating problems and disputes. He works with the chairpersons of key personnel committees in implementing the processes for recontracting and tenure, promotion, etc., and serves as a resource person for the academic department chairpersons and other campus leaders on employee relations' issues.

The Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs also works closely with the Office of Human Resources in related personnel matters and participates in the hiring process for tenure-track faculty by meeting with all candidates during the campus interview process. He serves as a member of the Academic Affairs Council which is chaired by the Provost and includes the Deans and other Associate Provosts. He is also a member of the Provost's Cabinet which is convened by the Provost. The Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs also performs other duties as assigned by the Provost, the chief academic officer of the University.

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Karen Giunta
Managing Administrative Assistant
856.256.4500, ext. 3054
giunta@rowan.edu

Ms. Giunta serves as a managing administrative assistant to the Provost. Her duties include preparing statistical reports and assisting the Provost with the academic affairs budget. She handles advertising for the academic affairs division, processes paperwork for all new hires. In addition, Ms. Giunta oversees adjunct/overload contracts and prepares faculty load analysis data reports.

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Marty Cucinotta
Managing Administrative Assistant
856.256.4500, ext. 3052
cucinotta@rowan.edu

Ms. Cucinotta serves as a managing administrative assistant to the Provost. Her duties include support for the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees, coordinating reports from the Division of Academic Affairs, maintaining the Provost's calendar and assisting the Provost at meetings and University functions. Ms. Cucinotta oversees the operations of the Provost office and provides the necessary support to ensure implementation and/or completion of projects assigned to the office. In addition, she works cooperatively with University faculty, administration and staff to accomplish goals and tasks of the University.

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Bonnie Shoemaker
Administrative Assistant
856.256.4011
shoemaker@rowan.edu

Ms. Shoemaker serves as secretarial assistant to the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and provides assistance to the Provost Office. Her duties include the revision and publication of the undergraduate catalog and the ongoing up of the catalog. In addition, she updates the general education requirements and oversees and cooperatively with the colleges on the annual academic dismissal process and manages the scheduling of the Provost Conference Room. She also provides Notary Public services to the University.

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