The Office of Academic Affairs serves Long Island University's central mission of "access and excellence" in higher education by providing leadership in all aspects of academic life within a multi-campus institution. Under the direction of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the OAA coordinates LIU's academic operations including program development and curriculum assessment, academic budgeting and workload management, faculty re-appointment and tenure review, research grants, and teaching and learning initiatives.

Office of Academic Affairs - Long Island University
University Center
700 Northern Blvd.
Brookville, NY 11548-1327

Dr. Jeffrey Kane
Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Lori Knapp
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

Patricia E. Carson
Director of Foundation Relations

Rachel Cavanagh
Executive Assistant to the Vice President

Dr. Elizabeth Ciabocchi
Assistant Vice President, Academic Planning and Instructional Development

Virginia Ann DeFrancesco
Academic Budget & Workload Assistant

Gabrielle Eskin
Executive Assistant to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Laura Martin
University Coordinator of Instructional Technology

Dr. Kathleen Morley
University Director of Assessment

Peggy Riggs
Academic Budget Officer

Kathryn S. Rockett
Assistant Vice President for Sponsored Research

Spencer Simon
Director of the Academic Workload

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Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Jeffrey Kane

Dr. Jeffrey Kane was appointed Vice President for Academic Affairs in July, 2002. Prior to his appointment, he served one year as the Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs and for the five years prior as the Dean of the School of Education at C.W. Post campus.

Dr. Kane is responsible for the academic quality of the educational programs taught by Long Island University faculty across all of its campuses. During his tenure, he has used his position to further extend the University's focus on students and their educational needs. Working with the Deans and Faculty, Long Island University has been able to establish numerous innovative programs offering students new and dynamic opportunities to further their education. With new programs such as a joint Master's degree in Social Work at the Brooklyn and C.W. Post campuses, doctoral degrees in Pharmacy and Physical Therapy, at the Brooklyn campus, and an interdisciplinary degree in Forensic Science at C.W. Post, the University has been aggressively pursuing its mission of "Access and Excellence" in higher education.

At the same time, Dr. Kane has led the way for expanding the ranks of the full-time Faculty and in working with the Faculty to further develop the quality of teaching across the institution. He has also promoted effectively the importance of Faculty scholarly activity as an intellectual foundation of an institution devoted to discovery and the pursuit of knowledge. For his own part, he has continued his own writing on matters related to the growth of the human mind including, most notably contributing to and editing a volume of original essays entitled Education, Information and Transformation, published by Merrill Prentice Hall.

Contact:

Administrative Assistant to the Vice President
Nardy Madera
nardy.madera@liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-2917 | Fax: (516) 299-4064

Executive Secretary
Pat Arcuri
pat.arcuri@liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-3724 | Fax: (516) 299-4064

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Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Lori Knapp
lknapp@liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-4030 | Fax: (516) 299-2917

Dr. Lori Knapp was appointed Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs in September 2003. Before joining the Office of Academic Affairs, Dr. Lori Knapp served as the Chair of the Department of Nursing at the C.W. Post Campus, where she served as co-chair to the C.W. Post Campus Middle States Steering Committee and the C.W. Post Campus Assessment Steering Committee. Dr. Knapp holds a Ph.D. in Nursing Science from New York University.

As Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Knapp is responsible for the day-to-day staff operations of the Office of Academic Affairs. Working closely with Vice President Jeff Kane, Lori Knapp provides leadership in academic program review, outcomes assessment, and faculty development and initiatives in the area of teaching and learning.

Administrative Assistant to the Associate Vice President
Noelia Mastromauro
noelia.mastromauro@liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-2822 | Fax: (516) 299-4064

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Director of Foundation Relations
Patricia E. Carson
patricia.carson@liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-2526 | Fax: (516) 299-4064

Pat Carson began her career with Long Island University in 2002 as Academic Coordinator for the Higher Education Opportunity Program on the Southampton Campus, and later served as Director of Southampton Campus’ Liberty Partnerships Program. Thereafter, she moved to University Center where she served as Grants Management Specialist in the Office of Sponsored Research.

As Director of Foundation Relations, Pat serves as principal liaison with foundation funders and prospects. She provides support for the President, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and program staff in the solicitation process. Collaborating with program staff, she assists with translating plans into program descriptions, grant proposals, letters of intent, and presentation materials for foundation funders. By overseeing production of final grant proposals, budgets, reports, and other correspondence, Pat ensures that grant proposals and reports are submitted to funders by appropriate deadlines.

Pat earned her A.A. in Liberal Arts at Suffolk County Community College in 1990. She earned her B.A. (1992) and M.A. (1994) in Sociology at the State University of New York. She is also an Adjunct Associate Professor of Sociology at the Eastern Campus of Suffolk County Community College, where she has been teaching for ten years. Last, but not least, she cares for a flock of chickens and five colonies of bees on the small east-end farm she shares with her husband and family.

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Executive Assistant to the Vice President
Rachel Cavanagh
rachel.cavanagh@liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-3641 | Fax: (516) 299-4064

Rachel Cavanagh has been the Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs since June 2004. She moved to academia from a management background in the non-profit Health and Human Services field, supervising a staff of as many as fifty professionals, for eight years. Rachel received her Master of Science in Special Education from Long Island University. Her undergraduate degree in Psychology was earned at the University of Pennsylvania.

As Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA), Rachel's primary responsibility is to provide the Vice President for Academic Affairs with the information, resources and support necessary for the VPAA to concentrate on the more challenging issues of the University. She communicates and coordinates with deans, chairpersons, faculty and administrative staff members, on behalf of the VPAA, while documenting departmental business. Reports are prepared for presentation and discussion in various meetings including three separate deans' meetings, the Academic Affairs Committee and the Board of Trustees. Records, files and reports are prepared and maintained for the faculty Appointment, Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure review processes; sabbatical applications and all faculty personnel status changes.

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Assistant Vice President, Academic Planning and Instructional Development
Dr. Elizabeth Ciabocchi
liz.ciabocchi@liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-3990 | Fax: (516) 299-4064

Prior to joining LIU in fall 2002, Liz served as a faculty member and administrator at the New York College for Health Professions in Syosset, NY and Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, New York Campus, in Manhattan. She holds an Ed.D. in Higher & Postsecondary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, a D.C. from New York Chiropractic College, and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Scranton.

In her current role, Liz is responsible for coordinating program development between campuses (e.g., distance and distributed learning), facilitating articulation between and among LIU campuses, participating in the development of related University-wide policies, and assuring that distance and distributed learning programs comply with regulatory and accreditation requirements. In addition, Liz oversees the University-wide Teaching & Learning Initiative, new program registration and liaison functions with the New York State Education Department, program accreditations; student faculty evaluations; maintenance of the LIU academic program inventory, and coordination of the TASA/Newton Awards.

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Academic Budget & Workload Assistant
Virginia Ann DeFrancesco
Virginia.Defrancesco@liu.edu
Phone: TBA | Fax: (516) 299-4064

Virginia joined the Office of Academic Affairs in March, 2007, having worked in corporate and consumer banking for over 20 years, most recently in the Credit Card Division at JPMorgan Chase. As a business strategist, marketing manager and customer service trainer, she led the implementation of My Chase, My Choice marketing strategy. In her most recent assignment, she managed a team of 35 professionals who prepared 4,500 Customer Service Advisors to quickly and accurately handle marketing, operational and customer issues. She also led the Customer Impact team as JPMorgan Chase and BankOne merged platforms. Virginia earned a B.S. from Marymount College in Tarrytown, NY, where she majored in Finance and Business Management.

In her role as Academic Budget & Workload Assistant, she assists both the Academic Budget Officer and the Director of Academic Workload She handles daily budgetary administrative operations, updates academic personnel financial changes, assists with revisions to the Tuition and Special Fee Schedule, and provides administrative assistance for the Academic Budget Officer. Virginia also takes direction in gathering and analyzing workloads of both full-time and adjunct teaching staff, and in reviewing the Collective Bargaining Agreements. In the Workload Assistant role, Virginia will also assist in the PeopleSoft student module implementation.

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Executive Assistant to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
Gabrielle Eskin
Gabrielle.eskin@liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-2883 | Fax: (516) 299-4064

Gabrielle graduated from the University of Miami in 2006 with a B.A. in Psychology. She will continue her education at Long Island University, working towards an M.S. in Criminal Justice, with a concentration in Fraud Examination.

As Executive Assistant to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Gabrielle works on a range of projects to further promote the use of technology in education. She is responsible for processing faculty computer replacements and academic computer lab equipment requests, student complaints and advertisements for position vacancies. In addition, she assists in the planning and implementation of Teaching and Learning Initiative (TLI) and Teaching with Technology Institute (TTI) events and the TASA/Newton Awards.

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University Coordinator of Instructional Technology
Dr. Laura Martin
laura.martin@liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-3541

Dr. Laura Martin joined Academic Affairs in May 2006 as the Faculty Coordinator of Instructional Technology. Prior to her position at Long Island University, Dr. Martin was a district administrator for the Plano Independent School District in Texas. Her role as an administrator for the Instructional Technology Department was to provide technology vision and integration for seventy-two campuses.

Dr. Martin holds an Ed.D. in Educational and Instructional Technology with a minor concentration in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas Tech University . She also holds a MED in Educational and Instructional Technology and a Secondary Classroom Teaching Certification from Texas Tech University. Dr. Martin has published several articles and has presented at several national conferences. Her research areas include looking at different design and delivery mediums that serve to enhance online learning environments in order to promote student achievement.

Dr. Martin is located at the C.W. Post Campus, although her technology visions and initiatives are university-wide. Dr. Martin works closely with faculty and continues to research relevant technologies that can be used to meet curriculum needs and enhance the faculty and student experience at Long Island University.

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University Director of Assessment
Dr. Kathleen Morley
kathleen.morley@liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-4258 | Fax: (516) 299-4064

Dr. Kathleen Morley was appointed University Director of Assessment in April 2008. She has extensive institutional research and assessment experience. In prior positions, Kathy has led numerous faculty and staff initiatives within Academic Affairs. Her work has included ongoing participation in cabinet meetings with responsibilities related to retention, accreditation, and campus-wide planning. As Associate Director of the Policy Center on the First Year of College (NC), a national center founded by John N. Gardner, she has worked with national experts in supporting colleges and universities across the country in the self study of the first year of college.

As University Director of Assessment, Kathleen is a member of the Academic Affairs team working closely with Lori Knapp, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. She is responsible for supporting faculty and staff in ongoing assessment efforts for improving student learning in and outside the classroom, and for aligning assessment efforts occurring at the departmental, campus, and university-wide levels. Dr. Morley holds a B.A. in Anthropology/Sociology from Lafayette College and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

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Academic Budget Officer
Peggy Riggs
peggy.riggs@.liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-4206 | Fax: (516) 299-4064

Upon receiving her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from C.W. Post's School of Professional Accountancy in May 1989, Peggy went to work for KPMG-Peat Markwick (currently called KPMG LLP) as a public auditor. In August 1992, she returned to Long Island University in the role of Academic Budget Administrator. In 1996, the title of the position was changed to Academic Budget Officer.

As Academic Budget Officer, Peggy works with the Deans, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Finance Office to develop a fiscal academic budget, including salaries, operating expenses and capital. Peggy reviews and authorizes budget transactions, assists the VPAA in capitol allocation and administrative salary review, and assists the Finance Office with the Tuition and Fee schedule. She also prepares adjunct/overload analysis reports, analyzes operating accounts and special program accounts at the end of the fiscal year, and produces income/cost statements.

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Assistant Vice President for Sponsored Research
Kathryn S. Rockett
Office of Sponsored Research
kathryn.rockett@liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-2523

Kathryn S. Rockett ("Kitty") has been the Assistant Vice President for Sponsored Research at LIU since January 2000. Prior to joining LIU she was the business manager for a small company in Ronkonkoma, New York and for 16 years before that she was the Assistant Vice Provost and Director of the Office of Sponsored Research Services at SUNY Stony Brook. Kitty has a B.S. from Radford University in Virginia; a MA in Liberal Studies from SUNY Stony Brook; and a MBA from C. W. Post.

As the Assistant Vice President and Director, Ms. Rockett supervises the day-to-day activities of the staff in the Office of Sponsored Research. OSR disseminates information on external support for research, training, and scholarly activity to the academic community and provides assistance in the preparation of proposals to sponsors. The office also represents the institution and coordinates with institutional officers, on behalf of faculty members, in the negotiation of award conditions with sponsors. The OSR staff assists in determining project needs within the complex sponsor requirements that apply to the use of external funds including the need for special review and approval for the use of human subjects and animals in both research and educational activities.

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Director of the Academic Workload
Spencer Simon
spencer.simon@liu.edu
Phone: (516) 299-3496 | Fax: (516) 299-4064

Spencer Simon has worked in private higher education administration for the past nineteen years in the field of financial management, serving as a senior accountant of grants and sponsored projects, academic budget director and assistant controller. Spencer has also served on several academic strategic planning committees, developed and implemented budgeting and accounting policies and procedures, and initiated and counseled the development of a computer program to track workload. He has an MBA with a concentration in finance from Adelphi University, 1998, and an undergraduate degree is Business Administration with a concentration in accounting (SUNY Oswego).

The Director of the Academic Workload reports directly to the Vice President of Academic Affairs, and is responsible for overseeing and providing guidance to all users of the Faculty Workload System. Responsibilities include working with administrative assistants, chairpersons, deans, payroll and computer programmers for the daily maintenance and operations of the system. He works closely with the senior management team on all aspects of faculty workload. The Director of Academic Workload is responsible for providing and preparing financial and workload analysis of programs, divisions and schools, and he works closely with other university administrators regarding matters pertaining to the faculty contracts.

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