Provost’s Newsletter: News and Updates from the Division of Academic Affairs for June 25, 2025

June 25, 2025

Dear Baruch College Community:

If you had any doubt that summer is upon us, this week’s high temperatures surely put those doubts aside! Many faculty use the summer months to advance their research agendas. The Office of Research Compliance and Outreach (ORCO) has updated its Researcher Guide for submitting an HRPP/IRB protocol. Also, if your Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Human Subjects Certification is nearing its four-year expiration, or if you don’t yet have a CITI certification, now is a good time to complete that training. Information and links are below in the Research section.

In the last issue of the newsletter, I touted the successes of our new transfer student onboarding process. Unfortunately, I neglected to give full credit to all involved. The improvements to the registration process are due to the engagement and hard work of Dr. Sharon Ricks and the team in Academic Advisement. This team of 14 dedicated professionals serves over 15,000 undergraduate students and is consistently working to improve the student experience by making their own work both more efficient and more effective. Thank you for all you do!

Finally, I note that the Provost’s Newsletter will take its summer hiatus during the month of July. You can look forward to receiving the next newsletter on Wednesday, Aug. 6. It will be chock full of helpful tips to prepare for the fall semester—classes start Tuesday, Aug. 26.

Best wishes,

Dr. Linda Essig
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Campus Updates

Dr. Marios Koufaris Appointed Associate Dean of Administration and Finance in the Zicklin School
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Marios Koufaris on his appointment as Associate Dean for Administration and Finance in the Zicklin School of Business. Dr. Koufaris has been serving in this role on an interim basis for two years. After completing his PhD at NYU, he joined the College in 2000 as an Assistant Professor in the Paul H. Chook Department of Information Systems and Statistics. Dr. Koufaris served as Department Chair of the Paul H. Chook Department of Information Systems and Statistics from 2016 to 2022 before his appointment as Interim Associate Dean.

Faculty Affairs

Now Open: Faculty Mentoring Network Mentee Applications for AY 2025–26 
The Baruch Faculty Mentoring Network supports full-time faculty across the College with opt-in, needs-based mentoring at all career stages. Faculty can use this online portal to view areas of support and identify a preferred mentor. Additionally, faculty can stay updated on upcoming Mentoring Network events, workshops, faculty interest groups (FIGs), peer mentoring/networking opportunities, and other resources designed to support faculty. We are thrilled to have both returning and new mentors at all levels for AY 2025–26. To become a mentee and connect with our mentors, please complete the application. Please reach out to Norene Leddy, Director of Faculty Affairs, with any questions.

Adjunct Community Space in Brightspace
The Adjunct Community Space in Brightspace is updated regularly to provide resources and announce events, trainings, and other critical information for adjunct faculty—please be sure to turn on notifications. If you are an adjunct faculty member and you do not see the Adjunct Community Space in your list of Brightspace courses, please contact Norene Leddy, Director of Faculty Affairs, to be added as soon as possible.

Claim Your Free Account: AY 2025–26 NCFDD Institutional Membership
Baruch has renewed our institutional membership to NCFDD for AY 2025–26. NCFDD is an independent professional development, training, and mentoring community of faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students from more than 450 colleges and universities. Its programs and services are designed to help scholars increase their research productivity and improve work-life balance. All faculty are encouraged to claim their free account. Please contact Norene Leddy, Director of Faculty Affairs, with any questions.

Research  

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) CITI Training
All faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research-active undergraduate students are required to complete the online course on Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) offered by the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). To take the course, navigate to the CITI Program website, click “Log In Through My Organization,” and enter your CUNY Login credentials. Upon completing the RCR course, please send a copy of your certificate to Kristin Sommer, Research Integrity Officer (RIO) for Baruch. Certificates are valid for four years. The RIO for Baruch College monitors compliance with the RCR online training requirement and also serves as the point person for allegations of research misconduct against members of the Baruch community. For additional information or inquiries, please visit the RIO website.

Revised Human Subjects Researcher Guide
In light of the increasing regulatory complexity of IRB applications, the Office of Research Compliance and Outreach (ORCO) has enhanced its Researcher Guide with guidance concerning regulations and policies that intersect with human subjects research. It is imperative for researchers to be cognizant of the various regulations and policies that may pertain to their human subjects research, as these factors can influence anticipated research timelines and IRB review durations. Principal Investigators with questions are encouraged to contact ORCO during the development phase of their research. 

Faculty and Staff Achievements 
Debra Caplan, Associate Professor, Department of Fine and Performing Arts, had a staged reading of her new musical, Paper Brigade, which she composed and co-wrote, performed last month at the Drama League Studio Lab.

Do you want to share something you published, exhibited, performed, or presented with the Baruch community? Submit your information to facultynews@baruch.cuny.edu.

Assessment, Accreditation, Institutional Effectiveness

Assessment Spotlight Series: Marxe School of Public and International Affairs
The Assessment Spotlight Series aims to acknowledge individual faculty and staff engaged in outstanding assessment efforts across the campus community. We are dedicated to showcasing the impressive work of our colleagues, as we collectively continue to ensure success for all Baruch students. Last month, we recognized David Hoffman, Assessment Chair and Communications Professor in the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. Read this interview to learn more about how he is working to improve student success.

Reminders

Update Your Interfolio Faculty 180 Account
The Office of Academic Administration (OAA) asks all full-time faculty to update their profile and enter their honors and achievements regularly in Interfolio. The College uses reports generated from Interfolio for many purposes, such as school reaccreditations, information for the Faculty Convocation program, award nominations, and responding to requests from the CUNY Central Office. OAA encourages faculty to update their scholarly activities in Interfolio at the start of the Fall and Spring semesters and to add noteworthy events (article or book acceptances or honors/awards received) as soon as they happen. Your cooperation ensures that OAA can provide accurate evidence of the excellence of our faculty. For questions about Interfolio, please contact Maria Burgos, Director of Academic Administration, or Sherina John, Administrative Coordinator.

Stay Connected

Share Your Research and Creative Activity
Keep the College up to date with your research and creative activity by emailing facultynews@baruch.cuny.edu with the what, where, and when of your publication, exhibition, or award.

President Wu’s Blog
Read President Wu’s blog and join the conversation.