Molloy College hires Michelle Piskulich as provost

The Island Now
Dr. Michelle Piskulich has accepted the newly structured position of Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Molloy College. (Photo provided by Molloy College)

Molloy College today announced that after an extensive national search, Michelle Piskulich, previously Senior Associate Provost at Oakland University, has accepted the newly structured position of Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Molloy College. She will begin her appointment on Aug. 23.

The college’s search committee was assisted by Storbeck Search and received nearly 100 applications.

Piskulich stood out for her experience in leading and managing faculty initiatives and academic programs, overseeing areas that include Faculty Affairs, Governance, Online Learning, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Academic Human Resources, Academic Space Planning, Outreach, Professional and Continuing Education, and Summer Programs for a campus of 19,000 students and 2,500 faculty and staff.

Piskulich impressed the search committee with her breadth of experience in academic affairs and her collaborative and interactive manner of engagement.

“Michelle Piskulich demonstrates a career of successful academic leadership that will assist Molloy College in achieving its goals, and does so with direction and purpose, carried out with a sense of humor and goodwill,” said Michael Torres, Vice President for Technology & Institutional Effectiveness and Chair of the Search Committee.

In addition to her experience as Senior Associate Provost, Piskulich has held a range of leadership assignments, including Interim Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, with direct reports including academic deans in schools in the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business Administration, School of Education and Human Services, School of Engineering and Computer Science, School of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, University Libraries, Graduate School, Honors College, Director of the Eye Research Institute, Vice President of Research, Director of the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, and the Executive Director Macomb Outreach, among others.

She previously served as Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Director of the Master of Public Administration Program, and Chair of the Department of Political Science, where she held a tenured faculty appointment. Piskulich was president of the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration, an organization that is the accreditation body for master’s degree programs in public policy, affairs, and administration for 318 colleges and universities in 25 countries.

Piskulich’s accomplishments include the development of alternative revenue generation through successful credit and noncredit custom programs in response to regional workforce development needs and overseeing the expansion of online courses and programs to meet student needs and market demands.

She represented academic affairs as a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council at Oakland University, and she oversaw the Center for Excellence in Teaching initiatives for faculty development and training, chair training, new faculty orientation, part-time faculty orientation, and chair orientation.

Academic governance has been a major area of responsibility for Piskulich, as she was broadly responsible for understanding and interpreting the constitutions of the College and Schools, the Senate Constitution, and Board and Administrative Policies.

She has managed the University Senate where she strengthened shared governance by collaborating effectively with committee chairs and the Senate leadership.

“After a national search, we have hired the best candidate for this new position. I am sure that I speak for all the faculty in welcoming Dr. Piskulich to the Molloy community and we look forward to working with her,” said Dr. John Eterno, search committee member and president of Molloy’s Faculty Council.

Piskulich was recognized for her outstanding leadership by receiving the 2021 Distinguished Women in Higher Education award from the Michigan ACE (American Council on Education) Network.

“Michelle Piskulich is an accomplished academic leader who has the skills to lead the academic mission of Molloy College and to do so with a commitment to our strong sense of ethics and values,” said James Lentini, president of Molloy College.

 

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