Old Westbury, NY – James L. Simon, Ph.D., has been named dean, NYIT College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Simon joins NYIT from Fairfield University, where he spent nearly 20 years in positions of increasing responsibility in its College of Arts and Sciences, most recently as interim dean.

This position represents a key leadership role at NYIT; its College of Arts and Sciences offers 28 undergraduate and five graduate degree programs in departments including Behavioral Sciences, Communication Arts, Fine Arts, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Life Sciences. In addition to cultivating student involvement in academic research and pre-professional activities, its faculty is dedicated to inspiring and producing ground-breaking creative work and scientific innovation in this digital era. Combined with NYIT's focus on technology and the principles of STEM teaching, this approach is designed to provide students with key skills they need for academic pursuit and career success.

A world-class journalist and advocate for the environment in addition to his academic expertise, Dr. Simon brings to NYIT a wealth of professional experience. Prior to pursuing his academic focus, Dr. Simon served as assistant secretary of the environment in the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. There he dealt with issues ranging from open space and water conservation to hazardous waste management and recycling. He also was director of public relations for the Massachusetts Hospital Association and served as a bureau chief, reporter, and editor with The Associated Press, the world's largest news organization, for whom he wrote more than 4,000 stories.

"Jim Simon distinguished himself in our extensive search for a new dean through his extraordinary accomplishments across a broad spectrum of highly relevant fields," said NYIT President Edward Guiliano, Ph.D. "His professional experience and record of success in administration, academic planning, faculty development, and assessment complements the breadth and depth of our institutional leadership, and will be a valuable asset to NYIT's short- and long-term strategic plans."

Dr. Simon commented, "I have spent much of my career—academic and professional—working on programs to better prepare students for life after graduation. My work in advising and mentoring, classroom-to-career efforts, and expanding internships and other forms of applied learning is very consistent with the career orientation that NYIT emphasizes. I look forward to building on those efforts."

In his new role, Simon will serve more than 1,900 NYIT undergraduate and graduate students worldwide. He will focus on strongly promoting research and scholarly activities among students and faculty, creating active learning environments inside and outside the classroom, and encouraging lifelong learning. In addition to overseeing programs at NYIT's New York campuses, Dr. Simon will supervise academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences at NYIT's campus in Nanjing, China, and with partner institutions around the world.

"Jim's proven expertise in supporting faculty research, developing innovative programs, and creating partnerships among and between schools aligns perfectly with our commitment to promote cross-disciplinary activities and initiatives among faculty and students in our seven schools and colleges," noted Rahmat Shoureshi, Ph.D., NYIT provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Dr. Simon earned a B.A. degree from Rutgers University and was a Fellow at the university's Eagleton Institute of Politics. He earned a master's degree from the Cronkite School of Journalism and Telecommunication and a Ph.D. from the School of Public Affairs, both at Arizona State University, Tempe.

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About NYIT

New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers 90 degree programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees, in more than 50 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institution of higher education, NYIT has more than 12,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT sponsors 11 NCAA Division II programs and one Division I team.

Led by President Edward Guiliano, NYIT is guided by its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, offer access to opportunity to all qualified students, and support applications-oriented research that benefits the larger world. To date, nearly 100,000 graduates have received degrees from NYIT. For more information, visit nyit.edu.

Elizabeth Sullivan
Director of Media Relations
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