SUNY Cobleskill appoints new dean of faculty

Former College of Saint Rose Dean of the School of Mathematics and Sciences Ian M. MacDonald has been appointed SUNY Cobleskill's new Dean of Faculty.

COBLESKILL, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- Former College of Saint Rose Dean of the School of Mathematics and Sciences Ian M. MacDonald has been appointed SUNY Cobleskill's new dean of faculty. MacDonald will begin his new position this fall and help senior academic administrators and faculty ensure sustainable programs.

MacDonald will help create new programs and alternative methods to deliver programs at SUNY Cobleskill. He will also work with academic resources that enhance students' learning abilities and the college's aspirational goals.

Prior to SUNY Cobleskill, MacDonald was a professor at the College of Saint Rose, specializing in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data communication and networking, bioinformatics, and discrete mathematics. He has a doctorate in computer sciences from the University of Albany.

SUNY Cobleskill President Marion Terenzio said he is confident that MacDonald will help the college's ability to thrive and flourish. "Dr. MacDonald will be a transformational academic leader for us, and it will be through his guidance and expertise that we will expand our degree, certificate, and micro-credential programs to meet the evolving needs of students while developing new generations of leaders across the fields of agriculture and technology," he said.

MacDonald said his skill set and passion for higher education will work well in his new role. "I am inspired by the student-centered approach embraced within Cobleskill, the strong liberal arts and sciences curriculum, and the breadth of high-quality academic degree programs," he said.