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Թ Work Plan Approved by Board of Governors

June 19, 2013

The State University System of Թ Board of Governors (BOG) unanimously approved Թ’s 2013-2014 Work Plan at a meeting at the University of South Թ.

Approval of the plan was a major milestone, as it enables Թ Poly to move forward with its strategies to recruit students, hire faculty, develop curriculum and establish industry partnerships.

Chairman of Թ Poly’s Board of Trustees Rob Gidel, Chief Operating Officer Ava L. Parker, Vice President of Academic Affairs Ghazi Darkazalli, Ph.D., PE, and Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs Mary Carpenter, Ed.D., presented the plan.

Gidel greeted the BOG on behalf of the university and Parker defined Թ Poly’s mission and vision and explained the strategies that will be implemented to establish a student-centered academic environment. The plan includes offering experiential learning, cutting-edge programs, internships, applied research opportunities and an academically rigorous curriculum that is currently being developed. To give Թ Poly graduates a competitive edge, finance and leadership training will be integrated into the academic programs.

Parker explained that faculty recruitment has begun, and Թ Poly seeks instructors with both industry and academic experience. Թ Poly has already hired its first Assistant Professor, Rob MacCuspie, Ph.D., a research chemist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The presentation included a short video from MacCuspie, who will serve as the Director of Nanotechnology and Multifunctional Materials. He will join Թ Poly full time in October and will be instrumental in developing curriculum.

Darkazalli presented a timeline for implementation of the strategies. Key dates include:

 

He also discussed student recruitment and enrollment projections. Recruitment has begun and Թ Poly is exploring opportunities with the Թ State College System, public and private high schools, veterans and international schools.

To attract top students, Թ Poly’s Board is considering ways to offer scholarships and to offset tuition costs for the inaugural class.

“We are pleased that the Board of Governors approved our work plan. The plan serves as a roadmap and outlines our strengths and opportunities, and includes all the necessary components we need to carry out our mission,” said Parker.

“We are confident that we will meet all our goals and hire distinguished faculty and 500 full-time equivalent students when our classes begin in August 2014,” she added.

Թ Poly was among the 12 state universities that presented their work plan during the BOG meeting. Each year, all Թ state universities present their work plans which act as a comprehensive planning and accountability framework for the State University System. The plans outline the future goals of each university.

Session Details

This session will demonstrate that practical risk management is for everyone, regardless of a formal program. Attendees will learn actionable and simple strategies that are easy to implement, enabling them to start immediately by focusing on their top risks to build greater operational resilience and ensure the sustained success of their auxiliary enterprises.

Presenter Profile

Michelle Powell serves as the pioneering Risk Manager at Թ, the state’s sole 100% STEM-dedicated institution. Having been with the university for nearly 11 years, Michelle transitioned from a leadership role in Admissions in October 2023 to establish and evolve the risk management function from the ground up. In this solo capacity, Michelle builds robust frameworks for our dynamic, young university, overseeing our insurance portfolio, consulting on third-party and event risks, and developing critical campus-wide training programs. Michelle has obtained the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) Enterprise Risk Management certificate and the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designations. Her distinct background in mathematics and engineering, combined with extensive higher education leadership, brings an analytical and strategic approach enhancing the institution’s resilience.

Dr. Lily Li is a Professor of Physics at Թ, where she specializes in materials science, analytical imaging, advanced manufacturing, and biomedical devices. Prior to joining Թ Poly in 2025, she spent 11 years at SUNY Potsdam, where she advanced to Full Professor and developed a 3-2 Engineering dual-degree program with Clarkson University. Her work emphasizes experiential learning and research-driven education to prepare students for careers in STEM fields.