Dear Roosevelt Community,
Welcome back to the start of a new spring semester. I hope you feel rested, reinvigorated and ready to begin 2022. I look forward to seeing you on campus this spring.
Let’s celebrate the start of the semester together during Welcome Week. There is a full schedule of activities that commence with the grand opening of the Laker Union at noon on January 19. Stop by the third floor of the Wabash Building to greet your friends and colleagues, grab some snacks and enter exciting prize drawings.
The Office of Equity, Engagement and Inclusion will be hosting an event to honor Dr. King’s legacy on Thursday, January 20 at 1 p.m. featuring Michael Thompson. Michael is a local attorney, advocate and community organizer who will talk about living a life of service. Students can also give back through a service event with the Night Ministry. Let’s come together as a community and show our support for these important events.
I’m pleased to share several new administrative appointments. Dr. Andrae M. Marak will join Roosevelt as the next provost and executive vice president of academic affairs on March 1. Dr. Marak most recently served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences & Graduate Studies at Governors State University. Dr. Marak’s announcement can be read here.
Thank you to Mablene Krueger for stepping in as interim provost and executive vice president of academic affairs when we needed her. Effective March 1, Mablene will serve as vice president of strategic planning and partnerships. Working closely with the Executive Council, she will identify new opportunities for growth while continuing to serve in her current role as COO of the Schaumburg Campus.
Congratulations are in order for Dr. Michael D. Ford, who, in addition to his normal assignments, will assume the duties of chief diversity officer at Roosevelt. Latoya Laing will continue to serve as general counsel as well as deputy chief diversity officer alongside Dr. Ford.
Also, Arlene Regnerus has been officially appointed as CFO and vice president for finance and administration effective immediately. Arlene was previously the chief financial officer at Robert Morris University for five years and most recently served as interim vice president for finance. Please join me in congratulating Michael, Latoya and Arlene.
At the December board meeting, Joseph Nocera was officially elected to the Board of Trustees. Joe is a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). In addition to his client service roles, he leads the PwC’s Cyber & Privacy Innovation Institute. Joe’s announcement can be read here.
Black History Month is quickly approaching. Save the dates for thought-provoking and celebratory events this February. To kick off the month-long celebration, we will welcome a panel of Black nonprofit leaders to discuss how we can make an impact in our communities on Thursday, February 10, at 12 p.m. To close out the month, alum and artist faculty Adrian Dunn will honor Black music with the RIZE Orchestra on Thursday, February 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Ganz Hall. More information about Black History Month can be found here.
In closing, thank you for your patience as we work to overcome this wave of the pandemic. A new semester represents an opportunity for fresh perspectives and recommitment to our Roosevelt University community. I’m grateful for your ongoing dedication.
With Warm Regards,
Ali R. Malekzadeh, Ph.D.
President