Spring Break
The Daily OrangeGonzález named dean of University College
By Sharon Clott
Posted: 12/1/04, 1:19 AM EST Section: News
The spring semester will bring not only new students to University College, but a dean with a new perspective and hopes to connect the campus with the community.
Bethaida Gonzalez was appointed interim dean of UC, replacing Dean Charles K. Barletta as he retires next semester after 20 years of service. Deborah Freund, the vice chancellor and provost for the university, announced his departure on Nov. 19, citing personal reasons.
Gonzalez will officially replace Barletta for March of 2005. During the upcoming months, the university will conduct a search for the final dean selection for UC.
"Bea is a fantastic, highly competent and well-known member of the Syracuse community," Freund said. "She commands tremendous respect from so many people."
Gonzalez said she is excited to bring her skills and experiences dealing with connecting the city and the university to her new position. At UC there is a strong emphasis on community engagement and building upon that, she said.
"I can bring a great set of skills and experiences," Gonzalez said.
Barletta helped maintain UC's standard of incorporating many humanistic elements in the community aspect of education, said Suzanne Barch, senior administrator to the vice chancellor.
UC serves more than 8,000 part-time and summer students each year, according to its Web site. The school aims to serve academic needs of continuing education students pursuing degrees part time, as well as offer both workforce training and community service programs.
"This is important - people associate UC with keeping the community in touch with education," Barch said.
Gonzalez said she looks forward to her advancement where she hopes to bring the university into a community that found difficulty with collaboration in the past.
"I see this as a great opportunity to blend two things that I really love: serving the community and serving Syracuse University," she said.
Gonzalez is currently the director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program for both UC and SU. It is part of her job to oversee the single part-time university left in New York state, and she said it makes her very proud to be significantly involved.
Bethaida Gonzalez was appointed interim dean of UC, replacing Dean Charles K. Barletta as he retires next semester after 20 years of service. Deborah Freund, the vice chancellor and provost for the university, announced his departure on Nov. 19, citing personal reasons.
Gonzalez will officially replace Barletta for March of 2005. During the upcoming months, the university will conduct a search for the final dean selection for UC.
"Bea is a fantastic, highly competent and well-known member of the Syracuse community," Freund said. "She commands tremendous respect from so many people."
Gonzalez said she is excited to bring her skills and experiences dealing with connecting the city and the university to her new position. At UC there is a strong emphasis on community engagement and building upon that, she said.
"I can bring a great set of skills and experiences," Gonzalez said.
Barletta helped maintain UC's standard of incorporating many humanistic elements in the community aspect of education, said Suzanne Barch, senior administrator to the vice chancellor.
UC serves more than 8,000 part-time and summer students each year, according to its Web site. The school aims to serve academic needs of continuing education students pursuing degrees part time, as well as offer both workforce training and community service programs.
"This is important - people associate UC with keeping the community in touch with education," Barch said.
Gonzalez said she looks forward to her advancement where she hopes to bring the university into a community that found difficulty with collaboration in the past.
"I see this as a great opportunity to blend two things that I really love: serving the community and serving Syracuse University," she said.
Gonzalez is currently the director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program for both UC and SU. It is part of her job to oversee the single part-time university left in New York state, and she said it makes her very proud to be significantly involved.
