 New Administration Taking
Shape
 Pesident Neil Salonen
continues to reshape his new administration with
the recent appointment of Dr. Laurence M. Conner
as the new Provost and Senior Vice President of
the University. Dr. Conner, who assumes the
number two administrative position at the
University after the President, succeeds Dr.
Michael J. Grant who has served in that position
since 1995. Dr. Conner will be on campus April
10-15 and permanently after April 24.
Dr. Conner is currently serving as the President
of Marycrest International University in
Davenport, Iowa. He has been in that position
since 1994, having previously served as Vice
President for Continuing and External Education
at Emerson College in Boston.
Dr. Conner, 61, has a forty-year record in higher
education administration and teaching, serving in
a wide range of positions. He recently had a
chance to meet the UB community at a reception at
Waldemere Hall. " I want to thank the
University of Bridgeport community for their
kindness in welcoming me to the UB family. I look
forward to working with you, under the direction
of President Salonen, in shaping the future of UB
while at the same time respecting its
heritage," said Dr. Conner.
"He has a lot of experience in exactly those
areas the University needs at this time:
reviewing programs for academic quality, mission
focus and economic viability. We need to sharpen
our focus at UB, expanding programs in the areas
in which we do well and eliminating programs in
areas where we are not successful," said
President Neil Salonen.
Dr. Grant also had words of praise for the
incoming Provost. "After meeting Dr. Conner,
I have every confidence in his ability to lead
the University through its next phase of
development. I am impressed with him as an
individual and with his administrative abilities.
We are indeed fortunate to bring a person of his
caliber to the University."
Dr. Conner was graduated from Southern Illinois
University with a Ph.D. in Communication and
Theater in 1973. Dr. Grant will stay on as
Provost until a smooth transition takes place,
after which he plans to take a well-earned
sabbatical for the next academic year. He will
then return to the Psychology faculty as well as
continue as a private practitioner.
Vice President for
International Programs
Dr. Thomas J.
Ward, Assistant to the Provost at the University
since 1997, has been promoted to Vice President
for International Relations. Dr. Ward served as
Associate Director of the New England Center for
International and Regional Studies in 1996-1997
and as Special Assistant to the President in
1995-1996. He teaches International Studies at
the University and recently received a grant from
the Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium to
teach an on-line course. He received an Ed.D. in
1988 from De La Salle University in the
Philippines where his thesis advisor is currently
the Minister of Education for the Philippines. He
serves on the Human Rights Commission of Duchess
County, New York.
Associate Vice
President of Enrollment Management and Student
Services
Jocelyne D.
Poisson, currently Dean of Enrollment Management,
has been promoted to Associate Vice President of
Enrollment Management and Student Services. She
has served in her current position since June of
1999. Jocelyne has held several positions at the
University since the 1970s, including Executive
Director for Student Services and Division
Director for the Fones School of Dental Hygiene.
She holds an M.A. in Counseling from UB. Active
in community affairs, Jocelyne sits on the board
of the Bridgeport Salvation Army as well as the
Bridgeport Public Education Fund. She is
currently President of the Arts Council of
Greater Bridgeport and a member of the Mayor's
Managing Arts Commission.
Associate Vice
President for University Relations
James Garland,
formerly an Associate Vice President for
Administration at the University, has recently
returned to the staff as Associate Vice President
for University Relations. His main
responsibilities will be in the area of
development while maintaining strong ties to
government and community at all levels. Jim will
oversee the offices of Public Affairs,
Publications, Alumni Affairs and Special Events.
He was recently employed as the Chief Financial
Officer at the New York Studio School in
Manhattan. Jim lives in Bridgeport and is on the
Board of the South End Community Center and on
the Board of the Bridgeport Neighborhood Fund. He
was a co-founder of the South End Public Safety
Committee and has also served on the advisory
boards of various community-based organizations.
Vice President for
International Development
Dr. Sang Hwe Lee
has been appointed Vice President for
International Development. His responsibilities
will include developing funding and student
recruitment opportunities abroad. Dr. Lee has
most recently served as Professor of Journalism
and Mass Communication, Yonsei University, Korea,
from 1974-1997. He received his Ph.D. in
Political Science from Yonsei University in 1982.
President Emeritus
and Life Trustee
At its February 25
meeting, the Board of Trustees of the University
appointed Dr. Richard L. Rubenstein, the former
President of the University, as President
Emeritus and Life Trustee.
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