Mary Ann P. Swain, associate vice president for academic affairs, will become provost and vice president for academic affairs at Binghamton University, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, in August.
President James J. Duderstadt said, “Mary Ann has provided just incredible service to the University over the past couple of decades as a leader in the School of Nursing, as associate vice president for academic affairs and as interim vice president for student services.
“While we are very sorry to lose her, we realize that someone with her talents and abilities will seek higher challenges and this is one such challenge.”
Provost Gilbert R. Whitaker Jr. said, “Binghamton is very fortunate to get Mary Ann. She’ll do a great job. We’re proud and pleased that she has this opportunity. We’re also dismayed at the prospect of filling her role here. She has played such an important role at the U-M for so long that she will be sorely missed.”
An associate vice president for academic affairs since 1983, Swain has been involved in faculty recruitment and retention; worked on development of policies regarding non-academic conduct for students, faculty and staff members; and monitored the work of the centers, institutes, libraries and museums that report to the Office of Academic Affairs.
She served as interim director of affirmative action in 1988–89. Previously, she sat on a number of University committees, including the Committee on the Status of Women in Higher Education, which she chaired in 1978–79, and the Budget Priorities Committee, which she chaired in 1981–83.
Swain, who also served 22 months in 1990–91 as interim vice president for student services, played a critical role in the evaluation and reorganization of the student services area, while also serving on the search committee that developed the job description and screened candidates for the permanent vice president for student affairs position.
Swain is a developmental psychologist and professor of nursing. She received her Ph.D. in psychology from the U-M in 1969, joined the faculty of the School of Nursing in 1970 and was named professor in 1977.
Binghamton enrolls nearly 12,000 students in programs leading to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.
