Message from the Provost
The Middle States visiting team was on our campus March 21 – 24 to gather information
and evaluate our compliance with the Middle States standards. On March 24, Dr. Dahl,
visiting team chair, indicated that the team would recommend that Ramapo passed all 14
standards of excellence required by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education
thus recommending the college to be reaccredited. I thank all members of the college
community for helping contribute to this success and for making the Middle States’ team
members feel welcome on our campus. I also recognize and thank Miki Cammarata and
Jennefer Mazza for their leadership across our self study and the team visit.
I am also happy to announce that on July 1, 2010, Dr. Eric Daffron, will be joining
Academic Affairs as Vice Provost for Curriculum and Assessment. Dr. Daffron is
currently the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Mississippi University
for Women. Dr. Daffron will be replacing Dr. Emma C. Rainforth who has been the
acting Vice Provost since September 2009. Dr. Rainforth will be returning to her faculty
position as Associate Professor of Environmental Science/Geology and as Director of the
Sustainability Center. I would like to thank Dr. Rainforth for all the help and guidance
she provided in Academic Affairs as well as with the development of the Masters in
Sustainability Studies, a program which has been officially approved for fall of 2010. Dr.
Ashawani Vasishth, Associate Professor, Environmental Studies, will assume the
directorship of this new program.
On a final and sadder note, it is with the deepest regret that I note the sudden passing of
Michael J. Ricciardi, Athletic Director. Mr. Ricciardi spent more than 28 years at
Ramapo in many different capacities. He officially became Athletic Director in
November 2006. He was truly one of Ramapo’s biggest fans and will be missed by staff
as well as students. An interim Athletic Director will be named within the next few
weeks while a search is undertaken to find a permanent replacement.