Carol S. Zajac
WORK EXPERIENCE
Empire State College, State University of New York
Capital District, NY 2001-present
Special Assistant to the President
Regional Dean, Northeast Center
 Consult and advise Provost and President on operations (personnel, systems & procedures, marketing,
academic quality and FORUM), collaborate with capital district/regional profits and not-for-profit
organizations including state government, lead visioning of a comprehensive regional center and
address challenges specific to the Northeast Regional Center such as staffing, systems and outreach.
 Serve as chief executive and academic officer for students in six locations in the northeast geographic
region of New York (Albany, Schenectady, Johnstown, Glens Falls, Saratoga, Plattsburgh).
 Responsible for academic leadership, operations management, and external relations as well as
development, administration and quality of the academic program.
 Plan and manage enrollment, budget, staffing and facilities including planning and implementation of
new programs
 Handle faculty, professional and support staff hiring, performance programs and assignments,
evaluation and professional development; implement college’s affirmative action plan
 Provide leadership for full expression of the college’s mission and academic principles in faculty work
with students; faculty and student use of technologies and resources; diversity and development of an
intellectually engaged academic community.
 Organize effective academic and administrative support services for students; make judgments related
to student academic standing, grievances and appeals; promote positive student/alum relations
 Collaborate with colleagues on staffing, program development and institutional improvement; ensure
consistent application of college policies, procedures and principles.
 Provide leadership for effective governance and peer review processes; establish appropriate
consultation processes within a community that values shared governance.
 Serve as local representative of the College at all regional events and in local associations; enhance
visibility and reputation of the college
 Mentor and teach in area of expertise
Accomplishments
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Promotion and planning for physical move of Northeast Regional Center to more visible,
professional, and accessible space
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Beginning a consistent process of development to increase private funding for Center priorities
such as the lecture series and facility enhancement.
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Complete restructuring, reorganization and re-staffing of Management Education Program
(FORUM) inherited with large debt to college and questionable academic standards; hiring of
new Director; turn around of enrollment and academic standards within 2 years
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Re-alignment of staff and physical locations, and creation of vision for realistic model for
Northeast Center service to students
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Creation of annual lecture series and Teach-In with nationally recognized experts invited to
present to faculty, staff, students, alumni and community on a specific theme each year
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Establishment of faculty retreats for consideration of “Mentors of the Future” and “Academic
Quality Issues”
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Increasing visibility and recognition of the Northeast Center in the local and global
communities (community outreach, lecture series, increased presence in all locations, increased
training and use of technology, collaboration with Siemens AG, Berlin)
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Service on President’s Council subcommittee on center staffing resulting in a new center staffing model now in
implementation across the college.
Service on Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) college-wide committee to plan, execute and implement
technology-enhanced policies in PLA.
Service on 4 college-wide administrative search committees (chaired two)
Creation and implementation of new student assessment and graduation procedures for center
Teach in both mentoring and asynchronous distance learning formats
City University of New York
New York, NY 1999-2001
University Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
 Provide academic leadership in areas of Articulation and Transfer, Distance Learning and Technology & Teaching,
Freshman Year Curriculum and International Education
 Responsible for creative and visionary communication in these areas among all 19 autonomous Colleges in the CUNY
system
 Serve as CUNY representative on New York State Education Department Task Force on Distance Learning and as
Institutional Capability Review Site Visit Team Chair.
Accomplishments
o Facilitation to completion of the CUNY Transfer Information and Program Planning System (CUNY TIPPS), a
website providing transfer and articulation information within the CUNY system
o Establishment of University-wide Teaching and Technology asynchronous pedagogical training
for faculty, outside opportunities for multimedia training, two-way mentoring between graduate
students and professors in website development
o Co-Chair of the CUNY-Baruch Teaching and Technology Conference
o Creation of the Graduate Urban Professional Programs (GUPP) consortia to enhance Urban
Professional Education across campuses at CUNY
o Responsible for special Freshman Year programs
o CUNY liaison with foreign academic delegations from China, Vietnam and Korea
o Work specifically with Kingsborough Community College in the area of Technology and
Teaching
o Advisor to the College Now program on incorporation of technology into teaching
o Presentations/workshops on distance learning and technology and teaching
o Initiation of partnership with Siemens Technical Academy, Berlin, Germany
Macomb Community College
Warren, MI 1993-1999
Dean (Acting), Division of Science & Health
Associate Dean of Science
 Provided academic leadership for multi-location, two-campus Division
 Responsible for Academic Outreach Office (Macomb’s online program), five academic areas (biology, chemistry,
geology, physical sciences, interdisciplinary studies), eight Health and Human Services Programs (Nursing,
Occupational Therapist Assistant, Physical Therapist Assistant, Respiratory Therapist Assistant, Medical Office
Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic, Early Childhood Care and Veterinary Technician)
 Provided leadership to a staff of 16 and 51 full- and 112 part-time faculty
Accomplishments
o Negotiated with faculty union to establish an online academic program and prepared College
for NCA accreditation in online program offerings
o Received Certification in Online Teaching as one of first graduates in UCLA’s 6-course
sequence
o Managed all areas of comprehensive science component of both liberal arts and career degree
programs
o Consultant for outside academic institutions in development of distance learning programs
o Re-formulated Biology and Environmental Science courses for online presentation
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Received highest accreditation award for RN program; resolved accreditation questions about
Occupational Therapy Assistant program
Chaired Leadership Advisory Committee which created the document “Behavioral
Expectations of Managers” (later incorporated into a new evaluation system for administrators)
Crafted with others, a seminal document on “Faculty of the Future” and was invited to present
national and state workshops on the process
Spearheaded the creation of a new Interdisciplinary Curricular Area
Helped to articulate a new institutional telephone registration process and policy for
technological enforcement of pre- and co-requisites
Led Science Department to successful completion of all NCA requirements including
assessment to help reach College 10 year renewal accreditation
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI 1987-1999
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Admissions & Recruitment, Dept Anatomy/Cell Biology
Assistant Professor, Depts Obstetrics/Gynecology & Anatomy/Cell Biology
Instructor, Depts Obstetrics/Gynecology & Anatomy/Cell Biology
 Responsible for mentoring, teaching and leading at-risk Post-Baccalaureate students in preparation for Medical School
 Taught medical students and medical residents Human Embryology and Gross Anatomy
 Responsible for grant acquisition, peer-reviewed medical research and publication of results
Accomplishments
o Created and taught Human Embryology specifically for Post-Baccalaureate at-risk students to prepare for
Medical School success
o Incorporated technology into first year medical curriculum
o Served as course director for 2 courses; participated in teaching of 7 different courses
o Received and administered over 2.5 Million dollars in federal and state grant money as either Principle
Investigator or Co-Principle Investigator (responsible for visualization, origination, application, receipt of
award, technical accomplishment of research and successful publication of results)
o Retrained in molecular biology techniques
o Published 15 articles in peer-reviewed journals or books and 22 abstracts (most of which involved presentations
at national meetings)
o Twice represented the United States in the European Commission Concerted Action Program (EUROMAC) on
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
o Served as advisor on 5 graduate and undergraduate committees for student research leading to PhD, MS, MD or
Honors BS degrees
University of South Dakota
Graduate Student, Dept. Anatomy/Cell Biology
Instructor, Dept. Physiology
 Full time PhD coursework and research
 Responsible for teaching in Department of Physiology
 Partially responsible for teaching Neuroanatomy and Gross Anatomy
Accomplishments
o Completed Ph.D. with honors
o Taught 3 courses in Physiology (course director for 2)
o Taught first year medical students in Anatomy/Cell Biology Department
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Vermillion, SD 1982-1986
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University of Maryland, European Division
Munich, Germany 1975-1982
Chair, Dept of Zoology
Instructor, Dept of Zoology
 Responsible for creation of pre-professional program in science (pre-med, pre-vet, pre-health)
 Provided leadership for all science areas including hiring, curriculum development and transfer articulations
Accomplishments:
o Set in motion the pre-professional studies program which included transfer articulations with US and European
Universities
o Planned and directed renovation of the science laboratories
o Served as European Science Fair administrator
o Taught 4 courses (course director of 3)
o Created new course for curriculum (non-science majors biology)
Professional Musician
Flute, Bavarian Radio Orchestra
Flute/Guitar Duo – Recording Contract & Tour
Munich, Germany 1971-1975
PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Honors and Awards
 Institute for Management and Leadership in Education (MLE), Harvard Graduate School, 2003
 CUNY representative on New York State Education Department Task Force on Regulation of Distance Learning
Programs and as section leader/chair for site visits
 Chair, Leadership Advisory Committee, Macomb Community College
 United States representative to the European Commission Concerted Action Program on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
 Graduate faculty, Wayne State University
 Teacher of the Year Award, University of Maryland, European Division
Leadership and Affiliations
 Chicago Marathon official finisher 2005
 Co-convener of Empire State College Dean’s group
 Executive Leadership Program, Albany/Colonie Chamber of Commerce
 Consultant to Siemens AG, an international electronics firm based in Berlin Germany, on the creation of distance
learning program for their Technical Academy outreach to Europe and China
 Established the consortia of Graduate Urban Professional Programs at CUNY
 Provided leadership in distance education and technology training for faculty at CUNY
 Director of Academic Programming and Technology, The Institute for Schools of the Future (a not-for-profit institute
chartered by the NY State Board of Regents)
o Advised on administration of federal and private grants
o Visualized and helped conceive grants for academic implementation in K-16
o Administered NY portion of NetsWork grant from Federal Department of Education (a multimedia catalyst
grant)
o Created multimedia project on embryonic folding (NetsWork)
 Served on numerous administrative search committees (chairing many)
 Macomb College Association of Administrative Personnel (Administrative Union) Executive Board and Service
Committee
 Chaired internal committees resulting in policy changes for travel authorization, computer upgrades, academic
technology policy, scheduling and remediation, staffing models, prior learning assessment
 Served as manuscript reviewer for 7 professional journals (currently reviewing for 2)
 Committee chair or site coordinator for 3 of 8 professional societies
 Consultant to 3 post-secondary academic institutions on establishing distance learning programs in higher education
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Presentations at international, national, state and local professional meetings on fetal drug exposure, faculty of the
future, institutional cultural changes, transfer and articulation and technology and teaching
Executive Council Association of Women in Science-Detroit Chapter treasurer
Community Service
 The AIDS Council of Northeast New York Board of Directors, 2003-2009
o Chair of Governance Committee, 2005 to present
 The Arts Center of the Capital Region Board of Directors, 2003-2006
o Chair, Planning Committee, 2004-2005
o Transition team for hiring new CEO, 2006
 Overture Conservatory of Music, Ann Arbor,
o Founding Member, Board of Trustees, 1970-1972
CREDENTIALS
Ph.D. 1986
Human Anatomy (Neuroteratology) with Honors
University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD
M.S. 1971 Human Anatomy
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
B.A. 1969 Biology and Music Performance (double major), Mortar Board Honors
Hope College, Holland, MI
Postdoctoral Training in Reproductive Toxicology & Behavioral Teratology:
1987 Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
Professional Development in Molecular Biology Techniques
1990 Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
Certificate in Online Teaching
1995 University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Development for Deans
2002 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
Challenges of Presidential Leadership
2006 Chronicle of Higher Education
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