Student Affairs

The FIT Strategic Planning Process devoted the fall term to identifying the key challenges and opportunities the College will face over the next decade. More than 80 interviews were conducted; four special roundtables were convened; and, in January we met as a Steering Committee to push the process forward by establishing nine special planning committees. The results of these discussions and deliberations are summarized in the four documents accompanying this charge to the special planning committee we are asking the Division of Student Affairs to establish. 

  • A Memorandum identifying Issues for First Roundtables;
  • A Report on Interview Results;
  • A Report summarizing the Central Themes from the Strategic Planning Roundtables convened December 6-7 and December 15-16, 2004; and
  • A Report on Enrollment Trends.

Over the next two months we are asking the special planning committee for Student Affairs to address the following strategic challenge.

Strategic Challenge

In the increasingly competitive market for top students, those institutions that rise to the top have both excellent academic programs and exhibit a tangible commitment to being student centered. Students know when they are being served, when they see themselves as truly belonging to a community that reflects their interests and concerns, and when they are taken as serious partners in the learning process.

Now is the time for all of FIT's programs and services to ask What changes to the campus environment will enhance teaching and learning while also increasing student satisfaction with their educational experience at FIT? More specifically, this strategic challenge asks, How might the Division of Student Affairs improve the services and support it provides FIT students? How will the addition of more student residences change or complicate this challenge? How might the Student Affairs Division assist the Schools and their faculty and staff build programs that are more consciously student centered?

In considering these strategic challenges we ask that you 

  • explore and then specify the planning goals you would like the School or Graduate Studies to achieve in responding to each challenge;
  • identify a limited set of specific initiatives and the principal resources that will be needed to achieve these goals; and
  • suggest a limited set of metrics and benchmarks that the School could track to see if, over the next five years, sufficient progress is being achieved.
  • identify those issues and concerns that will need to be addressed once this current round of strategic planning is complete.

Student Affairs Committee Members

CHAIR: Thomas Thomas, dean , Student Development
CO-CHAIR: Nancy Grossman, professor-director, Student Life
Barry Fischer, professor-assistant director, Financial Aid
Terry Ginder, counselor, Counseling Center
Debbie Golopol, coordinator, Technology Projects, IT Software and Information Access
Ann Marie Grappo, director, Residential Life
Lisa Hamilton, instructor-counselor, Student Life
William Hanauer, first deputy bursar , Finance and Operations
Lisle Henderson, registrar, Registration Center
Judhy Jacobo, office associate, Health Services
Deborah Klesenski-Rispoli, assistant professor and chairperson, Photography
Joseph Maiorca, assistant professor, Psychology; assistant chairperson, Social Sciences
Kerri McTiernan, director, Athletics
Liz Mortensen, coordinator, FIT-ABLE
Line Osias, counselor associate, Educational Opportunity Programs
Erika Rohrbach, adjunct assistant professor-counselor, International Student Advisement
Juliette Romano, professor-counselor, Career Services; president, UCE of FIT
Richard Rothenberg, counselor associate, Admissions
Robert Vassalotti, associate professor, Fashion Merchandising Management; acting assistant dean for Business and Technology