Angela Durante, Ph.D., to be Saint Xavier University provost; Appointment to begin July 8

Chicago (April 24, 2008) Saint Xavier University President Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D., announced today the appointment of Angela Durante, Ph.D., to serve as University provost. Durante will succeed Dominick Hart, Ph.D., who retires July 1.

“Angela Durante is known for her leadership, collegiality and collaborative decision making abilities,” said President Dwyer. “I am delighted that she has agreed to serve as provost for Saint Xavier University.”

Durante comes to Saint Xavier from Lewis University in Romeoville, where she currently serves as dean of the Lewis University College of Arts and Sciences, professor of sociology, and academic associate to the provost.

“Saint Xavier University’s long tradition of excellence is demonstrated by its outstanding faculty and staff, its quality programs and its engaged community,” Durante said. “I am pleased to have the opportunity to provide academic leadership and vision and to advance the university’s strategic plan and mission.”

Among her accomplishments as dean, Durante established initiatives to strengthen college infrastructure in program and faculty evaluation processes, expansion of graduate education and online education, and support of undergraduate programming. She established short and long range budgeting, personnel planning and technology planning to address college infrastructure and to manage planned growth.

Durante also developed a project for departments to establish a vision plan for distinctiveness and excellence drawing on current expertise, responding to trends in the academic field and to the marketplace. She developed key departments to expand Lewis University’s academic base and expertise and to extend its reach to new publics.

Durante came to Lewis in 1999 as associate dean and as associate professor of sociology. In that role she was responsible for directing college-wide efforts that included initiation and implementation of a comprehensive program review process and on-line education. She oversaw the initiation of an international language project under a Title III grant.

As acting dean, Durante oversaw a stable transition of leadership of the College of Arts and Sciences, initiated a three-year planning process for technology and introduced conversations and study of the quality of faculty life and work.

Durante's career in higher education spans 29 years. During this time she has held both administrative and faculty positions. At National-Louis University she was director of the University Division of Continuing Education and Outreach, and division dean in the College of Arts and Sciences. She also has been vice president for Enrollment Management and Planning at Aurora University, director of University Affairs at Fordham University, and director of University Relations Planning and Operations at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Her faculty appointments have been in sociology and adult education departments. She is a former chair of the Illinois Network of Women Leaders in Higher Education that is affiliated with the Office of Women in Higher Education of the American Council on Education.

Durante's recent scholarly activity includes presentations and publications in the area of technology mediated education. She is co-author of a study entitled "Users’ Perception of Web-based Portion of Hybrid Distance Learning Model" in the Journal of Information Technology Education. Her earlier work has been on the sociological impacts in higher education, particularly in student retention, communication and urban populations.

Durante earned her bachelor’s degree from New Jersey City University and her master’s degree and doctorate from Fordham University.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Joe Moore
773-298-3937 or jmoore@sxu.edu