We’re glad so many of you were able to gather for the joint merger forum for employees today to discuss today’s announcement, and we wanted to send a recap.
Things are progressing with the merger, and leadership shifts are a common part of the process as the future state of the merged institution takes shape.
Taking a moment to speak just as President Shaftel here, I would like to say I am so grateful to President Toyin Tofade for her tenure, which has strengthened and positioned ACPHS for a historic merger like this to take shape, one that will create the region’s premier healthcare-forward comprehensive university. There will be an opportunity to celebrate her tenure at ACPHS in the near future.
We would also like to thank several key members of the ACPHS leadership team – Sibdas Ghosh, vice president of academic affairs, and David Meredith, vice president of enrollment management – for their service. Their work has been vital to ACPHS’s success, and their colleagues at ACPHS are ready to carry forward the institution’s legacy and vision in the merged institution.
As we shared during the session, there is an interim leadership structure that will carry ACPHS until the merger is officially approved in 2027, and a planned post-merger leadership team for Russell Sage University. You can find slides from today’s presentation here.
As we work toward the merged university, periodic joint cabinet meetings will start in May, ensuring the voices of both institutions are represented at the table.
Although there will be shared leadership, the colleges will keep the following areas separate during the interim year: tuition/price setting for 26-27, financial aid administration for 26-27, admissions decisions for 2027, institutional budgeting for 26-27, legal representation/accreditation reporting, and students serving on athletic teams in 26-27. (ACPHS students can’t compete on Russell Sage’s NCAA Division III athletic teams quite yet).
We are co-creating a larger university, and we are excited to work with the extraordinary talent at ACPHS and Russell Sage. This leadership announcement reflects the vision for the combined institution. As we’ve shared before, further details about organizational design will be available in September, and it is our goal to retain as many employees as possible to serve the growing needs of the merged institution.
We’ll share another transition teams report soon, with more updates from various areas, including what is under discussion, what has been decided, and timelines for key decisions.
And don’t forget to mark your calendars for the next employee merger forum on Wednesday, May 20, at 4 p.m. via Zoom.
Thank you for all that you do, and don’t hesitate to reach out with questions. The merger website includes a form where you can submit them.
Sincerely,
Matthew Shaftel
President
Russell Sage College
Toyin Tofade
President
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences