Category Archives: Provost Announcement

Interim Dean for Engineering Appointed

Dr. Ping Hsu

Dr. Ping Hsu

Dear Campus Community,

I am very pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Ping Hsu as the interim dean for the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering, effective July 1, 2016. Dr. Hsu will succeed Dean Andrew Hsu at the end of the spring semester, when Andrew departs for the University of Toledo.

Dr. Hsu has served the College of Engineering in many leadership roles since joining the faculty of the Department of Electrical Engineering in 1990. He was an associate dean of the college from 2001 to 2008 and interim dean from August 2012 to February 2013. He has been the director of the General Engineering Program since August 2015 and has served on the SJSU Research Foundation Board of Directors. His research interests include adaptive control, robotics, and wind power generation.

In 2014, he was awarded a summer visiting faculty position at the National Renewable Energy Lab under a U.S. Department of Energy program. His years of experience in the industry has led him to value the balance between the practical and theoretical aspects of engineering education, and the importance of developing industry and community partnerships.

Dr. Hsu graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1988, with a doctoral degree in electrical engineering. He holds a master’s in electrical engineering from Southern Methodist University in Texas. He graduated from St. John’s and St. Mary’s Institute of Technology (presently St. John’s University) in Taiwan majoring in electronics engineering.

I am confident the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters of the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering will find Dr. Ping Hsu to be a resourceful and capable leader. Please join me in congratulating him on his interim appointment.

Sincerely,

Andy Feinstein
Provost 

Academic Affairs Working Plan Outcomes

Dear Campus Community,
I am very pleased to share with you the outcomes of our 2014-16 Academic Affairs Working Plan. As you are aware, we created three priority groups, made up of members of the Academic Affairs Leadership Team (AALT), students, staff and faculty representatives:
Members of these priority groups have completed a tremendous amount of work in less than two years and have shown a deep commitment to supporting student success. I also appreciate the participation of many other students, staff and faculty who were engaged in these efforts.
The full report is now available online. Please take a moment to read and provide me with your impressions.
Sincerely,
Andy Feinstein
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Appointment of University Library Dean

Dear Campus Community,

I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Tracy Elliott as dean of SJSU’s University Library, effective June 13. She will succeed Dean Ruth Kifer who will retire at the end of the spring semester.

Dr. Elliott comes to us from the State College of Florida (SCF) where she has served as the director of libraries since 2009. In her role at SCF, she gained unique experience in managing joint-use libraries that included partnerships between college campuses, dual enrollment high schools, a 6-12th grade collegiate school and an eCampus. She produced the first multi-year strategic plan; created an institutional repository; and served as the project director on a $2.5 million U.S. Department of Education grant to improve access to data and student success analytics, among other accomplishments.

She holds a PhD in leadership and education from Barry University, in Florida; a master’s in library and information studies, and a bachelor’s in communication from Florida State University.

Dr. Elliott has more than 20 years of experience working in higher education library services. Prior to her work at SCF, she served as the head librarian at St. Petersburg College. In her capacity, she managed a partnership between the college library, the City of Seminole and the city of St. Petersburg to provide public library services. She served as dean of learning resources at Rappahannock Community College, in Virginia; as a patent librarian at the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office, in Virginia; and as an information services librarian at Columbus State University, in Georgia.

During the search process, Dr. Elliott demonstrated a deep understanding of joint-use libraries that will benefit her in leading our partnership with the City of San Jose. In addition, she expressed a commitment to student success through providing engaged learning opportunities outside the classroom and to collaborating as a partner in support of research, scholarship and creative activities.

I am certain the campus community and supporters of our University Library will find Dr. Elliott to be an energetic and experienced leader. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Elliott to San Jose State.

Sincerely,

Andy Feinstein
Provost 

Library Safety Update

Dear Campus Community,

Last month a Library Safety Task Force was convened to evaluate appropriate steps to help ensure that the Dr. Martin King Jr. Library is a safe and secure setting for our students, staff and faculty members, and the public. This action was taken in the wake of recent incidents in the library that understandably elevated safety concerns.

I am writing to update you on its progress.

This task force comprises representatives from Academic Affairs; the University Police Department; Facilities, Development and Operations; Student Affairs and the City of San Jose, under the joint direction of University Library Dean Ruth Kifer and San Jose Public Library Director Jill Bourne.

Ruth and Jill recently met with the President’s Cabinet to discuss safety and security issues in the library and review a series of proposed immediate and long-term recommendations.

Since then, the following actions have been taken:

  • The University Police Department has initiated a contract with a private security firm to augment the presence of uniformed security guards in the library. Additional guards will be assigned to the second and third floors of the library. The monitoring of the sixth, seventh and eighth floors will be increased. This enhanced presence will start soon and continue through the end of May.
  • After an incident in a second floor restroom, little-used books from the second floor of the library have been relocated to the library’s lower level compact shelving. By the end of May, new lighting will be installed on the second floor and the remaining tall shelving will be removed to allow better visibility of the entire space by staff working at the service desk.
  • A student advisory group is being formed so that students can voice their concerns about library safety and make recommendations to improve the library spaces. Vice President of Student Affairs Reggie Blaylock is assisting with identifying students to serve on this task force.

We want the library to be a safe space for all users. I will continue to provide updates as the Library Safety Task Force continues with these efforts.

Sincerely,

Andy Feinstein

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering Dean Andrew Hsu Resigns

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering Dean Andrew Hsu will be leaving San Jose State at the end of June to take on the role of provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at The University of Toledo, in Ohio.

We will soon commence a national search for his successor. In the meantime, I congratulate Dean Hsu on his new opportunity, thank him for his outstanding service, and acknowledge his many accomplishments.

Since joining SJSU as the Don Beall Dean of the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering in February 2013, Dean Hsu has been a strong proponent of the college’s unique role as the leading provider of engineering talent to Silicon Valley. Under his leadership, the college developed a five-year strategic plan that focuses on student success, teaching innovation, research and industry partnerships. The enrollment in engineering grew by 50 percent during the last three years and the college is now the largest engineering program in California. He has been a supporter of initiatives to increase diversity in STEM fields, and implemented several programs to promote student success.

Under his leadership, the college has developed new partnerships with Silicon Valley industries and private donors that have resulted in $6 million in donations, including endowments that support three industry chair professorships and the Carolyn Guidry Endowed Chair in Engineering Education. The alumni outreach initiative that Dean Hsu led is seeing great results in engagement activities through two new alumni committees. These connections have helped to foster a culture of research, scholarship and creative activity for students and faculty in the college, especially through organized research and training units such as the Silicon Valley Big Data and Cybersecurity Center and the Service Engineering Center.

We will be back in touch regarding plans to celebrate Andrew’s service to SJSU, and I will begin a consultation process to develop a leadership transition plan for the college.

Sincerely,

Andy Feinstein

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs