From the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Academic Affairs is reorganizing the leadership structure of the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education and Applied Professions to strengthen academic support and advance student success across Buffalo State University.  

Dr. Wendy Paterson will retire following many years of distinguished service to Buffalo State. Most recently, Dr. Paterson has served as Interim Dean of the School of Education and Applied Professions, guiding the school through its inaugural year with dedication, insight, and a steadfast commitment to collaboration and innovation.  During this important first year, the School of Education and Applied Professions advanced meaningful partnerships, strengthened programs, and fostered a culture of collaboration across departments and disciplines. These accomplishments reflect Dr. Paterson’s long-standing leadership and unwavering commitment to the mission of Buffalo State and the preparation of educators and applied professionals who serve our communities. The campus community is encouraged to join in thanking Dr. Paterson for her many contributions and wishing her the very best in retirement.

To ensure continuity and sustain the positive momentum established during the school’s first year, Dr. Raquel Schmidt has been appointed Interim Dean of the School of Education and Applied Professions.  Dr. Schmidt has played a central role in the development and leadership of the school and has been deeply involved in many of its key initiatives. Her experience as Associate Dean and former chair of Exceptional Education, combined with her close collaboration with faculty, staff, and department chairs across the school, uniquely positions her to guide this transition. Dr. Schmidt brings strong leadership, deep institutional knowledge, and a steadfast commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Her leadership will help sustain the collaborative culture and programmatic progress that have been carefully built over the past year.

As part of this transition, Academic Affairs is introducing a streamlined leadership structure within both schools. Each school will include an associate dean and an assistant dean to strengthen operational support, enhance coordination across academic programs, and ensure continued responsiveness to faculty, staff, and student needs.  The updated leadership structure is as follows:

School of Education and Applied Professions
Interim Dean: Dr. Raquel Schmidt
Associate Dean: Dr. Leah Panek-Shirley
Assistant Dean: To be filled through an internal search

School of Arts and Sciences
Dean: Dr. Kelly Frothingham
Associate Dean: Dr. Julian Cole
Assistant Dean: To be filled through an internal search

These leadership updates reflect an ongoing commitment to building strong academic support structures that foster collaboration, strengthen shared governance, and advance student success across Buffalo State University.