MARY LOEFFELHOLZ

MARY LOEFFELHOLZ has been named the next dean of the Cornell University School of Continuing Education (SCE). The university’s board of trustees executive committee on Dec. 8 approved the five-year appointment, effective March 1. Loeffelholz is the former dean of the College of Professional Studies and a professor of English at Northeastern University. She said her top priorities at Cornell will include developing a new part-time, online bachelor’s degree program and providing pathways for nontraditional students to earn degrees through Cornell. Her hope is expanded online options will increase access to education for those in rural areas, veterans, indigenous people, and those enrolled in the Cornell prison education program. Loeffelholz holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stanford University and a doctorate from Yale University. She has served as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign before joining Northeastern in 1988. There, she served as dean of the College of Professional Studies, vice provost for academic affairs, special adviser to the president, associate dean for the graduate school and faculty affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences, and chair of the English department.