Despite leaving his dean position, Edward Bogucz wants Syracuse to stay an orange.

‘Across the country, students who are looking for engineering and computer science schools have two choices: apples and oranges,’ Bogucz said.

Schools that focus exclusively on engineering are apples – they only do engineering. Orange schools, like Syracuse University, offer a broader education in other fields for engineering students.

‘The next dean has to have the intuition and skills to develop partnerships with other schools and colleges at SU,’ Bogucz said.

Bogucz, who has served as dean of the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science for eight years, will resign to focus on his work at the Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems. His resignation will be effective once a replacement is found.

‘He’s really already been doing this job on a part-time basis,’ said Ben Ware, vice president for research and computing at SU. ‘He’s been the leading coordinator for all of the center’s activities, and I’ve encouraged him to consider taking it on full-time because its definitely a full-time job to do.’

The center studies the climate of enclosed spaces, from lighting and air-conditioning to the placement of furniture and color scheme.

Bogucz, however, will continue to contribute to the SU community as an instructor, rather than an administrator.

‘This will actually give me more time to be with students,’ Bogucz said. ‘I’ll have more extensive interactions with fewer students.’

Candidates for the dean position will be presented to Vice Chancellor Deborah Freund by the end of September by a committee comprised of Engineering and Computer Science faculty. Committee appointments are made by the vice chancellor and David Rubin, dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Bogucz was proud of his record at Engineering and Computer Science, noting achievements such as increases in the graduation rate and more interactive learning opportunities.

‘We’ve made really tremendous advances in the programs that support the success of undergraduate students,’ Bogucz said. ‘I would hope the next dean would pursue those to the next step.’

During Bogucz’s term, the graduation rate rose from 37 percent in 1991 to 63 percent in 1996.

Other achievements include partnerships with Syracuse public schools that lead to the launch of a cooperative on the spaceship Columbia two years ago, and a similar relationship with schools in Patterson, N.J., which yielded two of this year’s Engineering and Computer Science freshmen class.

‘I view that as the first fruits of a long-term relationship,’ Bogucz said of the two freshmen.

Bogucz’s tenure saw the hiring of 19 faculty members, a 120 percent increase in research spending, and the identification of Engineering and Computer Science as one of six Strategically Targeted Academic Research Centers in New York, which included a $16 million prize.

‘Winning (the STAR Center competition) was a very big deal for us, in that it validated us that we had very good people working on very important problems,’ Bogucz said.

Students were also positive about Bogucz’s contributions to Engineering and Computer Science.

‘I think Dean Bogucz has brought a lot to the school, and I think it’s definitely going to be a loss to L..C. Smith,’ said Chris Tura, a senior studying aerospace engineering.

The administration also gave Bogucz an appreciative appraisal.

‘He has been a brilliant visionary,’ Freund said. ‘I cannot imagine the things that have happened to ECS that have been so positive without his leadership.’

Published on August 25, 2003 at 12:00 pm