While Ronald Cavanagh could consider his retirement as vice president of undergraduate studies an indication of being outdated, he says the move is all about entering a new phase in his life.

Cavanagh, who said he has been at Syracuse University so long he has worked under 40 percent of the chancellors in the university’s history, announced his retirement from the Office of Academic Affairs Aug. 9 due to the reorganization of the office. He will resume teaching next fall.

‘I’ve been the captain of a ship,’ he said. ‘And now they have told me they are going to decommission her.’

Vice Chancellor and Provost Deborah Freund decided to reorganize the Office of Academic Affairs in order to work better with Chancellor Nancy Cantor’s recent initiatives, said Communications Director Patrick Farrell.

The 67-year-old Cavanagh is taking the year off to finish attaining his pilot’s license and is also looking forward to watching the seasons change.

Cavanagh taught a philosophy of religion and theology class from 1967 to 1974 at SU and then became the chair of the religion department for six years. In 1980, he stepped up as interim dean of The College of Arts and Sciences and remained in the position for six years. Since 1986, he has served as the first and only in his post with the Office of Academic Affairs.

In his 19 years serving in that capacity, he oversaw and coordinated many aspects of the university’s academic life, such as the Department of International Studies Abroad, the Renee Crown Honors Program, Project Advance and the registrar.

‘It kept me hopping and involved,’ he said.

One of his biggest accomplishments in his time with the university, he said, has been the improvement he and fellow colleagues have made in terms of student retention and graduation rates.

Cavanagh said when he and Barry Wells, senior vice president and dean of student affairs, began looking at this topic, graduation rates were in the 50th percentile. Cavanagh said he is proud to say last year the university hit 80 percent.

‘I attribute this to a lot of good work by my colleagues,’ he said.

He also had his hand in developing SU’s program for learning communities and worked on enhancing students’ experiences with internships.

These efforts factor into what Cavanagh referred to as his lifelong dream, something he calls the seamless university.

‘I want the students to not feel differently than the people who work here,’ he said. ‘I want all people to think of themselves as Syracuse University.’

He added this means creating an environment where students do not feel a ‘chasm’ between themselves and the faculty members.

‘When we truly function together, it’s really quite an extraordinary experience,’ he said. ‘Chancellor Nancy Cantor is trying to breakdown the chasm that may have existed between the university and the community. When we achieve this, learning can really take place.’

Farrell said the reorganization of the Office of Academic Affairs is dividing up job responsibilities to more people in order to be more efficient and serve the university better.

Cavanagh said he will miss the close relationships he has formed with many members of the university’s professional staff, including the DIPA staff, with whom he has been working for 20 years.

‘But I think they are happy for me,’ he said.

Cavanagh will resume teaching religion and philosophy courses next fall and hopes to start a new course called ‘Faith, Doubt, and Fantasists.’

Published on September 5, 2005 at 12:00 pm