Photo by Kait Covell
JORDAN PATTERSON
Staff Writer
As the lopsided weather begins to change again, so will Fredonia’s campus — more specifically within the administration. Before Summer, two positions that had previously sat empty will be filled.
A few weeks before the Spring equinox, on March 7, Kevin Seitz started his first day as the new Interim Vice President for Finance and Administration. Joseph “Andy” Karafa will be joining Fredonia near the end of the season on June 1, where he will begin his appointment as the new Dean for College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Seitz’s appointment follows the death of former Vice President for Finance and Administration Liz Praetorius.
“Vice President Praetorius was really a great member of our campus. She was known personally to so many of us, and her death was so sudden that there’s that shock of losing someone,” said President Virginia Horvath.
Horvath also saw the loss as a problem for the entire campus, as Praetorius’s many duties included overseeing Fredonia’s facilities, finances and its human resources department. Her position was empty for about a month until Seitz was hired.
Seitz has spent more than 40 years in public higher education. During this time he worked at the University of Buffalo and then went on to becoming the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, similar to a role of Vice President, at East Carolina University. After that, he went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was an Associate Vice Chancellor and oversaw a much larger budget and population.
“Most of my time was spent in the SUNY system. While in SUNY I spent more time working with folks from Fredonia than any other campus. Fredonia feels like a second home,” Seitz said via email.
Seitz’s role is only a temporary position, until Horvath and a search committee do a complete search for new candidates. This current selection was less formal due to the circumstances of the situation. Seitz has signed on until Dec. 31 of this year, when a new candidate will take his place.
“I’m really grateful that he came here, and I think he will have great ideas for us,” said Horvath.
The position of Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is on the opposite end of this process, with the interim dean almost finished with his run.
Karafa’s position of Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences opened when John Kijinski stepped down last year in August. Dr. Roger Byrne stepped in for the interim position while the administration found a new candidate for the long haul. This position oversees all programs and academic departments within the college.
“I could go on and on about the various aspects that excite me about joining the Fredonia community,” said Karafa via email. “Off the top of my head: It is a liberal arts-oriented place. It is student-centered and focused on offering high-impact educational experiences.”
Provost Terry Brown received recommendation for Karafa after it was narrowed down to three candidates. These candidates were reviewed by a board made up of students, faculty and administration. Brown emphasized her enthusiasm and excitement for the hiring of Karafa, saying she was “very excited… we’re really lucky.”
“Dr. Karafa is going to be a great addition as an academic leader at Fredonia,” Brown added.
Both positions will be filled by June, but next December, a new member will be added to the administration when Seitz steps down from his interim position and a new Vice President steps up.