TO: Employee-News
FROM: Dr. Melik Peter Khoury
DATE: April 12, 2017
SUBJECT: Leadership in Abundance: Welcome Chief Academic Officer Latty
ATTACHMENTS: None
Unity College Colleagues,
In light of recent news, and the plethora of work we are undertaking, I am writing to announce that Dr. Erika Latty has agreed to take on a new role in the Leadership in Abundance team. Effective April 17th, Dr. Latty will serve Unity College as Chief Academic Officer, she agreed to finish the year with a little double duty, completing her year-end Dean responsibilities, and working to hire her replacement.
Chief Academic Officer (CAO) at Unity College serves as first among equals in academic and curricular matters overseeing faculty, curriculum, academic policy, and delivery of academic programs.
Dr. Erika Latty, Professor of Botany, is a forest ecologist who specializes in the effects of introduced tree disease on forest structure. She holds a Phd in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University and a B.A. in Biology from Harvard University. Erika has served in her current role as Dean of the School of Environmental Citizenship since July of 2016. Prior to serving as Dean, Erika was a Unity College center director and faculty leader.
Before coming to Unity College in 2007, Dr. Latty was Chair of the Environmental Studies Program and Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Hollins University in Roanoke, VA. Prior to that she was a Research Associate at University Wisconsin-Madison.
Dr. Erika Latty personifies grounded leadership, understands the mission of a truly transdisciplinary environmental education, and has earned the trust and respect of colleagues and students alike.
One of her first priorities as our new Chief Academic Officer will be to identify her replacement as Dean of the School of Environmental Citizenship.
As we congratulate Dr. Latty, I also want to take a moment to recognize the service of Dr. Robert Scott to Unity College. As you probably know, Rob graciously joined the Unity College team as Interim Associate Chief Academic Officer in October of 2015 and transitioned to Interim Chief Academic Officer and Professor of Criminology on January 3rd, 2016.
Dr. Scott stepped into a leadership role at a time of real institutional need and provided necessary stability and grounding experience longer than anyone could have reasonably expected. It is only now that I have reluctantly agreed to accept Rob’s resignation from the role of Interim Chief Academic Officer.
Please join me in thanking Rob for his years of service to Unity College and welcoming Erika into her new role as Chief Academic Officer.
In Unity,
MPK
Dr. Melik Peter Khoury
President
Unity College
Office: 207-509-7144
“Skill can be taught; loyalty can be garnered, confidence can be instilled; but attitude & integrity are inherent! So teach skill, garner loyalty; instill confidence; but never compromise on attitude & integrity.”
“Integrity, by its very existence, rekindles the belief that as a people we can live above the level of moral squalor. We need that belief; as a cynical community is a corrupt community.” John Gardner
