Amy Sheldon ’90 Named Associate Provost for Academic Affairs

Amy Sheldon ’90 (SUNY Geneseo/Keith Walters ’11)

SUNY Geneseo has appointed Amy Sheldon ’90, PhD, as associate provost for academic affairs. A professor who has taught at Geneseo since 2000, Sheldon has helped shape the college’s curriculum, expand opportunities for students, and lead academic initiatives through shared governance.

As associate provost, Sheldon will work with faculty and staff on undergraduate curriculum, academic program assessment, and student success. She will also serve as the college’s Middle States Accreditation liaison officer and a member of the provost’s executive leadership team.

“Amy’s commitment to faculty, staff, and student success, along with her deep understanding of Geneseo’s academic enterprise, has prepared her well for this role,” said Mary C. Toale, EdD, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “She is a collaborative leader who listens, builds relationships, and brings clarity to complex work. I look forward to partnering with her as we continue to advance Geneseo’s vision as New York’s equity-centered public liberal arts honors college.”

Sheldon currently chairs the Department of Geological, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences. She previously served as founding dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, interim provost, and chair of the College Senate. As Senate chair, she co-led the group that guided Geneseo’s new general education curriculum to 97% approval. The College received the SUNY Shared Governance Award during her tenure.

Her work has also connected students with new academic opportunities. As founding dean, she helped launch an Integrated First-Year Experience pilot and secure a National Science Foundation award that led to a partnership with Eastman Kodak Company. She has contributed to nearly $4 million in funded NSF grants supporting STEM student success, teacher preparation, and external partnerships.

A first-generation college student, Sheldon earned her bachelor’s degree in geological sciences from SUNY Geneseo, her master’s degree in geology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and her PhD in geological sciences from the University of Utah.

“Geneseo has long been my academic home,” said Sheldon, “and I am honored to continue serving our community in a role that supports the people, programs, and shared commitments at the heart of our academic mission.”

Sheldon will continue teaching through the fall semester while working with department colleagues on the transition. The appointment follows a search led by a committee co-chaired by Ann Monroe-Baillargeon, PhD, dean of the Ella Cline Shear School of Education, and Lisa Wilder, PhD, associate dean of the School of Business.

About SUNY Geneseo

Founded in 1871, SUNY Geneseo is New York’s Public Honors College. Geneseo provides a distinctive, equity-centered honors experience that equips students with the knowledge and skills to build a better world, guided by the values of learning, creativity, belonging, civic engagement, and sustainability.