Submitted photo and press release:
The Genesee Community College announced that Timothy P. Tomczak has officially been appointed as the College's Dean of Human Communications and Behavior (HCB) effective July 1.
"Having served GCC in a number of capacities for more than three decades, starting as an instructor, then professor and then director, I am honored and excited to take this next step into the role of Dean of Human Communications and Behavior," Tomczak said.
"To be a resource that brings together quality teaching, learning and decision-making while focusing on students and their success is something I am truly passionate about."
Tomczak's history with GCC, which began in 1987, is full of honors and activities and speaks to his lifelong dedication to students, colleagues and the College's campus community.
He is a three-time SUNY Chancellor Award honoree. Last year, Tomczak received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service; in 2007 while working as GCC's associate professor of Psychology, Tomczak received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities; and in 1994 he was first recognized with the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching.
He was also recognized by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Teaching Excellence Award in 1991, and is the author or co-author of more than 20 professional articles and presentations. He is an associate member of the American Psychology Association and the Council of Undergraduate Teachers of Psychology.
Tomczak was a pioneer of the College's distance learning movement, first teaching "telecourses" and moving on to teach sections of psychology courses online. Tomczak was also one of the first full-time faculty members to teach in GCC's ACE program at the program's inception.
Most recently, Tomczak served GCC as a professor and director of Social Sciences. As such, Tomczak co-chaired a 32-member Steering Committee with GCC's Dean of Distributed Learning, Craig Lamb, Ph.D., to develop the College's new Strategic Plan, "Framing our Future."
The plan was approved by the College's Board of Trustees and now governs all seven campus locations, as well as GCC's Online Learning and ACE Programs, and helps guide developments at College Village through 2023.
In 2016 and 2017, Tomczak also co-chaired the Steering Committee for the Middle-States Accreditation self-study, a critical process that involved the whole campus.
Additionally, Tomczak has been serving as interim dean of HCB since 2018, and is helping guide a partnership with the University of Rochester and Nazareth College to develop a collaborative prison education program.
"Tim's leadership experience and his dedication to GCC have been evident in so many valuable projects across our campus," said Kathleen (Kate) Schiefen, Ph.D., provost & executive vice president for Academic Affairs.
"From his interaction with students in the classroom to his administrative responsibilities-he has been a strong asset to the College in many capacities. We are all excited for Tim to begin this next chapter with the Human Communications and Behavior team."
Tomczak's accomplished career has earned him a place in GCC's Recognition Matters series, which highlights the important achievements of the College's faculty, staff and students. Officials at GCC have embraced this series as a way to acknowledge and celebrate the high quality of the recognized individuals who demonstrate GCC's "beyond expectations" brand.
Tomczak holds a B.A. degree from Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania and a M.A. degree from SUNY College at Geneseo and currently resides in Elba.
