Selco and Tominey named to lead Center for Learning and Teaching

By Jacquie Powers

Helene Selco and Matthew Tominey have been named associate directors of Cornell's Center for Learning and Teaching, Edna Dugan, assistant vice president for student and academic services, announced this week.

Tominey

Selco

Selco joined Cornell in 1984 and became director of the Learning Strategies Center in the Center for Learning and Teaching (CLT) and director of the Prefreshman Summer Program in 1999. Tominey joined the university in 2000 as director of Student Disability Services in the CLT. They replace Susan Piliero, who is returning to full-time teaching in the Department of Education.

The CLT provides a variety of programs and resources designed to promote student learning and improve instruction. Its services include the Learning Strategies Center, Student Disability Services, the International Teaching Assistant Development Program, the Cornell Teaching Assistant (TA) Development Program and Faculty Instructional Support.

The appointments of Selco and Tominey, who report to Dugan, became effective Jan. 1 of this year.

"I am pleased that Helene and Matt are assuming the additional responsibilities of associate director of the Center for Learning and Teaching," Dugan said. "Each brings a particular expertise to the mission of the center that will strengthen the programs and services that are crucial to student learning and therefore student success. Isaac Kramnick, vice provost for undergraduate education, suggested that we take advantage of the experience already existing within the center by making these appointments."

Dugan noted that Kramnick works closely with the programmatic elements of the CLT.

"Edna and I are grateful for Susan Piliero's leadership of the center for the past three and a half years," Kramnick said. "Her success in recruiting strong leadership has allowed us the opportunity to promote Matt and Helene to these new positions. I look forward to working with both of them in the future."

In her new position, Selco will continue to oversee the Learning Strategies Center and the Prefreshman Summer Program. Tominey will continue to oversee Student Disability Services, and he assumes management responsibilities for instructional support services, including faculty development, the teaching assistant training and international teaching assistant training.

Selco said she welcomes the opportunity to further the center's mission to promote excellence in education for a diverse student body. "I am most enthusiastic about working with my colleague, Matt Tominey, and an outstanding faculty and staff who demonstrate daily their dedication to students," she said. "I appreciate the support for the Center for Learning and Teaching that Vice Provost Isaac Kramnick, Vice President Susan Murphy and Assistant Vice President Edna Dugan have provided during this transition period."

Tominey commented: "I look forward to continuing the vision set forth by Susan Piliero, the first director of the Center for Learning and Teaching, to improve the academic potential of students while providing resources to faculty and staff in support of instruction at Cornell. The CLT has a unique synergy that works on both sides of the educational equation. Specific programming transitions students to the rigorous academic curriculum, while providing the instructional tools for all students to have equal access to the exceptional educational opportunities available at Cornell. I am grateful and excited about the opportunity to increase my involvement in this new leadership role with the CLT.

Selco received a bachelor of science degree from Temple University in 1967, a master's degree from Temple in 1970 and a Ph.D. in education, curriculum and instruction from Case Western Reserve University in 1981.

Tominey received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of North Texas in 1992, a master's degree from the University of North Texas in 1995 and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas-Austin in 2002.