BCC president candidate bios

Francis L. Battisti

Francis L. Battisti, a life long resident of Broome County, has spent 35 years at Broome Community College. Throughout those years, he has always worked, often in leadership positions, as an enthusiastic advocate for the college. Of principle concern has been the ongoing effort to promote positive relationships within the campus and between the campus and the greater community.

Battisti is currently a member of the BCC teaching faculty, holding a professorship in the Psychology and Human Services Department. Previously he held the positions of Dean of Academic Services, Director of the Counseling and Student Development Center, and Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs.

In addition to his college responsibilities, he is currently an active presenter of workshops and leadership training programs on both the national and international circuit. His expertise in the fields of organizational transformation, team enhancement, conflict disposition, and aging issues has made him a popular presenter with major private corporations, congressional and other governmental committees, and various not for profit agencies.

Battisti is also an active contributor to his community. He is co-founder of Accord Inc. - The Center for Conflict Resolution, and has served on various area boards including: The Southern Tier Mental Health Association Foundation, Lives of Commitment Signature Committee, BC Council of Churches, and the Advisory Board of Broome County Office for Aging.

His publications include two books: Checchino: A Father & Son Journey Toward Dusk Tomorrow’s Weigh: The No-Diet Way to Lose Weight

His honors include: The State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching The Red Cross David Malcolm Award for Exemplary Service to the Homeless The Alzheimer’s Association Award for Service in the Southern Tier Battisti’s academic degrees are: Associates of Science in Business Administration from Broome Community College Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration/Finance from Albany State University Master of Science in Student Personnel Services from Albany State University Master of Social Work from Syracuse University Ph.D. candidate at Marywood University

He resides in Vestal, NY with his wife Helen who is a registered dietitian with Endwell Family Physicians

He has three grown sons: F. Paul (Victoria), attorney with the Law Office of Remy R. Perot, Binghamton, NY: Brian, attorney with the Law Firm of Smith & Newman LLP, New York, New York; Christopher, professional recruiter with Insight Global, Boston, Mass.

Dr. Chet Rogalski

Dr. Chet Rogalski is excited and honored about being selected as a finalist for the opening of President of SUNY-Broome Community College. With over thirty-four years of combined experiences as a community college student, teacher, and administrator, Dr. Rogalski believes he possesses the desired education and experience for the position.

Currently, Dr. Rogalski is the Vice-President and Dean of Academic Affairs at SUNY-Westchester Community College in Valhalla, New York. Westchester Community College has an enrollment of over 12,000 credit students with an equal number of non-credit enrollees. The college is known for its transfer and non-transfer academic programs, especially in Nursing, Business, Liberal Arts, and the Health Sciences.

As the Chief Academic Officer of the college, Dr. Rogalski has primary responsibility for leading over 170 full-time faculty; forty plus academic programs; six academic divisions; and the offices of Curricular Development, Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness, Institutional Research and Planning, Distance Learning, and Developmental Education. When the President of Westchester Community College is not available, Dr. Rogalski is the Acting President. Dr. Rogalski also teaches one English class per semester as an adjunct professor, a practice he began when he first became an administrator.

Before becoming a Vice-President at Westchester Community College, Dr. Rogalski was the Dean of Liberal Arts at Monroe Community College located in Rochester, New York. And before that, he was the Chair of the Humanities and Fine Arts Division and Professor of English at Central Wyoming College in Riverton, Wyoming. Dr. Rogalski began his teaching career as an adjunct at Lansing Community College, Michigan.

Chet, as he prefers to be called, earned his Doctorate of Arts in English from Idaho State University. He also possesses a Master of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Science both from Central Michigan University. Chet began his college education at Grand Rapids Community College where he earned an Associate of Arts degree.

Dr. Chet Rogalski has been a doctoral fellow and teaching assistant while pursuing his degree and he has successfully completed workshops in educational leadership, the SUNY Executive Leadership Program and the Chair Academy as two examples. His most recent conference presentation was delivered just last week at the Northeastern Association of Two Year Colleges: “Partners in Crime: Academic Affairs and Student Services Working Together.” His most cherished award was receiving Central Wyoming College’s first Phi Theta Kappa Teacher of the Year Award in 1988, five years after he began his career at the institution.

Chet is married to Jane Bontekoe Rogalski, who is an Associate Professor of Nursing at SUNY-Finger Lakes Community College in Canandaigua. His daughter, Margaret, is a junior at SUNY-Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC majoring in Advertising, and his son, Micah, is a junior at McQuaid Jesuit High School in Rochester, New York.

Dr. Judy Murray

Dr. Judy Murray has spent over twenty-five years serving in community colleges as a faculty member and administrator. Currently, she is Vice President of Academic and Student Development at Lone Star College-Tomball in Tomball, TX. Previously, she held positions as Dean of Math, Science and Career Education (MSCE) at Genesee Community College in Batavia, NY; and Acting Assistant Dean of Arts/Sciences, Math/Science Coordinator, and Associate Professor at Clark State Community College (previously Clark Technical College) in Springfield, OH.

Dr. Murray has a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Ohio State University, a Master of Science in mathematics from Wright State University and a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics from SUNY at Potsdam.

Since her arrival at Tomball, she has assisted in a major reorganization, developed and offered new certificate programs, formed credit/non-credit course linkages; completed a major building phase which includes a new Wellness/Fitness Center, Student Center, Joint College/County Library and Learning Center, and renovations for new labs, classrooms and offices; and initiated an extensive program to increase students’ success, particularly for the underserved and under-prepared student populations.

In addition, over the years Dr. Murray has enhanced her leadership and administrative expertise through participation in leadership institutes, unique initiatives and other leadership roles:

• She is past President of the National Council of Instructional Administrators (NCIA).

• She was selected to participate in the League for Innovation in Community Colleges Executive Leadership Institute.

• She was selected to participate in the first-ever American Association of Community College’s Future Leaders Institute.

• She participated in Leadership North Houston.

• She was a member of an institutional task force to develop plans for Clark State Community College’s transition from a two-year technical college to a state community college and worked with the mathematics and science divisions at nearby four-year institutions to develop transfer and articulation agreements.

• She served as a member of the Ohio Board of Regents’ faculty committee that worked on developing the Transfer Module concept.

Besides her administrative and community college teaching experiences, Dr. Murray continues her professional growth and scholarship through participation on national and local boards, professional workshops and conference attendance, making presentations, publishing, and teaching at the graduate level. She has interests in community college trends and issues, technology, administration, teaching, creativity, and research.

Gary F. Porter, Ph.D.

Gary F. Porter, Ph.D. was appointed Academic Vice President of Bergen Community College in 2005. As the Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Porter plays a leading role in program and faculty development, facilities and academic planning, intercollegiate collaborative programming and in ensuring high retention and graduation rates.

At its annual Trustee Conference on June 16th of 2008 the New Jersey Council of County Colleges presented the 2008 Community College Spirit Award to Bergen Dr. Porter for his exemplary service to New Jersey's community colleges. Since its inauguration in 1993, the Community College Spirit Award has been an honor bestowed to those who embody the community college spirit - perseverance, dedication and excellence. He was recognized for his leadership and service as a chairman of the New Jersey Community College Academic Officers Association and the General Education Coordinating Committee, a group of academic officers and faculty who have worked to develop a uniform general education model for New Jersey's 19 community colleges.

He has enjoyed a distinguished career in higher education as a professor, a scholar, a fundraiser and an administrator. Before coming to Bergen Community College, Dr. Porter was Dean of Academic Affairs at Jamestown Community College and prior to that position, he was Dean of Academic Services at Warren County Community College. Before these administrative positions, he was a Chemistry Professor at Passaic County Community College and at Upsala College.

His aptitude for curriculum development and his scientific expertise were tapped at Passaic County Community College where he was Chair of the Science and Engineering Department. He also chaired the Instructional Computer Planning Committee and co-chaired the New Jersey County College Project on General Education Task Force for Science, Technology, and Quantitative Skills. Since 1995, he has served with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education both as a visitation team member and in training functions.

Dr. Porter's scholarly contributions include co-authorship of articles published in scholarly journals and regular presentations at conferences and symposiums. He is a Fellow with the American Institute of Chemists, a member of the American Chemical Society and the Society for College and University Planning, and a member of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society. An accomplished fundraiser and grant-writer, he has been responsible for grant and other resource development totaling over four million dollars since 1991.

He devotes considerable time to volunteer work and has served with United Way and the Boy Scouts of America where he has been on the Executive Board of local counsels for the past five years. He was recently asked to serve on the Executive Board of the Patriot Path Council of the Boy Scouts and was named the Vice President of Programming. He also continues to serve as a Program Consultant to a number of New Jersey Community Colleges.

Dr. Porter is a graduate of Saint Peter's College (B.S.) and Seton Hall University (M.S. and Ph.D.).