News

Dear Spitzer community,

I am very pleased—really, the better word is thrilled—to share this excellent news with you: Dr. Michael Miller is the new interim associate dean of the Spitzer School of Architecture! Michael is an experienced college-level administrator and a proven, innovative leader who loves the Spitzer School and is dedicated to its mission; he consistently seeks new challenges; he is personable and a pleasure to work with, as all of us at Spitzer know.

I’ve worked with Michael since he started at the Spitzer School in 2012; I was a professor then, and it felt as if a breath of fresh air had come into the building. As the school’s first director of operations, Michael invented this job on his feet—there were so many aspects of school administration that needed attention. Michael didn’t hesitate for a second to make improvements in any and all matters, from class scheduling, room scheduling, and student services to coordinating maintenance and repairs, communications, and purchasing.

Michael and I hit it off immediately. I appreciated that he took care of seemingly mundane matters, knowing that staff, teachers, and students at Spitzer would be more effective, when the class schedule worked. The bathrooms were fixed; room assignments were handled consistently. He answered every request with a smile, indicative of his can-do attitude.

Michael’s leadership skills became even more apparent during the pandemic and the leadership crisis at the Spitzer School. Michael jumped in and did what had to be done. He also asked for and received more responsibilities—working on exhibitions, coordinating accreditation (critical for professional programs), assisting with tenure, and representing the school on college committees, including at my invitation the President’s Task Force on the Future of City College. We served on the subcommittee focused on student affairs and services. Finally, in 2018, he received a long overdue promotion at the Spitzer School to become director of undergraduate affairs, overseeing advising, alumni relations, and career development, and continuing to shoulder operations responsibilities in part because of who he is, and in part because there was no other staff to take on this important work.

Michael handled demanding jobs while pursuing graduate education, first at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College where he completed a graduate degree in public administration (MPA) in 2016, and then at NYU Steinhardt where he completed an Education Doctorate in Leadership & Innovation program in 2021.

The position of associate dean is a first at the Spitzer School, and I am grateful that President Boudreau and Provost Liss agreed to this new position, with Michael in the seat. This is because Michael’s leadership talents and skills are obvious not only to all of us at Spitzer but also at City College. Together, we will continue to chart a new course for our school as we work together to define the responsibilities of the new position. Students are expected to remain a prime focus of his work. He attends to the joys, successes, and challenges that all architecture students have—overwork in studios is common—and is an advocate for students, showing by way of example how we all can serve our students better. Michael isn’t a pushover, not at all, but he is known for his advocacy and fairness.

Please join me in welcoming Michael Miller as associate dean of the Spitzer School of Architecture.

I am also delighted to announce that Annemarie (aka Amy) Daniel will be promoted to director of undergraduate affairs. A search for a new undergraduate advisor will begin soon. Meanwhile, searches are under way for the positions of operations manager, executive assistant to the dean, and assistant director of the Bond Center.

 

Sincerely,

Marta Gutman, PhD

Dean and Professor of Architecture

Spitzer School of Architecture