Admissions Director Cheryl Brown retired last month after three decades of service to Binghamton University, but her BU career extends even beyond her 30 years in the admissions office.
photo courtesy of Katie Kane
Brown was a student at BU, where she received her undergraduate degree in English literature in 1974. She also earned a Master of Arts in Social Sciences from BU’s College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA) program in 1988. Brown got her first job in admissions in 1980, and became Director of Undergraduate Admissions in 2000.
After having helped numerous classes through the University, Brown said she is most fond of helping students make life choices.
‘Picking a college is such an important decision in one’s life,’ Brown said. ‘It’s been a privilege to represent such a wonderful institution and to help other students while I am here.’
A reception was held Monday, June 21 in her honor. She retired at the end of June, but expects to continue working through the end of July.
Outgoing President Lois DeFleur, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Mary Ann Swain and Vice Provost of Enrollment Sandra Starke delivered reception speeches in honor of Brown’s service.
Brown has received several honors during her time at BU, including the Black Student Union Service Award and Colleague of the Year in the Student Affairs Division.
Starke said in her farewell speech that Brown was critical in helping BU gain higher recognition for its student selectivity and diversity.
‘She helped shape the culture into a data-driven one to help achieve the goals we were asked to achieve,’ Starke said. ‘She did this with great success.’
During the period of Brown’s tenure as Director of Admissions, average SAT scores rose from 1208 to 1286 over the past 10 years. Visits from prospective students and families also increased from 8,000 visitors in 2000 to 34,000 in 2010. The number of applications to BU similarly rose by 80 percent during this time, with over 250,000 student applications over the past decade.
According to Brown, there are many challenges and opportunities the University faces in continuing to build its reputation and quality to attract top students. Outreach to students will be a top challenge, especially as a result of state budget restrictions. She also noted that new technologies have allowed for changes in how the admissions department interacts with applicants.
‘I think we’ve dealt with challenges with working together as a team,’ Brown said. ‘With blogging, instant messaging, working with relationships with students and families, the admissions team has worked very well together.’
Brown said there was no connection between her retirement and disputes with administration uncovered in the February audit of BU’s athletic program, which documented the admissions department’s resistance to admitting certain student athletes who were deemed academically unqualified.
A search committee chaired by George Bobinski, associate dean of the School of Management, will select the next Director of Undergraduate Admissions.
During the next admissions cycle, Brown said that a number of senior admissions faculty will be handling the decisions she normally makes until the next director is named. An interim admissions director will not be chosen during this process.
‘It’s a wonderful opportunity to represent colleagues and employees,’ Brown advised to the next director. ‘My advice is be prepared to work hard. Savor the wonderful things that the University does.’