Lisa Staiano-Coico | |
---|---|
12th President of the City College of the City University of New York | |
In office August 2010 –October 4, 2016 | |
Preceded by | Gregory Howard Williams |
Succeeded by | Vincent G. Boudreau |
Personal details | |
Born | Brooklyn,New York,U.S. | February 26,1956
Education | |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Biology Microbiology |
Thesis | Lymphocyte proliferation in old and young humans as measured by flow cytometry: effect of tritium-labeled thymidine on cell cycle kinetics (1981) |
Lisa Frances Staiano-Coico [1] (born February 26, 1956) is an American microbiologist. She served as the 12th president of the City College of the City University of New York from 2010 to 2016.
A graduate of Brooklyn College 1976, Coico became the first City University of New York alumna appointed to head the City College of New York. Coico resigned on October 7, 2016, amidst federal and state investigations into her finances. [2] [3]
Coico received a Bachelor of Science degree from Brooklyn College of The City University of New York in 1976, [4] [5] and a Ph.D. from the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in 1981. [6]
At GSMS, Coico worked as a student research assistant [7] and studied with the known cell biologist Zbyszek Darzynkiewicz, a professor of biochemistry and researcher of cell differentiation and carcinogenesis, and flow cytometry techniques for characterizing epithelial differentiation. [8] Coico also studied with Myron Melamed, a GSMC professor of biology and scientist with an international reputation, [9] who had co-authored the seminal cytometry publication in Science, "Spectrophotometer: New Instruments for Ultra-rapid Cell Analysis," [10] with Louis Kamentsky of Columbia University's IBM Watson Laboratory and Marc E. Weksler, [11] a professor of medicine and eventual Irving Sherwood Wright Professor of Geriatrics at Weill Cornell. [12]
In graduate school, Coico participated in faculty sponsored research in teaching laboratory settings, such as the Laboratory of Investigative Cytology and the Walker Laboratory in Rye, New York. From 1981 to 1983, Coico held post-doctoral researcher fellowships at GSMS-affiliated Sloan-Kettering Institute.[ citation needed ]
In 1985, Coico joined Cornell University Medical College and Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, as an instructor in the department of surgery, participating in research activities. From 1986, Coico held the rank of assistant professor, [13] [14] [15] [16] associate professor from 1990, [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] and clinical professor (additional faculty) from 1995 to 2004. [22]
Upon completing postdoctoral training, Coico's stated interests were to study the use of flow cytometry to detect risks for colo-rectal cancer (1985), and the growth and differentiation of epithelial cells (1990). [23] and wound repair (1999). [24]
In the mid-1980s, Coico joined a broad bench to bedside research team, spearheaded by the biomedical research scientist John M. Hefton, M.D., a pioneering skin grafting researcher and the innovator of new techniques for the treatment of burn victims.
In 2009, she advised Human Ecology undergraduates conducting survey research on the effectiveness of campus-based alcohol education. [25]
In addition to teaching, Coico served for one-year as Cornell Medical College associate dean to Donald A. Fischman, from 1996 to 1997, [26] [27] and GSMS senior associate dean of research, from March 1997, responsible for the coordinate of graduate fellowships. [28] [29] For a year, Coico held the positions of GSMS vice-provost of external affairs, government agencies, and professional associations, in 2003–2004, [30] and she was briefly the director of Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, a cooperative alliance between Cornell University, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Rockefeller University. [31]
While at Cornell, Coico was an outspoken critic of the process of faculty promotion to tenure. In 1999, Coico stated, "There needs to be some flexibility so you don't have arbitrary numbers determining somebody's career at an institution." [32]
In July 2004, Coico left Cornell Medical College and GSMS to accept the position of dean of New York State College of Human Ecology, one of four the statutory colleges in the State University of New York system, funded and supervised by New York State, and located on the campus of Cornell University. [33] [34] Staiano-Coico succeeded New York State College of Human Ecology Dean Patsy Brannon, whose term ended June 30, 2004. [35] [36] However, Coico's term was once again relatively brief, and according to The Cornell Daily Sun , she "stepped down suddenly" after less than three years on the job, in March 2007. [37] Coico took a position as the provost and chief academic officer of Temple University, joining Temple's then-vice president of Human Resources Deborah Hartnett, who later retired from Temple in order to become Coico's chief of staff at The City College of New York. [38] While at Temple, Coico served on the board of managers of the University City Science Center, before leaving after a three-year stint to accept her appointment as president at The City College of New York in 2010. [39] [40]
In 2010, the City University of New York (CUNY) Board of Trustees ratified Coico to the position of 12th president of The City College of New York (CCNY), the oldest college in the system, amidst a stormy battle between CUNY and Italian Americans over affirmative action. According to The New York Times , CUNY pointed to the two Italian-American College presidents to refute the biased claim—Regina S. Peruggi at Kingsborough Community College, and Lisa Staiano-Coico at the university's flagship campus. [41]
Coico was appointed president five years into CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein's 2005–2015 Decade of Science, [42] a system-wide initiative to expand facilities and recruit faculty in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, [42] [43] and eleven years into the university's reform efforts to raise academic standards based upon a 1998 Mayoral task force report, entitled "The City University of New York: An Institution Adrift." [44] [45]
According to an article published in The Campus, a 2016 study conducted by Harvard Graduate School of Education found professors at City College of New York "extremely dissatisfied". [46] Controversy and unrest persisted throughout Coico's time as president. Protests- organized by Allen Roskoff, Scott Caplan, Charles Bayor, and other members of the Jim Owles Club- erupted over the return of Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) to campus, [47] [48] employment, [49] the sudden defunding of the CCNY's WHCR-FM, also known "The Voice of Harlem," [50] cafeteria closure due to health violations, [51] and labor contracts. [52]
Coico's term as president saw high turnover among high level college administration, including five different individuals in CCNY's number-two position of provost in a six-year period. [53] Students protested the president's actions on campus, [54] and in Coico's hometown of Larchmont, New York. [55] campus employment conditions [56] [57] and administrative closures of CCNY Student and Community Center in 2013, [58] [59] [60] [61] [62] [63] and CCNY Schiff House, alternately known as the Child Development And Family Services Center, in 2015. [64] [65] [66] The annual 2016 April Fool's satirical issue of the student newspaper The Campus featured the article "Where's Lisa Coico?" [67]
In 2016, The New York Times reported Coico was the subject of interest in federal and New York State investigations, following a report that the 21st Century Foundation—a nonprofit charity affiliated with The City College of New York—had paid some of Coico's personal expenses upon her arrival in 2010, and the charity was then reimbursed over $150,000 by the Research Foundation of CUNY, which manages research funds for the entire university system. [68] The scandal prompted Federal prosecutors to look into affiliated of The City College of New York, and charity funds spending attached to CUNY and CCNY, which Coico and others may have misused. [68] [69] After news of Coico's possible misuse of funds came to light, top CCNY and CUNY administrators defended Coico, [70] [71] However, a group of CCNY senior faculty, according to The Observer, made a plea for further investigation to then-Chancellor James Milliken—himself a source of financial controversy after moving into an upper east side penthouse paid for by the public university system. [72] CCNY senior faculty discovered money missing from the Martin and Toni Sosnoff Fund for the Arts—part of the holdings of the City College 21st Century Foundation—which should have contained roughly $600,000, had just $76.00. The outrage prompted Milliken-enlisted Fredrick Shaffer, then-City University of New York general counsel and senior vice chancellor for legal affairs, to audit Coico's spending. [73] [74] Although Shaffer ruled out financial malfeasance, the Times provided evidence suggesting that a 2011 memo detailing Coico's reimbursements had been fabricated. [75]
Coico resigned on October 7, 2016, effective immediately, [76] shortly after The New York Times approached the university about a memo of Coico's expenses which suggested tampering and prompted an investigation. [77] Records showed Coico, who earned an annual salary of $400,000, withdrew money from the non-profit 21st Century Foundation in 2010 and 2011.[ citation needed ] Although Coico denied any "inappropriate use" of CCNY funds and stated in letters to students and faculty that college employees should "cooperate fully" with investigators. [77] However, a subsequent report from the office of the New York State Inspector General pointed out the illegality of CUNY General Cousel's action to not report Coico's misconduct to the Inspector General. [78]
After Coico's departure, City University of New York board chairman Thompson stated in a letter to the New York State Inspector General that Coico had been directed by a "lawyer for the university" to reimburse funds she misused from the City College 21st Century Foundation, although the college subsequently "discovered that in fact she did not return all the funds, despite her representations to the contrary." Board chair Thompson asked for a state review of every CUNY-affiliated foundation, citing concerns about the lack of oversight over spending. [79] At Thompson's behest, an investigation spearheaded by New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott issued a report (which the I.G.'s office called an "interim review") in November 2016, citing "shoddy oversight and ineffective management" at the City University of New York had created a system "ripe for abuse" that had possibly siphoned away money from needy students and crucial campus projects. [80] [81]
Following the release of the I.G.'s report, Governor Andrew Cuomo vowed to appoint an Inspector General to both the City University of New York and the State University of New York and called for new leadership at both institutions. [82] Earlier, Governor Cuomo had replaced most of CUNY's trustees, including chairman Benno C. Schmidt Jr., [83] naming a new chairman, Bill Thompson, former New York City Comptroller; Fernando Ferrer, former Bronx Borough President; Robert F. Mujica, the governor's budget director and a longtime top aide for the Senate Republican majority; Ken Sunshine, a public relations consultant; and Mayra Linares-Garcia, Cuomo's former director of Latino affairs and the daughter of Guillermo Linares, former NYC assemblyman and city councilman, and head of the state Higher Education Services Corporation. [84] In a letter addressed to James Milliken, on November 18, 2016, written by Elkan Abramovitz, Coico's lawyer, which was published in The New York Times, Coico accused CUNY administrators of making her the scapegoat for the university's poor fiscal practices. [85]
In February 2017, CUNY Board of Trustees approved setting aside $25,000, in accordance with university practices, for each college president, or department dean, who might need to hire an attorney when being interviewed by I.G. Leahy Scott's investigators. [86]
Following Coico's departure, the City College of New York and the City University of New York top officials left in the wake of investigations targeting university-wide financial practices. [87] [88] [89] After Coico, Maurizio Trevisan resigned from the position as Provost of City College of New York, after occupying the number-two position under Coico. [90] Since, other resignations included Allan H. Dobrin, from the position of Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer; [91] Gillian Small, former CUNY Vice Chancellor for Research; [92] and Frederick P. Schaffer, who retired from the position of CUNY Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and General Counsel. [93] [94] Jay Hershenson, who was demoted from Senior Vice Chancellor of University Relations to a vice-president at Queens College, [95] was criticized for his spending practices while the university is in financial trouble. [96] [97] At the close of 2017, CUNY Chancellor James B. Milliken announced he was stepping down, after only three-years on the job. [98] [99]
In 2018, two years after Coico resigned amidst ongoing federal and state probes, the inspector general continued to identify and investigate the university's corrupt spending practices.[ citation needed ]
Coico returned in 2018 to the City University of New York system as a faculty member as medical professor in the CUNY School of Medicine in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Science. [100]
In 1996, Coico established an employment relationship with Ortec International Incorporated, a New York City biotechnology company, later renamed Forticell Bioscience, Incorporated. [101] [102] Coico assisted in the development of the company's composite cultured skin product, along with Cocio's Cornell colleague, Suzanne Schwartz, hired full-time in July 1996. The founder, Steven Katz, was elected board chair in 1994; Katz had been a professor of Economics and Finance at Baruch College/CUNY from 1972. [103] Coico joined the company advisory board in 1999. [104] [105]
Forticell Bioscience, Incorporated is a publicly traded company that developed proprietary and patented technology to stimulate the repair and regeneration of human tissue, including biologically active wound dressings, such as the tissue engineered product OrCel (trademark sign), to stimulate the repair and regeneration of human skin on burn patients, and other wound healing products, relevant to reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries. [106] Forticell Bioscience, Incorporated is also an FDA- and New York State-approved tissue bank.
Coico is an officer of several for-profit corporations, including Coico Software Solutions, LLC (established 2000), [107] Staiano Consulting, (2003); [108] Coico Real Property Holding Company, Incorporated (established 2004); [109] Coico Medical L.L.C., Sacramento, California, [110] and LSC Collaborative, Limited Liability Corporation (established 2014). [111]
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven senior colleges, seven community colleges, and seven professional institutions.
Hunter College is a public university in New York City, United States. It is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York and offers studies in more than one hundred undergraduate and postgraduate fields across five schools. It also administers Hunter College High School and Hunter College Elementary School.
The John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a public college focused on criminal justice and located in New York City. It is a senior college of the City University of New York (CUNY). John Jay was founded as the only liberal arts college with a criminal justice and forensic focus in the United States.
The College of Staten Island (CSI) is a public university in Staten Island, New York. It is one of the 11 four-year senior colleges within the City University of New York system. Programs in the liberal arts and sciences and professional studies lead to bachelor's and associate degrees. The master's degree is awarded in 13 professional and liberal arts and sciences fields of study. A clinical doctorate is awarded by the department of physical therapy. The college participates in doctoral programs of the CUNY Graduate Center in biochemistry, biology, chemistry, computer science, nursing, physics, and psychology.
Brooklyn College is a public university in Brooklyn in New York City, United States. It is part of the City University of New York system and as of 2019 enrolls over 17,000 undergraduate and over 2,800 graduate students on a 35-acre (14 ha) campus in the Midwood and Flatbush sections of Brooklyn.
The Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York is a public research institution and postgraduate university in New York City. Formed in 1961 as Division of Graduate Studies at City University of New York, it was renamed to Graduate School and University Center in 1969. Serving as the principal doctorate-granting institution of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, CUNY Graduate Center is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity".
Baruch College is a public college in New York City, United States. It is a constituent college of the City University of New York system. Named for financier and statesman Bernard M. Baruch, the college operates undergraduate and postgraduate programs through the Zicklin School of Business, the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, and the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs.
Long Island University (LIU) is a private university with two main campuses, LIU Post in Brookville, New York, on Long Island, and LIU Brooklyn in Brooklyn, New York City. The university offers over 500 academic programs at its main campuses, online, and at multiple non-residential locations. LIU has an NCAA Division I athletics programs and hosts and sponsors the annual George Polk Awards in journalism.
Education in New York City is provided by a vast number of public and private institutions. New York City has the largest educational system of any city in the world. The city's educational infrastructure spans primary education, secondary education, higher education, and research. New York City is home to some of the most important libraries, universities, and research centers in the world. In 2006, New York had the most post-graduate life sciences degrees awarded annually in the United States, 40,000 licensed physicians, and 127 Nobel laureates with roots in local institutions. The city receives the second-highest amount of annual funding from the National Institutes of Health among all U.S. cities. It also struggles with disparity in its public school system, with some of the best-performing public schools in the United States as well as some of the worst-performing. Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the city embarked on a major school reform effort.
Leonard Jeffries Jr. is an American political scientist and former academic. He was the departmental chair of Black Studies at the City College of New York, part of the City University of New York (CUNY). He was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. He is the uncle of U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Ohio State University historian Hasan Kwame Jeffries.
The City College of the City University of New York is a public research university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York City. Founded in 1847, City College was the first free public institution of higher education in the United States. It is the oldest of CUNY's 25 institutions of higher learning and is considered its flagship institution.
The Center for Study of Gene Structure and Function is a consortium of fifty-three researchers. It is based at Hunter College in Manhattan. It focuses on cross-disciplinary and translational research by promoting dialogue and cooperation among scientists working in diverse biomedical research fields. It is funded by the Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) program of the National Center for Research Resources(NCRR) of the National Institute of Health (NIH) Since its establishment in 1985, the NIH has awarded the Gene Center over $38 million in federal grants.
Sheldon Weinbaum: is an American biomedical engineer and biofluid mechanician. He is a CUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering at The City College of New York. He is a member of all three U.S. national academies and also the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2002 when he was elected to NAM he became the sixth living individual to be a member of all three National Academies and the first to achieve this distinction since 1992. He was the founding director (1994–1999) of the New York Center for Biomedical Engineering, a regional research consortium involving the BME program at The City College and eight of the premier health care institutions in New York City. He has been a lifelong advocate for women and minorities in science and engineering. He was the lead plaintiff and organizer of a class-action lawsuit charging New York State officials with racially discriminatory funding of its two university systems, CUNY and SUNY, the first CUNY faculty recipient of the Public Service Award of the Fund for the City of New York, and the Inaugural Recipient of the “Diversity Award” of the Biomedical Engineering Society (2009). He was the inaugural chair of the Selection Committee that chooses the annual Sloan Awardees for the outstanding math and science teachers in the New York City public high schools and served in this position from 2009 to 2019. In 2022 he received the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Biomedical Engineerings from the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. In 2023 he received the National Medal of Science from President Biden.
The CUNY School of Medicine (CUNY Medicine) is the medical school of The City University of New York (CUNY). Founded in 2015 on The City College of New York (CCNY) campus, CUNY Medicine became the only public medical school in Manhattan and the first medical school to open in New York City since 1860.
Yolanda Theresa Moses is an anthropologist and college administrator who served as the 10th president of City College of New York (1993–1999) and president of the American Association for Higher Education (2000–2003).
Harold Abraham Scheraga was an American biophysicist and the George W. and Grace L. Todd Professor Emeritus in the chemistry department at Cornell University. Scheraga is regarded as a pioneer in protein biophysics and has been especially influential in the study of protein solvation and the hydrophobic effect as it relates to protein folding.
The Grove School of Engineering (GSoE) is the engineering school of the City College of New York (CCNY), a public university system in New York City and part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. It is one of the five schools of City College and CUNY's primary school of engineering.
ZbigniewDarzynkiewicz was a Polish-American cell biologist active in cancer research and in developing new methods in histochemistry for flow cytometry.
Vincent Gordon Bourdeau is a political scientist, currently serving as the 13th president of the City College of the City University of New York since December 2017.
Lisa F. Staiano-Coico. B.S. 1976. Brooklyn College. Major: microbiology. Brooklyn, New York
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires |journal=
(help){{cite news}}
: |last1=
has generic name (help){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Chief Executive Officer, Vincenza Coico
Registered Agent Lisa Coico