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St. Cloud State University
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Dean heads to New York
By Carol Seavey
Published:
Tuesday, February 25, 2003
Al-Hassan Musah
Dean of the college of Science and Engineering, Al-Hassan I. Musah has accepted a new job as vice president of academic affairs at State University of New York Fredonia.
Musah will begin his new position July 1.
"They're student-centered," said Musah of his new university. "If I can find a place where you can put the students first, you get my attention. That's the most exciting part of the work we do."
As the vice president of academic affairs, Musah will oversee 19 academic departments and schools of business, education and music. He will manage 435 faculty members for 5,300 students.
"I have the opportunity to create excellent students in the entire university," Musah said.
Musah has been SCSU's dean of the college of science and engineering for six years.
"This job is a very difficult job in any institution," Musah said. "The national lifetime of a dean is three and a half years. Then you either have to do something else or you become stale and become part of the problem."
Musah said he is especially proud of Dimensions, the college journal that updates what students, faculty and alumni are doing.
He is also happy with the nursing program that is developing.
"That's going to transform the university from one in which we do not have health sciences to one in which we can keep growing and one day have a major focus thrust on health sciences," Musah said.
The decision to add the nursing program under the current budget strain has received some criticism, but Musah said he is supportive.
"It took courage to do that," Musah said. "The students coming in don't know whether there's money, they just want the opportunity to succeed. That's our job. We have to plan very well for that and we have to plan even better when the budget is tight."
Musah has been at SCSU since 1990 and said he enjoyed his time here.
"This is a good place," Musah said. "Great faculty, great staff, great administrators and incredible students. The students that show up are very focused."
Musah plans to continue his focus on students in Fredonia. As an academic leader, he can reach students through the faculty that he will be guiding.
According to Musah, a good leader should lead with trust.
"You have to believe in your leader," Musah said. "Sometimes you won't see what's ahead but you have to do it."
Musah anticipates building a trusting leadership that encourages student faculty relations in New York.
Originally from Ghana, Musah received his bachelor's degree in animal science from the University of Ghana. He then went to Iowa State University for his doctorate in physiology. His areas of expertise are biology and reproductive physiology.
When the University Chronicle asked Musah if he could have any job in the world what would it be, he said:
"I would like to be a president of an institution so I can transform the whole place. Work with people to create the kind of trust and leadership you would need to transform them."
