Quincy – The Dean of DePaul University’s College of Science and Health (Chicago, IL) has agreed to become the first Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Quincy College, Mayor Thomas P. Koch announced today.
Dr. Gerald P. Koocher – whose career in academia spans nearly a half-century at some of country’s most renowned higher-educational institutions including Harvard Medical School, Boston College, and the University of Missouri — will be charged with leading Quincy College’s academic programs in the newly created role.
Koocher, who holds his PhD in psychology and is a past president of the American Psychological Association, has held the position at DePaul since 2013. Prior to that, he was Dean of the School of Health Sciences at Simmons College for a decade and later an Assistant Provost at the college. He remains a Dean Emeritus there.
“Dr. Koocher’s credentials are impeccable, and he would be a great addition to any institution of higher education. So we are truly excited that he has agreed to come to Quincy College to help us not only right the ship, but harness the school’s great potential in the coming years,” said Mayor Koch.
“He has more higher education experience than perhaps any administrator we’ve been fortunate to have at the College, and that’s going to be absolutely vital as we move the institution forward.”
As Provost, Dr. Koocher will be responsible for all academic programs and issues, including leading efforts to revive the college’s once-flourishing nursing program, and building the foundation for the college’s plans to offer bachelor’s degrees in the near future.
Since being granted executive authority at the College in June, Mayor Koch has described the College’s leadership needs as two-fold – a provost to lead academic programs and an interim president to manage the business of the school, things such as raising money for an endowment, dealing with real-estate issues and expanding the school’s relationships with state leaders and the business community.
“Quincy College faces a number of challenges, but also has significant potential for growth,” Dr. Koocher said. “Mayor Koch has taken significant constructive steps to set the College back on track, and I look forward to working with the faculty and administrative team to set a positive trajectory for the future. Restoring accreditation and re-opening the nursing program will rank as the top priority, but many options for new programming also exist.”
Dr. Koocher, a Cambridge native, spent much of his early academic career at Harvard Medical School, where he taught in various capacities for nearly 30 years and retains an academic appointment as a lecturer. At Harvard he served as an Assistant Professor of Psychology; an Associate Professor of Psychology; and as Executive Director of the Linda Pollin Institute.
He also earned tenured professorships at both DePaul and Simmons College. In addition to his work in academia, Dr. Koocher has been affiliated with a number of renowned hospitals, such as Children’s Hospital in Boston and has been awarded more than 20 professional honors, including the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Public Service in 1992.
Dr. Koocher will begin at Quincy College on September 10.