Rider University Appoints Two New Deans

On Mar 27, 2015

Rider University announces the appointment of new deans to head its Westminster College of the Arts (WCA) and College of Business Administration (CBA). Both deans will begin their terms on July 1.

Matthew Shaftel, Ph.D., was named dean for the Westminster College of the Arts. He comes to Rider from Florida State University where he has served in a number of progressively responsible roles, including his most recent assignments as associate vice president for Academic Affairs, director of General Education, and associate dean of Undergraduate Studies. While at Florida State, Dr. Shaftel was responsible for an aggressive agenda of transforming the undergraduate experience, reengaging faculty, supporting the entrepreneurial university and student career/graduate school success, revitalizing distance education and ensuring effectiveness and efficiency.

Dr. Shaftel has been recognized numerous times for excellence in music and teaching. He was Florida State’s nominee for the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching’s U.S. Professors of the Year program and a Distinguished Faculty Initiate at the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and he received the 2013 Florida State University’s Distinguished University Teacher award, the highest teaching honor offered to faculty at Florida State.

Dr. Shaftel earned his bachelor’s degree in Music with educator certification, a master’s degree in Music Theory and a doctorate in Music Theory, all from Yale University. His voice training included study at Yale University, the Aspen Opera Theatre Center and the Tanglewood Music Center.

With a career that includes numerous published books, articles, invited articles and book chapters, Dr. Shaftel has also continued his research productivity while maintaining his administrative and teaching roles. In the last year alone, Dr. Shaftel published his most recent textbook, a new critical edition of select Webern piano works, and two peer-reviewed articles, and he gave two national conference papers. In addition, he ran an international workshop at the Royal Conservatory of Music and signed a contract with the University of Illinois Press for an edited collection of essays on Cole Porter. Off campus, Dr. Shaftel served as director of the Asolo Song Festival and Institute for Song Interpretation in Italy and president of the Tallahassee Youth Orchestras’ Board of Directors.

Dr. Shaftel has also served for almost 20 years as a church music director, first in Connecticut and more recently, at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Tallahassee, Florida.

Dr. DonnaJean Fredeen, vice president of Academic Affairs and Provost of Rider University, said, “Dr. Shaftel brings to our campus a proven history of academic success, musical excellence and administrative effectiveness. With his impressive background in music performance and theory, his tactful and participatory approach to change, his highly creative approach to problem solving and his affable nature, Dr. Shaftel has the demonstrated experience and qualities needed to continue the Rider and Westminster traditions of world-class musical, theatrical and artistic excellence.”

Elad Granot, Ph.D., was named the dean for the College of Business Administration. He joins Rider from Cleveland State University where he has served most recently as assistant dean for MBA programs, as well as special assistant to the Provost for eLearning Development, special assistant to the President for Global Initiatives, and director of Graduate and Undergraduate Student Services and Academic Recruiting, Advising and Support.

Dr. Granot was instrumental in building Cleveland State University’s MBA program to become the largest in Ohio, and building new, online course offerings and strategies.

Dr. Granot has been recognized for excellence in teaching by Cleveland State multiple times, being awarded the Merit Award for Teaching Excellence and the CSU Nance College of Business Administration Legacy Award for Excellence in Teaching.  Professional affiliations include AACSB, Executive MBA Council, American Marketing Association, Academy of Marketing Science, Society of Marketing Advances, Association of Consumer Research, American Academy of Advertising, Eastern Academy of Management and Alpha Kappa Epsilon – International Business Honor Society.

Dr. Granot earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Tel Aviv University. He received his master’s degree in Management and Marketing from Boston University, and his doctorate in Marketing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Dr. Fredeen said, “Dr. Granot brings a wealth of academic and professional experience to Rider University including a record of effective and inspiring leadership, proven management and financial skills, and an entrepreneurial spirit that will elevate the College of Business Administration to the next level.  His many experiences include institutional planning, curriculum development, program assessment, policy development, and international educational programs and partnerships.  In addition, Dr. Granot has demonstrated the ability to encourage, develop, and support quality teaching, scholarly research, and creative activity, and to build effective relationships with external constituents.”

Dr. Fredeen added, “I am confident that both Dr. Shaftel and Dr. Granot will build upon the many strengths of the Westminster College of the Arts and the College of Business Administration. I look forward to working with both of them, and know they will bring imaginative, forward-looking and motivating leadership for the benefit of our students, faculty and staff.”

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