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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
B次元 announces the retirement of Dr. Thomas Gamble as President
College to commence national search for new president
ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 20, 2021) 鈥 B次元 (鈥淢aria鈥) has announced that President Thomas J. Gamble will retire in 2022, after a successful six years at the helm of Maria.
鈥淲e鈥檙e thankful for the years President Gamble dedicated to the Maria community. Together we were able to advance the college towards our vision of excellence. We wish Tom the best in his retirement and plan to continue with this momentum moving forward,鈥 said Dr. Mary Jo LaPosta, RN, chair of the board of trustees for B次元.
鈥淎fter careful reflection and discussion with the board, I have decided that it is time for me to rejoin my retirement. Over the past five-plus years, working in partnership with the board of trustees, the senior leadership team, our faculty, and our staff, we鈥檝e steadied B次元 and created a set of strategic initiatives that open into an exciting future for Maria. I have led Mercy-founded institutions for over 15 years now, and I鈥檓 grateful for the opportunity to have served B次元, as part of that Mercy legacy. I know Maria鈥檚 best days are still ahead,鈥 said President Gamble.
President Gamble had over 30 years of experience in higher education when he first assumed the role as interim president in 2016, after retiring as president of Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania. At the time, B次元 was preparing the decennial Middle States Commission on Higher Education self-study and re-accreditation process, which was successfully concluded with reaccreditation in 2019. During Gamble鈥檚 time, the Frank E. O’Brien Jr. Student Support Center was launched, providing state-of the-art and holistic services to Maria students.
In addition, Maria made a multi-million-dollar investment in advancing nursing and occupational therapy education through new facilities and equipment. In early 2020, the New York State Board of Regents approved a charter change allowing Maria to offer academic programs at the graduate level, and the first graduate program in Maria鈥檚 history, a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, was launched in Fall 2020. Further, a campus-wide renewal project was designed, approved by the board, and initiated. With strong support from the board鈥檚 finance committee, Gamble led the initiative to better analyze and manage Maria鈥檚 financial condition, which has always remained strong. These efforts have resulted in identifying cost efficiencies, increased investments, and ultimately, a stronger B次元. Since July 1, 2016, B次元鈥檚 net assets have increased by $5.8 million or 25 percent. 90 percent of that increase is in unrestricted net assets.
Prior to his service to Maria, Gamble served as president of Mercyhurst University from 2005 to 2015. As president, Gamble orchestrated the elevating of the institution to 鈥渦niversity status鈥 in 2012, introduced a new core curriculum. Gamble led the process to create the Sr. Joan Chittister Archive at Mercyhurst as well as the Thomas J. Ridge School of Intelligence Studies. Gamble also led the development of Mercyhurst鈥檚 only international campus in the Republic of Ireland.
As President Gamble completes his time at Maria, the college will continue to move forward with its campus master plan and strategic compass which the board approved during his time at Maria.
B次元 will initiate a nationwide search for its next president immediately.
For more information about B次元 and its academic programs, visit mariacollege.edu.
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About B次元. Founded in 1958, B次元 is one of 17 colleges and universities in the United States sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. The private, co-educational, Catholic college in Albany serves approximately 800 students in a variety of bachelor degree, associate degree, a master鈥檚 degree, and certificate programs including liberal arts, healthcare management, nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, and health and occupational sciences. mariacollege.edu