The Zicklin School of Business
Graduate Studies

Organization Chart (pdf document)

Associate Dean:

Professor Rob Ducoffe

• Oversees graduate degree programs, graduate budgets and the Zicklin School’s accreditation-related strategic planning.
• Works closely with the Director of Graduate Studies and oversees the activities of the Office of Graduate Studies.
• Collaborates with the Dean of the Zicklin School of Business on graduate education and programs.
• His administrative accomplishments at Baruch include initiation and development of the Full-Time Honors MBA program, the Accelerated Part-Time MBA program, the Graduate Internship Program, the Advanced Business English program for international students, the QuickStart preliminary program for entering MBA and MS students, and a revised core curriculum for Full-Time MBA students.
• Professor of Marketing

All Directors work closely with each other and with the Director of the Office of Graduate Admissions and the Director of the Graduate Career Management Center.

Director of Graduate Studies:

Professor Ann Cohen Brandwein

• Supervises the Directors of Graduate Students Services, Graduate Advisement Services, Graduate Student Life, and the Full-Time Honors MBA Program and oversees the operations of their offices; assists in planning and improving graduate student life in all areas at the ZSB.
• Oversees the Flex-Time MBA & MS programs, Accelerated Part-Time MBA program, and Full-Time Honors MBA program.
• Works closely with Department Chairs, members of the Graduate Curriculum Committee and the Committee on Academic Standing, the Dean’s Office, and Graduate Studies Directors on developing and improving graduate education.
• Works closely with the Chair of the Graduate Curriculum Committee and department chairs on revising graduate curriculum and planning better ways of delivering curriculum and services to the students and faculty.
• Revisits and reevaluates all existing policies related to graduate students and makes changes to improve students’ academic quality of life.
• Coordinates all graduate course offerings and course schedules with department chairs, department schedulers and the Director of Graduate Student Services and the Director of Graduate Advisement Services.
• Works closely with and collaborates with the Graduate Career Management Center and the Graduate Admissions Office.
• Collaborates with the Dean of the Zicklin School of Business and the Associate Dean on graduate education and programs.
• Professor of Statistics.

Director of Graduate Student Services -   Flex-Time MBA/MS and Full-Time Honors MBA programs:

Maria DiBenedetto

• Supervises the Zicklin Graduate Assistantship Program: works closely with faculty and staff coordinators regarding requests for graduate assistants, student assistantship evaluations, and training.  
• Supervises the Assistant Director of Student Services and the Coordinator of Graduate Assistantships.
• Examines, evaluates and explores ways of improving graduate student satisfaction and serves as liaison for all students with the college-wide offices of the Registrar, Financial Aid, Bursar, International Student Services Center and Controller.
• Directs the advisement, registration and academic counseling services provided to students in the Full-Time Honors MBA program and the Accelerated Part-Time MBA program and oversees advisement materials for these students.
• Monitors academic progress for all students in the Full-Time Honors MBA and Accelerated Part-Time MBA programs and processes all paper work for recipients of scholarship awards.
• Prepares first year cohort and group assignments for students in the Full-Time Honors MBA program as well as their first year final exam schedules.
• Works closely with the Director of Graduate Studies and the Director of Advisement to establish a year-long schedule for faculty and students.
• Works closely with departments, Registrar, Director of Graduate Studies and Director of Graduate Advisement Services on graduate course registration schedules.

• Assists faculty with curriculum issues related to development, feasibility of scheduling, student concerns and sequencing.
• Serves as liaison for faculty on various issues such as those related to hiring students beyond assistantships, problems encountered during course delivery, and issues related to students in their classes.

Director of Advisement Services -   Flex-Time MBA/MS programs:

Elaine Bernstein

• Assists faculty with curriculum issues related to development, feasibility of scheduling, student concerns and sequencing.

• Works closely with the Director of Graduate Studies and the Director of Student Services to establish a year-long schedule for faculty and students.
• Assists faculty and administration in matters related to academic policies.
• Coordinates Graduate Curriculum Committee and Graduate Bulletin materials.
• Assists the Chair of the Graduate Curriculum Committee in all materials to be presented to the Zicklin School of Business faculty.
• Oversees all appeals presented to the Graduate Committee on Academic Standing.
• Directs the advisement, registration and academic counseling services provided to students in the Flex-Time MBA/MS programs and oversees the advisement materials for these students.
• Processes all waiting lists requests and works closely with faculty schedulers regarding course overloads.
• Trouble-shoots on advisement and curriculum issues for the Flex-Time MBA/MS students with issues that are of special nature; liaises with college-wide offices.
• Supervises Assistant Director of Advisement and the Program Advisor for Flex-Time MBA/MS programs.

Director of Graduate Student Life - Flex-Time MBA/MS and Full-Time Honors MBA programs:

Ginny Goldberg

• Plans and coordinates orientations, receptions, and other graduate events with Honors, Flex-Time and APT students including the Zicklin Graduate Leadership Speaker Series.
• Serves as an advisor for graduate clubs and the Graduate Student Assembly; assists in creating new clubs and club events.
• Coordinates new initiatives including Special Evening Programs, Ambassador Corps, Lunch and Learn, Meet the Chair.
• Liaises with Baruch College departments/school centers and works collaboratively with colleagues involved in alumni relations, Executives on Campus, Weissman Center for International Business, the International Center for Corporate Accountability, the Wasserman Trading Floor /Subotnick Center, and the Center for Financial Integrity.
• Coordinates open houses with the Director of the Full-Time Honors MBA Program for eligible candidates for the Full-Time Honors MBA Program.
• Co-Chairs the Zicklin Ambassador Corps.
• Supervises Assistant to Director of Graduate Student Life.

Director of the Full-Time Honors MBA Program:

John Albanese

• Works collaboratively with Graduate Admissions, Graduate Student Life, Student Services, and the Graduate Career Management Center to address issues regarding Full-Time Honors MBA students.

• Serves as liaison between faculty, administration, and honors students - responding directly to student inquiries.
• Coordinates open houses with the Director of Graduate Student Life for eligible candidates for the Full-Time Honors MBA Program.
• Creates new programs and assists in scheduling and curriculum development for honors students.
• Member of the Zicklin Ambassador Corps.
• Outreaches to new honors MBA students, coordinates campus visits for new honor MBA students, and works to increase the honors MBA admission yield.
• Assists in the development of marketing materials for the Full-Time Honors MBA Program.
• Oversees the transfer process for Flex-Time MBA students into the Full-Time Honors MBA Program.

Assistant Director of Advisement Services - Flex-Time MBA/MS programs:

Patricia Lewis

• Coordinates appeals for presentation to the Graduate Committee on Academic Standing.
• Provides advisement to current and prospective Flex-Time MBA and MS students on curriculum changes, course selection, major choice, course substitutions and waivers, transfer credit and preliminary requirements.
• Conducts sessions on academic probation and study skills.

• Assists students with waiting list applications.
• Performs on-the-spot registration clearances for prerequisites waivers, credit limit adjustments, course adds and drops.
• Organizes and conducts advisement sessions for students at orientation.

Program Advisor -   Flex-Time MBA/MS programs:  

Lily Bao

• Provides academic advisement to students in the Flex-Time MBA and MS programs.
• Processes all requests for transfer credit, major changes and prepares preliminary course evaluations for students.
• Serves as the E-Permit Designee and processes all requests for Post Master’s Certificates.
• Works closely with the Assistant Director of Graduate Student Services in processing all requests by students transferring in or out of the Full-Time Honors and Accelerated Part-Time MBA programs.
• Creates and updates advisement materials for all MBA & MS majors.

Assistant Director of Graduate Student Services - Full-Time Honors MBA and Accelerated Part-Time MBA programs:  

Beth Figini

• Provides advisement and registration services to students in the Full-Time Honors MBA program and the Accelerated Part-Time MBA program.
• Counsels students on academic probation on study habits and academic retention requirements; provides all students with academic skills support.
• Coordinates student involvement in the Zicklin Ambassador Corps.
• Participate in orientation planning and programs for all Zicklin masters level students
• Prepares summary reports on graduates of the Full-Time Honors MBA program.
• Creates and updates advisement materials for all MBA & MS majors.
• Prepares and updates registration enrollment reports.
• Liaises for the Office of Graduate Studies with the APT students.

Assistant to the Director of Graduate Student Life:  

Tara Sinclair

• Oversees annual budget for orientation programs, speaker series, graduation dinners, and other event related costs.
• Assists in the coordination of orientations, receptions and special events.
• Manages accounts payable and receivable for Graduate Studies.
• Manages office inventory.

Graduate Assistantship Coordinator - Flex-Time MBA/MS and Full-Time Honors MBA programs:

Berk Aydin

• Processes all applications and assignments for Graduate Assistantship positions.
• Works closely with faculty and administrative coordinators in the hiring of graduate assistantships.
• Prepares all necessary documentation on the Graduate Assistantship program such as pamphlets for faculty and students, Blackboard postings, and monthly reports on the budget.
• Participates in the orientation sessions dedicated to the Graduate Assistantship program.
• Assists students experiencing difficulties with immunization and residency requirements.
• Assists admissions with inquires from accepted international applicants.