New Associate Provost Is Dedicated to Student Success

From teaching courses in business administration to tackling dean roles at two universities, Rashmi Prasad, Ph.D., has enjoyed a lengthy career in higher education. Now, the seasoned educator and leader adds a new position to his extensive resume: associate provost for academic affairs at Empire State University.  

“I’m really excited to be part of the team,” says the Albany resident, who joined SUNY Empire in October. “I think we can accomplish some really great things.” 

Prasad comes to SUNY Empire from Truman State University in Missouri, where he served as dean of the School of Business and Professional Studies for five years. Prior to that, he was academic vice president for the College of Business at Western Governors University—a large online institution headquartered in Utah. It was during his tenure there that Prasad first learned about SUNY Empire from a colleague.  

“The seed was planted in my mind. So when I saw an opportunity, the bell went off in my head,” he recalls. “I thought, maybe I should investigate this.” 

Prasad says he was drawn to SUNY Empire because of its dedication to improving access to high-quality, affordable education—a pursuit to which he’s deeply committed. He notes that his personal interest in expanding access stems in part from his 16 years of service to the University of Alaska Anchorage, where he was a professor before ultimately being appointed dean of the College of Business and Public Policy. His time at the Alaska institution afforded him an eye-opening opportunity to work with adult learners and first-generation students.  

Now, at SUNY Empire, he’s dedicated to helping staff foster that same kind of student success. In his role as associate provost, he co-chairs the university’s Middle States 2028 accreditation efforts. He also works with the Office of Prior Learning on growing the number of students who qualify for credits. More broadly, he supports offices like Empire Online and the Center for Teaching and Learning. He says he’d like the university community to know that his approach to his role “is one of sincerity and humility.” 

“I’m new and I have a lot to learn, but I also bring a substantial amount of experience,” Prasad says. “I’m here because I want to be here, and I want to help the university achieve its mission.”