News from SUNY Cortland

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Jerome Casciani to Retire from SUNY Cortland

CORTLAND, NY (07/23/2008; 0854)(readMedia)-- Jerome Casciani, who during his 38 years of service at SUNY Cortland has fulfilled the roles of teacher, coach, department chair and College administrator, will retire on Aug. 30. He has earned the designation of associate professor emeritus of physical education.

Casciani has chaired the Physical Education Department for a total of 16 years since 1990. During the 1997-98 academic year, he served as interim dean of the School of Professional Studies.

A native of Niagara Falls, N.Y., Casciani earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from Springfield College. He obtained a Master of Education in Physical Education from The Pennsylvania State University and a doctorate from West Virginia University, where he focused his physical education studies on motor development.

Before joining SUNY Cortland, Casciani was chairman of health and physical education for the Northeastern School District in York County, Pa. He also taught at Baltimore Junior College, Manhasset High School, York (Pa.) Junior College, and in the public school system of Manhasset and York County. He was an assistant football coach at Manhassett High School.

Casciani joined the College in 1970 as an instructor and was promoted to the rank of assistant professor three years later. He was named associate professor in 1981.

In 1990, he became chair of a reorganized Physical Education Department, one of the largest undergraduate programs of its kind in the U.S. He served until 2000, except from 1997-98, when he was the interim dean of professional studies, at a time the school was newly reorganized for improved coordination and efficiency in its curriculum and intercollegiate athletic program. Following a sabbatical and teaching, Casciani returned to chair his department in 2001 and has served ever since.

At SUNY Cortland, he has taught Research Methods, Graduate Readings, and Readings in Physical Education. He has made professional presentations in his field at the local, state and national level. His research has focused on high-performance learning teams in the college classroom.

Casciani was SUNY Cortland's head lacrosse coach from 1984-90, during which time his Red Dragons posted a 60-44 win-loss record, made six National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) appearances and never lost a league contest while capturing four State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) titles. He also has been an assistant coach in lacrosse, football and wrestling at the College.

He served his department, school and College on numerous committees. His department committee work included the Provost Work Group to Restructure the Physical Education Department. He also was active in evaluations of his department in the areas of curriculum, teacher certification program selection, department personnel advisory and the sports camp.

Casciani represented his school as a member and chair of the Division/School Personnel Committee and on numerous other committees. His all-college service included participation as a justice on the Judicial Review Board and on the College Writing Committee for many years. He was a member of the Search Committee for President (1994), the President's Task Force on Restructuring the College (1992), the Center for Wellness Advisory Committee, the Francis J. Woods Fitness Facility Development Committee, the Search Committee for Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Director, the Cortland Intercollegiate Athletic Board and the C-Club Advisory Committee.

He served on the Applied Sciences Laboratories Planning Subcommittee of the Multi-disciplinary Sports Medicine Center at SUNY Upstate Medical Center at Syracuse. Casciani also has represented the College on professional groups including the Council of Administrators, New York State Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

He will continue to teach part-time at the College and reside in Cortland, N.Y., with his wife, Judith Lee. They have two grown children, Christopher and Jennifer, and four grandchildren.

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Jerome Casciani