SU Welcomes Mitchell As New VP of Administration & Finance

SALISBURY, MD—A university administrator with some 25 years experience in Pennsylvania at the campus, system and state levels is the new vice president of administration and finance at Salisbury University. Greig Mitchell, who began working at SU this month, also brings knowledge of the State University of New York (SUNY) System where he served as vice president for administration and finance at SUNY College at Brockport. “Each campus has its own culture,” said Mitchell, “yet certain problems are universal, such as students now paying more of the cost.  Knowledge of the issues has made the transition easier and fortunately, Salisbury University and the general community have both been most welcoming.” In Pennsylvania, Mitchell first began working with the state Department of Education in Harrisburg as a budget analyst. In 1980, he moved to nearby Shippensburg University, where he served for 17 years.  As chief financial and administrative officer of that campus, which is similar to Salisbury, he contributed to the academic quality, growth and improved reputation of the institution.  “Our success is measured by the academic program’s success,” he said. “Particularly in times of limited resources, no one division has a monopoly on responsibility for academic excellence.”

Mitchell played a leadership role in issues such as technological and management redesign of business practices for finance, accounting, budgeting, procurement, human resource management and facilities planning; the development of a comprehensive facilities master plan; overseeing major campus construction and renovation projects;  campus security; and collective bargaining.  During his tenure Shippensburg was frequently highly rated by national publications for its quality and both cost and price effectiveness. In 1997 he returned to Harrisburg, this time to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, as vice chancellor for finance and administration.  During his five years there he served as its chief financial, facilities and public safety officer as well as advisor to the Board of Governors, the chancellor and the university presidents whose 14 campuses served 98,000 students and collectively had an annual operating budget of approximately $1.4 billion.  His accomplishments included development of a comprehensive tuition policy which allowed greater institutional flexibility; the design and implementation of the first performance-based funding programs which led to an increase in state appropriations; ensuring a priority-driven capital budget planning process that also led to increased capital appropriations from the state; the development of private sector partnerships in student housing; greater use of the World Wide Web in consolidated financial services; and development of a collaborative procurement system which reduced costs for several commodities and services.  With a change in administration, he left the system for New York. “There are parallels and differences between the three systems (Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland),” he said.  “Having been a system person made me a better campus person and vice versa.”  Mitchell also brings leadership skills from nearly 30 years’ service in the U.S. Army Reserve and Pennsylvania Army National Guard where he was chief military personnel officer and director of strategic planning.  He retired at the federal rank of colonel and state honorary rank of brigadier general. He earned his Master of Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh and Bachelor of Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. “One of the things that made Salisbury so attractive to me,” he said, “was the organization is doing an excellent job—its programmatic excellence and the quality of the institution provide a potential for continued growth and development.  The hard work of everyone from faculties to staff indicate that teamwork here provides tangible benefits for students.”  Mitchell and his wife, Linda, a certified school counselor with expertise in peer mediation and the prevention of school bullying, are the parents of three daughters, Michelle, Deborah and Sarah, all in their 20s. For more information on Mitchell call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.