Excelsior University’s Scott Dolan selected to serve in federal higher education rulemaking process
Albany, N.Y. – Scott Dolan, Ph.D., executive dean of Excelsior University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, was selected by the United States Department of Education for an important role as an alternate negotiator in the Program Integrity and Institutional Quality Committee’s upcoming round of negotiated rulemaking. Dolan will represent private, nonprofit institutes of higher education in the process, which enables the involvement of stakeholders in the development of financial aid regulations affecting millions of students and thousands of colleges across the country.
Since 1992, the United States Department of Education has been required by the Higher Education Act to utilize the negotiated rulemaking procedure when developing new regulations that impact Title IV student aid programs. Negotiated rulemaking is a structured process that promotes transparency and public accountability by involving key stakeholders in drafting these policies. Negotiators are selected to represent specific groups, such as colleges and universities, students, and accrediting agencies. Primary and alternate negotiators work together as a team to represent their constituencies.
Representatives are chosen based on their expertise and knowledge in a specific field, which enables them to contribute meaningfully to the development of regulations. Through their participation, negotiators help shape federal rules bearing a tremendous impact on the American higher education system.
“It is a great privilege to be selected for this role and to participate in the federal rulemaking process,” said Dolan. “This is a significant responsibility that I take very seriously. I see it as a recognition of my experience in higher education, and I look forward to learning more about the upcoming proposed regulations. I’m excited for the opportunity to build wider and more meaningful connections with other colleagues and experts as we advocate effectively for the interests of our constituency.”
Dolan was named executive dean of Excelsior University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in January 2023. As the founding executive dean of the College, he serves as an integral member of the senior academic leadership team and is responsible for overseeing and stewarding all academic affairs and administrative operations of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Dolan joined Excelsior University in 2014 as director of assessment and program evaluation for all the degree programs in the former School of Business and Technology. He was promoted in 2015 to executive director of accreditation, assessment, and strategy, became associate dean of business in 2016, and associate dean of graduate studies in 2019. In addition to these roles, he has served as the University’s accreditation liaison officer to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education since June 2019.
Prior to joining Excelsior, Dolan worked as a researcher and program evaluator of foundation- and grant-funded programs in the P-20 education and health and human services sectors. In addition to his research work, his academic experience includes teaching roles at the College of Saint Rose, Siena College, Schenectady County Community College, University at Albany, and Excelsior University.
Dolan has published and presented widely in his field on various topics related to higher education administration and leadership, outcomes assessment, and faculty development, with research interests in complex organizations and political and economic sociology. He currently serves on the Academic Advisory Board to Cyber AB and is a frequent contributor to Forbes as a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council.
Dolan’s participation in the negotiated rulemaking process will begin Jan. 8 and continue with a series of virtual committee meeting sessions through early March.
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Media Contact Excelsior University:
Jason Bonafide, jbonafide@excelsior.edu, 518-608-8446
ABOUT EXCELSIOR UNIVERSITY
Excelsior University is an accredited, not-for-profit online institution focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. Excelsior contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971, Excelsior meets students where they are — academically and geographically — removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity.
