Robert K. Bitting's Vita

Academic Program Consultant, the Center for Integrated Teacher Education (CITE), Oceanside and Brooklyn, NY, 2005 – Present.

• Advise CITE Director and staff on academic and curricular matters related to CITE program offerings through Alfred University and other organizations.
• Develop, promote and implement new program offerings for working professionals in the NYC metropolitan area.

 

Human Resources Trainer and Consultant (www.robertbitting.com), 1992 – Present

• Over 1000 programs presented on a variety of organizational leadership, management and supervision, career development, and strategic planning topics; also, domestic violence awareness programming.
• Industry and government clients include the U.S. Army (Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort Monmouth, and the Army Reserve Command in Salt Lake City), Philips Lighting Company, Xerox Corporation, Saint Gobain North America, Zippo Manufacturing, ALCAS/CUTCO Corporation, and Toshiba, Inc.
• Agency clients include the Arcs (serving adults with special needs) in ten New York State counties, the NYS Community Action Association, the Allegany County and Cattaraugus County Departments of Social Services, Tioga Opportunities, Inc., the Health Information Management Association of NY, and the New York State Parole Officers Association.
• Healthcare clients include Jones Memorial Hospital (Wellsville, NY), Cuba (NY) Memorial Hospital, Olean (NY) General Hospital, and Bradford (PA) Regional Medical Center.
• Academic clients include the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Canisius College, Jamestown Community College, the University of Buffalo, and S.U.N.Y. College of Technology at Alfred.
• Other clients include Northwest Bancshares Inc., the Southwest Florida Library Network, New York State Electric and Gas, and Rotary International (as Director of their Youth Leadership Program).

 

Licensed Mental Health Counselor, State of New York, 2005 - Present

• Nationally Certified Domestic Violence Instructor through Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center; presenter of numerous workshops on the dynamics of domestic violence for community action organizations and others.
• Director and group facilitator for the Batterer’s Education Program at the Allegany County Jail (for domestic violence offenders) through the District Attorney’s Office.
• Group facilitator for Anger Management Program through the Counseling Center, Wellsville, NY.

 

Adjunct Doctoral Instructor, Concordia University Chicago, 2013 – Present

• Teaching on-line courses in the Ph.D. Program in Leadership (specializations in Educational Leadership, Higher Education, and Organizational Leadership).
• Doctoral Dissertation Advisor to Higher Education Students.

 

Certified Career Development Facilitator Instructor, National Career Development Association (NCDA), 2011 – Present

• Certified to train professional career development specialists through 120-hour NCDA-approved instructional program.
• Focus on training for state agencies, public schools, community colleges, community agencies, and college and university career centers.

 

Director, Graduate Counseling Program (and Associate Professor), Division of Counseling and School Psychology, Alfred University, Alfred, NY, August 2005 – June, 2010; Practicum and Diversity Coordinator for Downstate Graduate Programs.

• Successfully developed and implemented a new program in Mental Health Counseling through the New York State Education Department.
• Taught a full range of graduate counseling courses in both School Counseling and Mental Health Counseling, and supervised practica and internship assignments for 30+ on-campus students.
• Co-directed and coordinated the Downstate M.S. Ed. program in School Counseling in the metropolitan New York City area in partnership with the Center for Integrated Teacher Education.
• Developed and implemented the new Downstate Master’s Program in Public Administration.
• Faculty coordinator for the Youth Mentoring Program through Alfred University’s Rural Justice Institute.

 

Previous Administrative Appointments

Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs, Alfred University, Alfred, NY, December 2003 – July 2005; formerly Associate Vice President for Academic Research, Planning and Administration, August 2001-December 2003.

• Coordinated the planning and development of faculty and University research proposals, including budgeting and other pre-and post-award activities.
• Managed the University’s technology transfer/intellectual property activities.
• Coordinated the University's interactions with Congress, the federal executive branch, research organizations, public policy groups, educational associations, and professional societies, including appropriations and grant activities.
• Advised and directed University faculty and administrators on federal legislative, regulatory, and policy developments, and coordinate their liaison activities.
• Coordinated University and faculty interactions with corporate research partners and State agencies.
• Coordinated University involvement on State and local business/community development initiatives.
• Chaired the Sponsored Programs Best Practices Committee.
• Chaired the Undergraduate Research Initiative Committee.
• Administrative liaison to the Faculty Development Committee.
• Co-founder and administrative liaison to the University's Rural Justice Institute (RJI) and the Center for Environmental and Energy Research (CEER).

 

Assistant Vice President for Research, Alfred University, Alfred, NY, August 1997 – August 2001.

• Developed, implemented, and managed the first University-wide effort to obtain federally appropriated funding for faculty and student research initiatives.
• Successfully lobbied for over $2 million per year directly from various Appropriations Subcommittees.
• University research doubled to approximately $12 million per year.

 

Director of Operations, Office of Sponsored Programs and the Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology (CACT), New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, October 1987 – August 1997.

Director, Office of External Affairs, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, from October 1992 – August 1997.

Director of Extension Services, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, September 1985 – October 1987.

Director of Lifelong Learning, SUNY College of Technology, Alfred, NY June 1980 -September 1985.

Other Teaching Experience (Selective)

Adjunct Associate Professor in Education and in Business, Alfred University, September 1987 – July 2005. Courses taught include:

• Psychological Foundations of Education
• Social Foundations of Education
• Entrepreneurship and Family Business
• Business Ethics and Leadership

 

Member of the Management Institute Faculty, Jamestown Community College, Olean, NY, September 1994 – Present. Courses/topics taught include:

• Principles of Management
• Management Costs and Quality (including Visual/Lean Workplace Management)
• Performance Review and Management
• Conflict Management and Negotiation Techniques
• Teambuilding and Effective Customer Relations

 

Other Professional Experience (Selective)

Contributing Editor, Management Development, Olean Times Herald, Olean, NY, January 1996 – Present.

• Over 100 articles written focusing on current issues in group relations, supervision, management and strategic planning.
• Topics have included “Dealing with Toxic Employees”, “Truth-Telling and Deception in the Workplace”, “Humor and Change”, “Power, Authority, and Leadership”, and “Outcomes-Based Strategic Planning”.

 

Public School Teacher (NYS Certified), Almond, NY and Erie, PA, September 1976 – June 1978.

Professional Highlights

Grant Writing and Project Management Activities (Selective)

Graduate Programs (through the Center for Integrated Teacher Education in NYC; and in Victor, NY)

• Part of a three-person team to develop and implement a new Downstate Master’s level program in School Counseling for working professionals in the metro New York City area; coordinate that program.
• Initial cohort of 65 school counseling students began in fall ’06 (graduated September 2008); currently interviewing students for ninth cohort.
• Additional graduate programs established in Mental Health Counseling, Literacy, Public Administration, and Business Administration, in NYC and in Rochester, NY.
• First NY State Education-approved Certificate of Advanced Study in Mental Health Counseling.
• Currently 300+ students; largest graduate programs at Alfred University.

 

The Rural Justice Institute at Alfred University (RJI)

• Co-authored, with faculty, the proposal establishing this center to coordinate regional services for victims of domestic violence -a multidisciplinary research effort involving graduate and undergraduate students and faculty from the social sciences and school psychology.
• Successfully lobbied Congress for $4.0 million in funding through the Department of Justice (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Programs) in FY 2003-10.
• Direct RJI Youth Court Mentoring Program on campus.

 

The Lea R. Powell Institute for Children and Families

• Co-authored, with faculty, a proposal to support the institute’s efforts to create satellite outreach centers in rural areas for at-risk children.
• Successfully lobbied Congress for $600,000 in funding through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for FY 2004-09.

 

The Center for Environmental and Energy Research at Alfred University (CEER)

• Authored the proposal to establish multidisciplinary research effort involving graduate and undergraduate students and faculty from engineering, environmental sciences, computer sciences, chemistry, physics, and business.
• Successfully lobbied Congress for $6.2 million in funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in FY 2000-06.

 

The Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology (CACT)

• Co-authored, with faculty, a proposal submitted to the New York State Science and Technology Foundation to establish a Center for Advanced Technology at Alfred University; Director of Operations from 1987 – 1997.
• Received $10 million in 1987; renewed for an additional $10 million in 1997 and again in 2007. Over 150 company partners to date.
• Total funding for Center operations has exceeded $40 million.

 

Alfred Technology Resources, Inc.

• Co-authored, in conjunction with University faculty and Corning, Inc., a proposal resulting in $10 million from New York State for the construction of dual “incubator” facilities in Corning, NY and Alfred, NY, for high technology start-up companies.
• Vice Chairman of the Executive Board of this not-for-profit organization, 2003-2005.
• Over 1,500 jobs created in the Southern Tier of New York.

 

Campus Leadership Initiatives

Undergraduate Research

• President and Provost designee to lead the Undergraduate Research Initiative Committee (URI).
• Working with faculty, doubled the size of ARGUS (Alfred Research Grants for Undergraduate Students) program; added summer grants and scholarships for students through ARGUS and various research centers.
• Expanded the annual Undergraduate Research Forum (held in conjunction with Honors Convocation). Participation has doubled to over 150 students during the past three years.
• Edited and published the first-ever compendium of undergraduate research and creative activity on campus, The Crucible.

 

Government Relations

• Coordinated the University’s interactions with Congress, the Federal ExecutiveBranch, research organizations, public policy groups, educational associations, and professional societies.
• Managed all appropriation and grant submissions to federal agencies.
• Managed all contract activities with Cassidy and Associates, a Washington-based public policy group that represents Alfred University.
• Coordinated various University research and economic development activities with State agencies and industrial partners.

 

Research and Sponsored Programs

• Chaired the Sponsored Research Best Practices Committee, working with faculty and business office representatives to develop and implement University-wide policies and procedures for faculty and student research activities.
• Managed all pre-award proposal development and submission, including budgeting.
• Monitored compliance and expenditure on post-award activity, working closely with faculty and business office staff.
• Managed technology transfer/patents and licensing activities.
• Member of 12-person Technical Review Group, the chief R & D advisory body to the NYS energy and Research Development Authority.

 

Faculty Development

• Administrative liaison to the University Senate Faculty Development Committee; manage all faculty development grants and programming.
• Chaired the Summer Research Grants Committee, working with academic deans.
• Coordinated faculty development workshops (recent topics: undergraduate research, service-learning, and assessment).
• Chaired the Service Learning Awards Committee, working with academic deans and faculty designees. Funding awarded supporting ten faculty service-learning projects for curricular innovation for academic year 2004–05.
• Chaired the International Fellowship Committee.

 

Academic and Special Event Management

• Coordinated and managed the University’s Opening Convocation, Honors Convocation, and Commencement ceremonies.
• Coordinated other special events on campus, including visits by State and Federal government representatives.

 

Other Academic, Community, and Business Relations

The Council for Undergraduate Research (CUR)

• Elected as a Councilor-at-Large, January 2004 to this Washington, D.C.- based national organization that supports undergraduate research.
• Member of CUR’s consultant program to provide support to member colleges and universities to develop or expand undergraduate research activities.

 

Presentations/Publications/Other Funding (Selective)

Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), “Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Assistance Program”, co-author and recipient of a three-year (2012-2014), $735,000 grant to provide a series of services to domestic violence victims and offenders in Allegany and Cattaraugus Counties in NYS.

“The ACT Program: A Model for Significantly Reducing Recidivism Among Domestic Violence Offenders.” Presentation at the American Counseling Association Annual Meeting, March 2013.

“Reducing Juvenile Delinquency Through the Development and Implementation of a Rural-Based Youth Mentoring Program.” Presentation at the American Counseling Association Annual Meeting, March 2012.

“Diversity in Action: Transforming a Rural On-Campus School Counselor Program for Delivery to Urban Educational Professionals.” Presentation at the American Counseling Association Annual Meeting, March 2010.

Development of a Collaborative Training Model in School Counseling and SchoolPsychology at Alfred University, The Journal for the Professional Counselor, Spring, 2010.

“Reducing the Incidence of Juvenile Delinquency through the Development and Implementation of a Mentoring Program in the Allegany County Youth Court Program”, $50,000 grant awarded through Rural Justice Institute, Alfred University, Spring, 2008.

“Transforming a Rural Residential School Counseling Program for Urban Professional Educators and Paraprofessionals.” Presented: New York Counseling Association 2007 Annual Meeting, October 26-28, 2007.

“Development of a Collaborative Training Model for School Counseling and School Psychology Students at a Rural University.” Presented: New York Counseling Association 2007 Annual Meeting, October 26-28, 2007.

“The Future of Undergraduate Collaborative Student-Faculty Research: Progress, Prospects, and Problems”, Presentation at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, May 10, 2006.

“An Initiative to Promote Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity: An Institutional Case Study”, National Conference on Faculty-Student Partnerships in Teaching and Learning, SUNY Geneseo, May 2004.

“Creating a Community Response to Troubled Families and Youth”, Round table Presentation at the Association of American Colleges and Universities 90th Annual Meeting (Practicing Liberal Education), Washington, D.C., January 2004.

“Service Learning: An Innovative Model for Faculty Development”, Presentation at the NYS Campus Compact Annual Meeting, Cornell University, Cornell, NY, September 2004.

Awards

Phi Kappa Phi
Alfred University, Spring 2004
Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service
State University of New York, Spring 1995.

Professional Memberships

American Counseling Association (Public Policy and Legislative Committee)
National Career Development Association (Certified Specialist Trainer)