Dr. James L. Muyskens was the ninth President of Queens College, serving from Fall 2002 through Fall 2013.
“The City University of New York trustees voted unanimously yesterday to appoint as president of Queens College a former CUNY professor who now runs a high-technology campus for the University System of Georgia.
CUNY officials hope the new president, Dr. James L. Muyskens, will help Queens, one of CUNY's strongest four-year colleges, regain the momentum it lost during the troubled tenure of Allen L. Sessoms, who left in August 2000 after officials said that they no longer felt he had any credibility.
... Dr. Goldstein described Dr. Muyskens yesterday as an experienced administrator who knew CUNY well from his 17 years as a philosophy professor and then associate provost and acting provost at Hunter College. Dr. Goldstein said Dr. Muyskens also has broad experience in fund-raising, high technology and academic leadership from years in leadership posts at the University of Kansas and in Georgia.
In Kansas, Dr. Muyskens was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. In Georgia, he was senior vice chancellor for academic affairs for the University System of Georgia and then chief executive officer and dean of the faculty of the Gwinnett University Center, which he helped develop.
Dr. Muyskens, 59, who will arrive at Queens in August, said that although he left CUNY in 1987, he has remained in touch through materials that his wife, Alda, has received as a Queens College graduate.
Dr. Muyskens, who was raised in Minnesota, was an undergraduate at Central College in Iowa, and earned a master of divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Michigan.
Asked why he decided to come to Queens, Dr. Muyskens said that both he and his wife were excited about the opportunity to return to New York City. (They lived in Flushing, Queens, near the Queens College campus, when he taught at Hunter.)”
“The genial philosophy professor who is credited with helping restore Queens College’s status as a jewel in the City University system, is stepping down after 12 years as its president.
James Muyskens, 71, was brought in to restore some stability after the controversial tenure of former President Allen Sessoms, who was pushed out amid questions about a promised AIDS research center.
Muyskens, who began his career as a teacher at Hunter College, may be leaving his office in Queens Hall, but he’s not stepping away from the ivory tower. He says he will return to teaching at CUNY, and hopes to spend more time with his young grandchildren.
...‘We hired well over 300 faculty. An institution can’t be better than its faculty. I was fortunate that during my time here it was also a time New York City was a very attractive place to be so we were able to recruit the very best.’
‘We also built a residency hall that has helped us achieve another major goal – have a really robust student life on campus. We’ve been able to really improve our athletics. Along with drama, theater and musical performances, it’s a very dynamic, exciting place now.’
...‘I’m here almost 12 years. That’s a long time to be president. I hadn’t thought I would stay this long. I have two small grandchildren in Washington, D.C. and I wasn’t able to spend the time with them that I would like. This job is every day.’
‘I’ve always wanted, while I am healthy and able, to get back into the classroom. My field is philosophy and ethics with a specialty in medical ethics. I am really excited to start with with freshman.’”