David G. Bergh
Education
Ed.D. University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 2008
M.P.A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy
University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY
Public Management, 1997
B.A. Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
Political Science, History (minor) 1991
Postgraduate
American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Washington, DC
Millennium Leadership Initiative Institute, 2012
Higher Education Experience
President, Cazenovia College February 2022-present.
Interim President, Cazenovia College, January 2022-present.
Current chief executive officer of this independent, co-educational college of 750 students near Syracuse, offering graduate and bachelor’s degree programs in the liberal arts and professional studies, with satellite locations and continuing education programming throughout New York State.
Executive Vice President / Vice President for Planning, Cazenovia College, 2019-2022.
Retained supervisory responsibilities from prior role (below); served as lead on a variety of internal and external initiatives in support of the College’s strategic plan; served as co-chair of the College’s reaccreditation self-study; acted as campus sustainability officer; served as acting president in the absence of the president. Represented the president’s office on numerous campus councils and committees; coordinated college grant pursuit prioritization.
Key Achievements: received external recognition from the State for advancing clean energy initiatives, secured funding for CazArts initiatives; led partnership with Cazenovia Welcomes Refugees on the 43 Lincklaen project; supported move to a new athletic conference; led COVID-19 reopening task force.
Vice President for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, Cazenovia College, 2016-2019
Responsible for oversight of institutional planning, compliance, accreditation, and research; served as the College’s Accreditation Liaison Officer; member of the President’s Office and senior leadership team; charged with developing, implementing, and evaluating the institutional strategic plan; areas of oversight: admissions, institutional research and assessment, human resources, athletics and recreation, equine education center, and theatre operations; interim oversight of campus safety; chaired Emergency Response Team; served as acting president as needed.
Key Achievements: Revised College’s governance structure and established updated strategic plan; established a Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development; created strategic plan for athletics; coordinated planning for new Campus Center; guided first graduate program through accreditation approval and state charter revision process
Dean of Student Life and College Relations, Johnson State College, 2013-2016
Retained supervisory responsibilities from Dean of Students role (below); additional areas of oversight: career development and experiential learning; responsible for representing the College in the regional community, building and stewarding relationships with external partners, and enhancing the College’s visibility; served as Title IX coordinator; chaired campus task force on diversity and inclusion; chaired Veterans Services committee; oversaw parent programming and outreach; advised campus sustainability efforts; member of College budget task force; provided oversight of the College’s program planning board.
Key Achievements: Received external recognition of the College as LGBTQ-Friendly; established a career and internship center and dedicated Veteran’s Center; obtained significant regional partner designation for the College in regional planning documents; inaugurated a programming partnership with Vermont PBS; launched a capital campaign and comprehensive plan in athletics; expanded campus transportation services.
Dean of Students, Johnson State College, 2005-2013
Responsibilities: Senior Student Affairs Officer and member of the President’s Cabinet; areas of supervision and oversight: counseling, health services, athletics and recreation, student activities and government, residence life, public safety, judicial affairs, service learning, and upward bound; joint oversight, with academic affairs, of the office of first-year experience; co-chaired the College Crisis Response Team; convened the Student Concerns committee; served on Women’s Center Advisory and Program Planning Boards; member of College’s strategic planning and campus master planning committees; administrative representative to the Internal Equity committee (United Professionals Bargaining Group).
Key Achievements: Established coordinated services for veterans and military connected students; contributed to the creation and establishment of the office of first-year experience and related programming; assisted in the oversight of major capital projects including the renovations of the student center and athletic facility and integration of wellness functions; established divisional fundraising protocols; strengthened relations with the local community through active outreach and involvement; led the student affairs division through a successful accreditation review.
Associate Dean of Students (from Assistant Dean), Johnson State College, 2000-2005
Assisted in oversight of student affairs division; provided executive leadership of division in absence of the dean; had supervisory responsibility, for interim periods, of the office of international education and the conference and events services department; oversaw student judicial system and student leadership development programs; served on the President’s Council and strategic planning steering committee; chaired first-year experience strategic planning subgroup charged with developing new first-year seminars.
Director of Student Activities (from Coordinator), Johnson State College, 1997-2000
Planned, staffed, and evaluated extracurricular student activities; advised the student government association and all student clubs and organizations; served as a judicial advisor for students; advised the senior class; co-chaired the program planning board and multicultural events planning committee, the student leadership development program, and orientation planning committee.
Additional Professional Experience
Assistant Director of Conference Services, Silver Bay YMCA of the Adirondacks, 1993-1997
Assisted with marketing and group sales and for ensuring all conference needs were fulfilled through oversight of conference service operations.
Assistant Director, The Writer’s Voice of the Silver Bay Association, 1993-1995
Recruited writers for readings and workshops; wrote press releases; assisted in writing grant applications and producing printed materials for this chapter of a national YMCA literary arts program.
Professional Experience & Development
Advisory Member, Cornell Cooperative Extension Morrisville Agricultural Business and Entrepreneurship Center Planning Group 2020.
Member, Commission on Independent Colleges & Universities (CICU) Energy Committee, 2019-2022.
Chair, North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Sportsmanship Committee, 2018-2020.
Member, NEAC Championship Committee, 2018-2020.
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Accreditation Experience: JSC Core Team 2016 (preparatory) and 2005; Team Member on visits to Framingham State University (2014) and Bridgewater State University (2012).
Chair, Vermont State Colleges Student Affairs Council (SAC), 2011-2016.
Advisor, Vermont State Colleges Student Association (VSCSA), 2008-2016.
Planning Committee Member, Vermont Department of Health College Alcohol Symposium, 2012-2014.
Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) Certifications: ICS-100, 200, & Multi-Hazard Emergency Planning for Higher Education.
Member, Lamoille County Public Inebriate Initiative, 2009-2011.
Member, VSC Strategic Planning Technology Futures Group, 2007-2008.
Member, Vermont Department of Health Underage Drinking Task Force, 2005-2006.
Past or Current Member: College For Every Student (CFES); National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA); American College Personnel Association (ACPA); New England Resource Center for Higher Education (NERCHE) Student Affairs Think Tank.
Vermont State Director, NASPA, 2001.
President, Vermont College Student Personnel Association (ACPA), 2000-2001.
Recipient, Richard F. Stevens Vermont Outstanding New Professional Award (NASPA), 1998.
Instructor, Organizational Psychology, Johnson State College, 1998.
Selected Presentations & Panel Facilitations
Panel Moderator, United Climate Action Network Student Panel on Climate Change, 2020.
“Succession Planning for Student Organizations,” Cazenovia College e-board, 2020.
“Transferring Essential Skills into College Success,” CFES Brilliant Pathways Essential Skills Symposium, Adirondack Scholars Program, 2018.
Panel Member, “Essential Skills: What Students Need To Succeed,” College For Every Student National Conference, 2017.
“College Readiness and A High Quality Teacher Workforce,” Testimony before Joint House/Senate Education Committee, State of Vermont, 2016.
“Understanding Our Students,” Vermont State Colleges Board of Trustees Retreat, 2015.
Participant, VSC Press Conference, Review of New Veterans Benefits, 2015.
Host, Community Cinema Series, JSC Partnership with Vermont PBS, 2013-2016.
Panel Facilitator, “Learning Advice, Advising Learning,” Vermont State Colleges Academic Retreat, 2015.
Facilitator, JSC Campus Book Discussion – Tinto’s Completing College, 2015.
“Johnson State College Partnerships & Community Relationships,” Vermont State Colleges Board of Trustees, 2015.
"A Strengths-Based Approach to Working with Our Students," EDU at JSC, 2015.
"Sexual Violence on Campus," Education, Personnel, and Student Life Committee, Vermont State Colleges Board of Trustees, 2014.
Facilitator, Vermont Department of Health sponsored state-wide Symposium on High Risk Drinking on College Campuses, 2013 & 2014.
Panel Facilitator, "The 21st Century Student," Vermont State Colleges Academic Retreat, 2013.
"Student Life and the Vermont State Colleges," Education, Personnel, and Student Life Committee, Vermont State Colleges Board of Trustees, 2012.
"Your First Year of College: If it Was Easy it Would be Rocket Science,” New England Educational Opportunity Association TRIO Day, 2010.
Doctoral Dissertation (“Celebrating the ‘Invisible Middle’: Successful First-Generation and Low-Income College Students”) was the subject of the following columns:
“Turning Deficiency Thinking on Its Head,” Student Affairs Leader, November 1, 2010.
“Avoiding ‘Deficiency Thinking’ About First-Generation Students,” Recruitment & Retention, December 2010.
“Design for Our Future: Capital Projects at Johnson State College,” Vermont State Colleges Board of Trustees, 2007.
“Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes in Student Affairs Across the Vermont State Colleges,” Vermont State Colleges Academic Retreat, 2007.
Selected Volunteer and Public Service
Vice President, Board of Directors, Cazenovia Area Community Development Association 2019-present (Board 2017-present).
Co-Facilitator, Steering Committee, Cazenovia Welcomes Refugees 2019-2021(Committee 2017-present).
Member, Board of Directors, Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce (2017-2022).
Member, Madison County Mobility Management Advisory Committee (2018-present).
Member: Restart Cazenovia Advisory Group (2020); Cazenovia Central Schools Strategic Planning Task Force (2017-2018); Village of Cazenovia Public Safety Sub-Committee (2017-2018); Madison County Mobility Management Stakeholders Group (2017).
Member, Allegheny College Alumni Council (2017-present).
President, Board of Trustees, Laraway Youth and Family Services (2012-2016; Board 2008-2016).
Chair, Board of Directors, Lamoille County Planning Commission (2014-2016; Town of Johnson Representative, 2011-2016).
Appointed Member, Johnson Planning Commission (2010-2016).
Member, Board of Directors, Northern Vermont Economic Development District (2015-2016).
Member: Johnson Historical Society Funding Committee (2014-2016), Laraway Farm Board (2012-2016), Johnson Safe Community Action Committee (2012-2015).
Member, Board of Trustees, Silver Bay YMCA (2003-2008).