National Technical Institute for the Deaf

Kathryn Schmitz, who has chaired Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf’s Department of Liberal Studies for the past three years, has been appointed Associate Dean for Academic Administration. She replaces Stephen Aldersley, who was named Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at NTID.

Schmitz began her career at NTID 23 years ago as director of Marketing Communications. In 2000, she joined the English Department as a faculty member. Teaching at most levels of the curriculum, she also has published a number of scholarly articles and presented at many national and international conferences.

“I look forward to this new challenge, working at a different level of the institute in support of academic administration,” she says. “It’s exciting to be part of a new team.”

Schmitz has been tapped on numerous occasions for service on university-wide committees, and she enjoys broad national recognition within the field as evidenced by her selection in 2008 to serve as senior associate editor for the Volta Review.

A native of Potomac, Md., Schmitz received her bachelor’s degree in English from Duke University, her master’s degree in career and human resource development from RIT and her doctorate in English Education from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

In her role as Associate Dean for Academic Administration, Schmitz will serve on the NTID Administrative Council and have responsibility for many institute processes and functions, including tenure, promotion, faculty and exempt staff searches, diversity training and institute committees.

Schmitz will oversee the NTID’s Outreach Consortium, the Center on Employment, the Admissions Department and the Office of Communication Assessment Services. She also will represent NTID on a variety of RIT committees and work groups.

“Through her interactions with faculty, staff, administration, both within the college of NTID and the wider university, Katie has proven herself over and over again, as a great communicator, a strong team member, and a passionately loyal member of the NTID community,” says NTID President Gerry Buckley. “She is superbly well-organized, creative and thorough in her attention to detail, all of which will serve her especially well in her new position. We are confident that she has demonstrated the knowledge, administrative skill and interpersonal style that will make her very successful in her new role.”

“Dr. Schmitz brings a strong skill set to a critical position in academic affairs,” says Aldersley. “She has proven her administrative ability during a three-year term as chair of the Department of Liberal Studies, an experience that has prepared her well for success in her new position.”