A Montclair State veteran and an administrator from City University of New York are the University's two newest deans. Ada Beth Cutler has been named dean of the College of Education and Human Services, and Robert Steven Prezant of Plainview, N.Y., is taking over the post for the College of Science and Mathematics.

Cutler has been a professor and director of the New Jersey Network for Educational Renewal for six years. In July she was appointed interim dean, and last month was named to the permanent position. (Read more about Cutler in this week's Q&A.)

Prezant, a native of Brooklyn, has been dean of the Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Queens College, City University of New York, and a member of the doctoral faculty in both biology and earth and environmental studies there since January 1999. As dean, he was responsible for eight academic departments with 155 full-time faculty members.

Prior to that, he was chair of the Department of Biology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) from 1993 to 1999. He also served as director of the Electron Microscopy Lab and coordinator of the Animal Biology Program, and was named University Professor at IUP in 1998.

"Bob Prezant combines a wealth of experience in science and mathematics with equally impressive administrative and leadership credentials," said MSU President Susan A. Cole. "He's a first-rate academician as well as a hands-on leader. Most important, he shares our vision of Montclair State as one of the premiere regional universities in the Northeast. He will be an invaluable addition to our leadership team."

Prezant said he is looking forward to joining the University. "I am impressed by the innovative and extensive programs in the College of Science and Mathematics as well as its strong environmental-based and pedagogical programs," he said.

For 10 years, Prezant was editor-in-chief of the American Malacological Bulletin, an international, refereed academic journal. He was president of the American Malacological Society in 1999 and continues to serve on its Executive Council. He also was a member of the Marine Science Advisory Board at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore from 1988 to 1993.

Prezant earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Adelphi University and a master's, also in biology, from the Marine Science Institute of Northeastern University. He obtained a doctoral degree in marine studies from the University of Delaware's College of Marine Studies.

Prezant and his wife, Fran, a speech and language pathologist and research director of Assistive Technologies at the National Center for Disabilities Services, have two children, Jennifer, 20, and Jason, 16.