April 23, 2003
Stony Brook, N.Y. -
Dr. Richard Laskowski, who guided Stony Brook University's athletic program from NCAA Division III status to Division I and engineered its move to the America East Conference, will be stepping down from his position as Dean of Physical Education and Athletics, he said today. Laskowski has served as Dean since 1993 and is considering returning to teaching. He has agreed to continue in his present duties until new leadership is in place pending the outcome of a national search that will begin immediately.
"After serving as the Dean of Physical Education & Athletics for the past 10 years, I have decided to step down at the end of the spring semester," Laskowski stated. "The goals that I had set for myself have all been achieved and I am looking forward to taking on new challenges in the future."
Dr. Laskowski designed an NCAA reclassification program for the upgrade of the University's athletics teams, an ambition that became a reality in the fall of 1999 when Stony Brook began is first season as a Division I institution. Eighteen months later, he was instrumental in helping Stony Brook shed its independent status when it was announced in January, 2001 that the Seawolves had been accepted as a member of the America East Conference, which holds an automatic NCAA tournament bid in many key sports.
In two years as a member of the America East, Stony Brook has won one America East championship (men's lacrosse) and appeared in five other conference championship games (women's basketball, women's soccer, volleyball and men's and women's tennis).
Last fall, he presided over the opening of Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium, a brand new 8,136-seat state-of-the-art facility that saw over 27,000 fans pour through the turnstiles as the Stony Brook football team posted a program-best 8-2 record. Following the men's lacrosse title last spring and the impressive fall season for Stony Brook Athletics, The Village Times chose Laskowski as its 2002 Sportsman of the Year.
"Dick Laskowski did an extraordinary job in advancing our athletic program from Division III to Division I," said Shirley Strum Kenny, President of Stony Brook University. "As a result of his efforts, we have a first-class athletics stadium and a first-class program. Under Dick's leadership, we became members of the America East Conference, earned our first NCAA lacrosse playoff berth last season, and have outstanding coaches in a wide variety of men's and women's sports. Dick has earned the right to take his life down a new path, and we are grateful for the important contribution he has made to Stony Brook."
During his tenure at Stony Brook , Dr. Laskowski also oversaw the creation of Providing Athletes With Scholarships (P.A.W.S.), the athletic department's annual fundraising campaign, which has raised over $3.2 million in athletic scholarship since its inception in 1998; revised and increased the academic standards of the university's student athletes; initiated the first ever voluntary NCAA compliance review of the academic program; negotiated television and radio contracts for a variety of the department's varsity sports and initiated the change in the logo and the nickname of the Stony Brook team to the 'Seawolves'.
Prior to joining Stony Brook, Dr. Laskowski spent 19 years at St. John's, serving the last eight years as the Associate Director of Athletics for Varsity Sports. Laskowski's tenure at St. John's began in 1974 when he created the program, and became the first Athletic Academic Counselor at the school. In 1978, he was named the Director of Intramurals, Recreation, and Club Sports, and held that position until 1983 when he was named Associate Athletics Director. Dr. Laskowski served as the Chair of the Big East Tennis Committee, and was a member of the baseball and soccer committees. Dr. Laskowski was recognized as one of the Big East's outstanding administrators at its 10 Year Anniversary Dinner in 1990.
Dr. Laskowski, a native of Brooklyn, attended La Salle Academy in Manhattan before receiving a baseball scholarship at St. John's. He holds four degrees from his alma mater: a Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences, a Master's and Professional Diploma in Counselor Education, and a Doctorate in School Administration.
