LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ -- Dr. James O. Castagnera (left) of Havertown, PA, has been appointed Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Associate Provost at Rider University.

Dr. Castagnera will be responsible for administering the collective bargaining agreement with the AAUP, in addition to supervising selected academic programs and serving on committees such as the University academic policy committee and the promotion and tenure committee.

Prior to taking over his new administrative post at Rider, Dr. Castagnera taught at the Widener University School of Law as professor of legal methods since 1993, while also serving as general counsel and corporate secretary for WEFA, Inc., a Philadelphia-based econometric forecasting firm. He also served as labor lawyer in the Philadelphia law firm of Saul, Ewing, Remick & Saul from 1983-93 and has had over 45 presentations and publications dealing with employment law.

"Jim has a background in labor law as a specialty," said Dr. Phyllis M. Frakt, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. "He has both teaching and research experience and has practiced law for a number of years, which makes him ideal for that position."

Dr. Castagnera holds both a J.D. and a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies (American studies and mass communications) from Case Western Reserve University, as well as an M.A. in journalism from Kent State University. He earned his B.A. in government from Franklin and Marshall College, after which he served in the United States Coast Guard and the Vietnam conflict. Dr. Castagnera is admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar and is a member of the American Bar Association in the labor section's committee on international labor law.

Mary D. Pinney, Associate Dean of Continuing Studies, chaired the search committee for this position.