There’s always something new and exciting happening at St. John’s University, and in recent months that’s been particularly true at St. John’s College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions. Effective with the start of the Fall 2012 semester, the University’s Board of Trustees approved a request to give the College a new designation. It will now be known as St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. “The new name was selected for a variety of reasons,” noted Interim Provost Robert A. Mangione, Ed.D., R.Ph.,’77P, ’79GP, ’93PD, ’99Ed.D., former Dean of St. John’s College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions. “We believe that it is an accurate reflection of who we are today, as well as an indication of where we will be heading in the future. For example, with the future anticipated launch of our Master’s of Public Health degree, the popularity of our existing Physician Assistant program, and the strength of our Toxicology program, it was our collective opinion that a new and more comprehensive designation would better embrace our current and future academic initiatives.”The name change will not be retroactive. All designations on previously issued transcripts and diplomas will remain as they currently exist Concurrent with the new name, there has also been a restructuring of the administration of the College. Following the appointment of Dr. Mangione as Interim Provost of the University, S. William Zito Ph.D. ’66P, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Associate Dean for Assessment and Planning, has been named Acting Dean by St. John’s University President Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M. Prior to becoming Associate Dean, Zito served as Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences from 1993-1999. He has garnered several “Teacher of the Year” awards and is a past recipient of the St. John’s President’s Medal, a prestigious honor awarded to outstanding individuals in recognition of the extraordinary service and support that they have rendered to the University as well as the external community-at-large.