Office of the Dean

The Office of Undergraduate Education (UGE) shapes, supports and enhances the undergraduate educational experience at UB. Led by the dean of undergraduate education, our office focuses on making your experience academically excellent so you can meet and exceed your goals. 

Ann Bisantz is the dean of undergraduate education. Through oversight of academic policies and curriculum management, Bisantz's leadership enables all UB undergraduate students to achieve academic excellence. As dean, Bisantz stewards the strategic vision for the governance and management of UB’s 21st-century general education program, the UB Curriculum, the Office of Experiential Learning and Research, and the University Honors College. Dean Bisantz also provides strategic leadership for campus-wide undergraduate advising and oversight of the Exploratory and Pre-Professional Advising Center and the university’s Finish in 4 program.

Dean since 2018, Bisantz has led the gateway course initiative, which seeks to address learning gaps and improve pedagogy in key courses; collaborated on student success initiatives, including summer bridge courses and success coach models; overseen the full-scale implementation of the UB Curriculum; implemented efforts to streamline connecting first-year students (freshmen) to majors; and has led undergraduate education units in updating and transforming programming to meet the needs of today’s students. Bisantz co-chaired the Curriculum and Pedagogy Committee for the President’s Advisory Council on Race, co-chaired the Middles States Higher Education accreditation effort and was the 2022 chair of UB’s SEFA Campaign for the Community. Bisantz is a professor and past chair of UB's Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, where she led successful undergraduate accreditation efforts, developed new undergraduate and graduate programs, and expanded and diversified the ISE faculty.

Bisantz earned a PhD from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a master’s and bachelor’s degree from UB. Her research areas are cognitive engineering, human decision-making, human-computer interface design and complex work systems analysis. She received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Research and Creative Activity in 2015, the Paul M. Fitts Educator Award from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society in 2017 (where she was also named Fellow in 2013), the HFES WOMAN Mentor award in 2020, and has served on the executive boards of two professional societies. In 2024 she was appointed to the National Academies Board on Human System Integration. Bisantz joined UB in 1997.

Krista Hanypsiak is the assistant vice provost for undergraduate education, overseeing undergraduate policy and curricular developments and providing leadership for the development of strategic undergraduate initiatives. Hanypsiak has been in higher education for more than 20 years and at UB since 2008, contributing her expertise in curriculum development, management and assessment, strategic planning, student success and liberal arts education. In 2015, Hanypsiak received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service. She holds a master’s degree in higher education from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester.

Lindsey Hallman is the director of academic initiatives, working on projects and partnerships that enhance the academic experience and support student success. Prior to this role, Hallman was the senior assistant director of UB Curriculum, where she focused on implementing and assessing UB’s innovative general education program. A proud UB alum, Hallman earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in higher education with a concentration in student affairs at UB. 

Danielle LaMarre-Smith is the director of curriculum for undergraduate education. In this role, she serves as the chief administrator of the university’s general education program, the UB Curriculum. She also coordinates day-to-day operations of undergraduate course and curriculum management. She holds a master’s degree from Canisius College and has been with UB since 2013.

Jackie Rousseau serves as campus director of academic advising, spearheading strategic initiatives and coordinating efforts to enhance undergraduate academic advisement and student support. Prior to this role, Rousseau directed CUNY’s ACE program at York College and the ASAP program at Medgar Evers College, both aimed at accelerating students' completion of their baccalaureate and associate degrees. With a diverse background in social work, financial aid and advisement, Rousseau is dedicated to guiding students to and through college and beyond. Rousseau holds a baccalaureate degree and an MSW from Stony Brook University and is a proud alumna of its Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). 

Samantha Smith is the director of TrACE, a program for transfer students that aims to remove financial barriers to full-time study, provide structured pathways to help students gain and maintain academic momentum, and create connected communities through integrated support and engagement activities. Prior to her current role, Smith worked as the assistant registrar in the Office of the Registrar. She also served in the School of Management in advisement and enrollment, focusing on recruitment, admission and support of transfer, re-entering and subsequent student populations. She holds a master’s degree from Canisius University in college student personnel administration and a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oswego in communication studies with a concentration in conflict management. 

Kelley Bergman-Young is the administrative assistant in the office of the dean overseeing daily administrative operations. Bergman-Young prepares, coordinates and distributes executive communications, serves as a liaison between university administrative offices and assists in coordinating undergraduate education projects. Before her current role, Bergman-Young worked as the customer service coordinator in Student Accounts. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from the University at Buffalo.