Biography: President Matthew Shaftel

After a national search, Dr. Matthew Shaftel was named the 11th president of Russell Sage College and began his presidency on July 1, 2024.

Since arriving at Russell Sage, Shaftel has led historic growth, an ambitious new strategic plan, and a transformative merger with Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to create Russell Sage University in fall 2027. (Pending regulatory approvals.)

Shaftel serves as a trustee for the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York and vice chair of the board for New American Colleges & Universities. He is co-chair of the Capital Region Higher Ed Alliance, a coalition of 16 private and public colleges and universities and the Capital Region Chamber, aimed at increasing college attainment to spur economic growth and community wellness. He is a frequent speaker at local, state, and national conferences.

Before coming to Russell Sage, Shaftel served for seven years as dean and full professor in Ohio University’s College of Fine Arts.

He has served as a higher education leader for nearly two decades, also as an associate vice president at Florida State University and dean and executive of the Princeton campus at Rider University. 

While at Ohio University, he cultivated philanthropic support and spearheaded a transformational $94 million college facilities project. At the same time, he worked collaboratively with faculty to reimagine the college with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, growing enrollment significantly, improving student outcomes, and raising the profile of both the college and the institution.

While at Florida State, he led the development of a signature general education program and helped move the university to the highest U.S. News & World Report ranking in university history (currently No. 23 among public universities).

Shaftel earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music, Master of Philosophy in Music Theory, and Ph.D. in Music Theory from Yale University and has been highly active as a scholar, publishing numerous articles and books, including two national award-winning volumes published by Oxford University Press and University of Illinois Press. Recognized for his excellence in teaching, he has received three university-wide teaching awards, including a distinguished professor award, and was a finalist for two national accolades. He has served on many not-for-profit boards and developed two award-winning centers for community engagement.

Shaftel is joined at the college by his wife, Dr. Jen Murphy, who brings over 23 years of higher education experience and is excited to support Russell Sage’s vibrant community. Between them, they have five (almost) adult children: Veronique, Alexandre, Genevieve, Kieran, and Quinn.

Dr. Jen Murphy has been a champion for Russell Sage, with expertise in higher ed that has helped move the institution forward since arriving with President Matthew Shaftel in July 2024. She brings more than 20 years of higher education experience at various institutions and business schools: The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Indiana University, Arizona State, American University, and Ohio University. Jen is a global speaker, published author, and researcher of women leaders in higher education. She also serves as an MBA career consultant at the University of Cambridge in the U.K. and regularly speaks, trains, and consults for universities.

She earned a B.A. in Communications at Purdue University, an M.S. in Counseling, and an Ed.D. at the University of Pennsylvania in Higher Education Management.

Favorite Quote:
“When will there be enough women on the court? When there are nine.” — RBG