The Watson School’s new assistant dean of finance and human resources

Sarah Kane, a graduate of Maine-Endwell High School, has been hired as the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science’s new assistant dean of finance and human resources to work with two other assistant deans and two associate deans to assist Dean Krishnaswami “Hari” Srihari.

As the chief financial officer and chief human resources officer, Kane’s duties include providing leadership and support for all hiring, promotion and payment transactions for school-funded faculty, staff and student employees as well as support to the dean for faculty tenure and promotion cases.

Kane started in July, and before that, worked in budget and finance for Broome County government, making her job at Binghamton a somewhat new field for her. Kane says that, in addition to her human resources duties, her main responsibilities are understanding the different funding streams the Watson School receives and determining what funds can be used for what purposes. The multiple streams include from donors, state funding, IFR accounts and research funds. Kane must also present the school’s budget in a clear and concise manner.

“I think there’s value in transparency,” Kane said. “Everyone listening should be able to understand what you’re saying; in turn, this will help generate new ideas and best utilize our resources.”

Kane earned her Master of Business Administration from SUNY Oswego and worked in accounting for Broome County government, as well as in budgeting at Ithaca College before coming to Binghamton.

“I like the bigger picture of budget development,” Kane said. “Accounting is very rigid with debits, credits and regulations; budget is more projection and strategy.”

For Kane, it was a long road to Binghamton, but every turn in her path led her one step closer to the University.

“It took me some time to realize that I wanted to work in higher education,” she said.

Once she knew this, she went back to school five years after finishing her undergraduate degree and pursued her MBA, which she knew she needed for the job she wanted.

Kane said she always wanted to live and work in the area where she grew up. She has no desire to leave her family and friends.

“I’ve always had Binghamton University on my radar, to work here,” Kane said. “Each step led to the next, and I’m very happy to be here.”