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Diane Lyden Murphy has been at the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics since the beginning.

Murphy joined what was then called the School of Social Work in 1978, more than half her lifetime ago. Murphy has served as the Falk College’s sole dean since the college’s formation in 2011. Murphy attained her undergraduate degree in social work and earned three other degrees from SU.

“(Falk College) was essentially my adult career,” Murphy said. “I went to college here, for heaven’s sake, and never left.”

Now nearing her retirement, colleagues who reflected on Murphy’s career all shared one praise: her exceptional memory.

SU Professor Emeritus Elizabeth Thoreck said she admired Murphy’s ability to remember, and then use that retention for good. When something happened to a family member of a Falk College employee, Thoreck said Murphy would always check in and ask about them.

“That’s why she accomplished as much as she did in her years,” Thoreck said. “Because she was a real social worker.”

Lisa Olson-Gugerty, an associate teaching professor in the Falk college, said the things Murphy remembered surprised her. During her annual reviews, Murphy asked Olson-Gugerty about her children, her clinical work and the bees she was taking care of as SU’s beekeeper.

“I mean, there’s no reason for her to remember those intimate details about my life and my work, but she’ll ask those questions,” Olson-Gugerty said. “I know she remembers me as a human being, not just as an employee.”

David Salanger, Falk College’s assistant dean of advancement and external affairs, also saw the broader impact her ability to remember details could have on the college’s atmosphere.

Many of the donors Salanger brings to campus as part of his work in advancement and external affairs meet Murphy during their visit, he said. When donors returned to campus later, Salanger said he would give Murphy a rundown on who was visiting. But she already knew all the details.

“How do you even remember all this stuff?” he remembers asking.

Alongside overseeing Falk College’s evolution, Murphy has seen changes in the university as a whole over the course of her time at SU. According to SU’s website, she co-authored the university’s sexual harrassment policy.

“Diane has been a force of nature at Syracuse University since she arrived on campus nearly 60 years ago, through her work in sexual and relationship violence, gender equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility,” Chancellor Kent Syverud wrote in a press release announcing her retirement.

Murphy has been dean since before Falk College even existed. SU appointed her dean of the now-defunct College of Human Services and Health Professions in 2005, and the college expanded in 2011 under Murphy to create what is now Falk College.

“She was the key to hold all that together and get us over here to our current location in McNaughton Hall, the former location of law school, where everybody came under one roof for the first time in … the college’s history,” Salanger said.

Gretchen Ritter, SU’s provost and chief academic officer, called Murphy a “fierce advocate” for Falk College.

“She has an extraordinary ability to communicate with and engage others in what is truly important to the University experience,” Ritter wrote in the press release. “She is highly respected, and for good reason, because she is a person of high integrity.”

The breadth of subjects Murphy oversaw as dean expanded over the course of her time at Falk and at SU. In 2011, she started to oversee the university’s sports management program, a change that resulted in the formation of Falk College. In 2016, the college also added a “first-of-its-kind” sports analytics degree.

While her background was not in sports management or analytics, Salanger said Murphy was able to adapt to an increased sports presence by learning about the business side from experts. Murphy still ensured that the values of Falk stayed intact through the transition, he said.

“She listened to the industry experts, but (was) always making sure, always reminding them that they were part of a bigger college,” Salanger said. “It’s important to ensure that (social justice and social responsibility) was the focus of those programs.”

Murphy said she’s most proud of the priority of social responsibility in Falk College’s degrees. Outside of her work the city of Syracuse also envelops her life.

Murphy met her husband, Fred, while attending SU as an undergraduate. He was studying as a graduate student in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. After graduating, he became a public official in the city, leading the city’s housing authority for over 30 years. He died in 2019 in his 80s.

The two raised their children in the Westcott neighborhood. All five of their daughters went through the Syracuse City School District and are now raising their own families in Syracuse, Murphy said.

“We’ve been able to move both the university forward, and our city,” Murphy said. “So we put a lot into it, got a lot out of it.”

Published on November 1, 2022 at 3:00 am

Contact Kyle: kschouin@syr.edu | @Kyle_Chouinard