Jamal Rossi has served in numerous leadership capacities throughout a forty-year career in music higher education.  At Eastman, Rossi served in multiple leadership capacities including Deputy Dean (2005-06), Interim Dean (2006-2007), Executive Associate Dean (2007-2013; including one year as Acting Dean (2011-12)), and Dean (2013-2024).  As Interim Dean, he oversaw the design process and secured the funding for the renovation of Eastman Theatre and the construction of the Eastman East Wing, a project he supervised through completion as Executive Associate Dean.  

As the Joan and Marting Messinger Dean, Rossi oversaw a robust period of curricular transformation with new degrees, certificates and programs in Film/Video Game music, Music Leadership, Improvisation, Chamber Music, and others. He created several new divisions and programs at the school, including the Beal Institute for Film Music and Contemporary Media, Eastman Performing Arts Medicine, and the George Walker Center for Equity and Inclusion.  In addition to hiring more than 70% of the school’s faculty upon his retirement, he also created 11 endowed professorships and secured 150 new endowed scholarships. He forged local, regional, and international partnerships with organizations such as the American League of Orchestras, ArtistShare, Gateways Music Festival, Global Music Education League, ROCmusic, and Yamaha Corporation.  In addition to the overseeing the construction of the Eastman East Wing and renovation of Eastman Theatre, Rossi revitalized the Eastman campus through other major renovation projects including Lowry Hall, Kilbourn Hall, Howard Hanson Hall, Messinger Hall, the Eastman Main Building, and the Student Living Center.  As the Director of the Howard Hanson Institute for American Music, Rossicommissioned more than 75 new compositions from composers including Jon Batiste, Jeff Beal, Billy Childs, Anthony Davis, Lori Latham, Kevin Puts, Maria Schneider, and Augusta Read Thomas.

Previous academic leadership appointments include serving as dean of the School of Music at the University of South Carolina (2000-05), and assistant and associate dean of the Ithaca College School of Music (1989-2000).  Rossi earned degrees in music education and saxophone performance from Ithaca College (summa cum laude), the University of Michigan, and the Eastman School of Music, and he has been featured on numerous recordings; commissioned/premiered more than 20 compositions; and been a feature soloist with professional, military, and collegiate bands and orchestras. His articles and reviews have appeared in leading wind and music education publications.