M E M O R A N D U M

							March 28, 2012

TO:		Members of the Board of Trustees

FROM:	Nancy L. Zimpher, Chancellor

SUBJECT:	Appointment of Dr. Virginia Schaefer Horvath as President at the State University of New York College at Fredonia
Action Requested
      The proposed resolution approves the appointment of Dr. Virginia Schaefer Horvath as the next president of the State University of New York College at Fredonia.

Resolution

      I recommend that the Board of Trustees adopt the following resolution:
      
Resolved that the appointment of Dr. Virginia Schaefer Horvath as President of the State University of New York College at Fredonia, at a State salary of $205,000 effective on or about July 1, 2012, upon the retirement of Dennis Hefner from that position, be and hereby is, approved. Dr. Horvath will reside in a campus owned house and be provided the use of a campus owned car.

Background

      I am pleased to recommend your approval of the appointment of Dr. Virginia Schaefer Horvath as President of the State University of New York College at Fredonia effective on or about July 1, 2012.  Dr. Horvath will be succeeding President Dennis Hefner who has been serving for 16 years as president and in August announced his plan to retire at the end of the      2011- 12 academic year.  
      
      After participating in a national search that attracted top notch candidates and a total pool of more than 50 candidates, Dr. Horvath received strong support from the SUNY Fredonia search committee, college council and college community.  
      
      Dr. Horvath will be provided college owned housing and will also have use of a campus-owned vehicle during the term of her presidency.
      
      Dr. Horvath is currently the Vice President for Academic Affairs at SUNY Fredonia, a position she has held since joining the campus in 2005. She joined the faculty at Kent State in 1985 and became Dean of Academic and Student Services for the regional campuses, a position she held from 2001 to 2005. Even as a full-time administrator at Kent State and SUNY Fredonia, Dr. Horvath has continued to teach undergraduate courses on a regular basis.
      
      In her current position as Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Horvath has served as the chief academic officer and the second-highest ranking official at SUNY Fredonia for the past seven years, making her uniquely aware of the campus’ strengths and recent successes as well as its opportunities for growth and improvement.

      Dr. Horvath has played a major role in many of the campus’ most critical processes, including developing the current and pending five-year strategic plans, directing and overseeing various accreditation reviews, collaborating on budget and staffing planning initiatives, leading assessment processes across the campus, and supporting various fundraising and alumni, media and government relations initiatives.
      
      A Western New York native, Dr. Horvath was born and raised in Amherst, N.Y. She is a SUNY graduate, having earned a bachelor of arts in English from the University at Buffalo before continuing on to Kent State University for both a master’s and Ph.D., also in English.  Dr. Horvath’s scholarship includes more than a dozen critical articles and books, in addition to numerous poems and reviews. She has presented and given workshops at more than 70 regional, national and international conferences. Her service to her profession and to her current and previous campuses is also well known. She was the driving force behind the Fredonia Academic Community Engagement (FACE) Center, which connects student learning and pedagogy with opportunities to serve and positively impact the Western New York community. She has also been a staunch supporter of Fredonia’s Professional Development Center and its Office of Student Creativity and Research.

	A copy of Dr. Horvath’s resume is attached.

Attachment



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Board Resolution		March 28, 2012