Dr. Nancy L. Zimpher As SUNY Chancellor


	“Last January, SUNY began searching for a new chancellor. Though it took time to find the right person for the job, it was well worth the wait. SUNY’s thorough and deliberative process led us to a truly outstanding choice to lead our university system. Today, I am pleased to announce that Nancy L. Zimpher will serve as the ninth chancellor of the State University of New York. Nancy Zimpher is an impressive candidate and a strong leader. Nancy Zimpher has also been a trailblazer throughout her career. She was the first woman to serve as President of the University of Cincinnati, and she will also be the first woman to serve as SUNY Chancellor. We are thrilled to welcome her to New York where we know she will continue to realize the vision and full potential of our university system." Full Statement
	-- David A. Paterson Governor New York State
	“Nancy Zimpher brings to SUNY an outstanding national reputation earned through her many accomplishments in public higher education. It is with great pleasure that I welcome her to SUNY as chancellor.”
	-- Carl T. Hayden Chairman SUNY Board of Trustees & Search Committee
	"Nancy is one of the bright stars in higher education leadership. I have the utmost respect for her lifelong commitment to students and faculty and to the communities served by institutions of higher education. She is a strong leader, which is needed in these tough economic times. The SUNY Board of Trustees has made a great selection."
	-- Charles B. Reed Chancellor of the California State University
	“Nancy Zimpher’s considerable skills in managing complex institutions of higher education will enable her to advance the SUNY system to new heights. SUNY and all of New York are most fortunate to have such a capable leader. I congratulate Nancy on becoming SUNY Chancellor and look forward to working with her as we strengthen higher education in the Empire State.”
	-- David J. Skorton Cornell University President Search Committee Member
	“Nancy Zimpher is an educator, scholar and administrator of the highest quality. She possesses the intelligence, determination and experience SUNY needs for the challenging times that confront us. I could not be more pleased with the results of our search.”
	-- H. Carl McCall SUNY Trustee & Search Committee Member
	“Congratulations are well in order for Nancy Zimpher and the SUNY system. Nancy Zimpher possesses all of the essential qualities a leader needs to overcome obstacles and achieve results. I expect her tenure as SUNY chancellor to be most successful.”
	-- Paul Tagliabue Former NFL Commissioner Search Committee Member
	“Nancy Zimpher’s impressive career has been devoted to keeping public higher education high quality, affordable and accessible, which aligns with SUNY’s mission. On behalf of my colleagues at the 30 community colleges, I welcome Nancy to SUNY and I look forward to beginning our work together.”
	-- Milton Johnson President, Faculty Council of Community Colleges Search Committee Member
	“Creative ideas and energy combined with wisdom and a strong set of problem-solving skills mark Nancy Zimpher as a remarkable leader. Nancy Zimpher is an ideal candidate for SUNY and I congratulate her on becoming the next chancellor.”
	-- Vishakha Desai President and CEO, Asia Society Search Committee Member
	"Dr. Nancy L. Zimpher is an articulate and visionary leader with an immense passion for public higher education. She is an adroit and inspiring leader who understands the challenges and opportunities that face public higher education, especially today. Working with her in a variety of settings it is clear that her leadership effectiveness has been realized at the local, state, national and international levels. Her appreciation of civic engagement and how building partnerships with business and industry, civic and nonprofit institutions, school districts and other higher education institutions can benefit communities will be essential in her new leadership role for New York public higher education. Nancy grasps the complexity of public higher education from the vital role it plays for assuring access to embracing excellence. Her collaborative style has integrated the missions of community colleges with four year institution on a practical level. Her understanding of the complexity of research and academic medicine will be beneficial to the broad responsibilities found under the SUNY umbrella. Most importantly Dr. Zimpher understands people, she celebrates their intrinsic value to effect change and to realize a vision and she embraces the diversity that makes any State system of higher education great. The Upstate Medical University family looks forward to working with her to move SUNY forward and achieve even greater excellence."
	-- David Smith, M.D. President Upstate Medical University
	“We welcome this appointment. In Nancy Zimpher, we will have a Chancellor who recognizes the critical role that public higher education—and particularly our research universities—play in building a knowledge-based economy, and who has the experience and acumen to advance this role in significant ways. I look forward to working with her, and with my SUNY colleagues across the state, to pursue this vision.”
	-- John B. Simpson President University at Buffalo
	“As a member of the Chancellor's search committee and the President of one of SUNY's four Academic Medical Centers, I am pleased and happy to see that SUNY is to be led by an experienced, effective and charismatic new Chancellor. We all look forward to helping her demonstrate that SUNY is a large part (perhaps the largest part) of the solution to New York State's current economic problems and that investment in SUNY is an investment in New York's future.”
	-- John C. LaRosa President SUNY Downstate Medical Center Search Committee Member
	“On behalf of Finger Lakes Community College and the counties we serve in upstate New York, I want to congratulate Nancy Zimpher on her appointment as chancellor of the State University of New York. We look forward to the leadership and direction she will bring to New York’s premier state university system, especially during these challenging times, when so many families and students are seeking high quality education and affordable choices. Serving our communities, educating and training students of all ages, and strengthening the workforce and our economy are goals that are intrinsic to our common mission. Together, we can strengthen this great system, for the benefit of all those who live and work in New York State.”
	-- Dr. Barbara G. Risser President Finger Lakes Community College
	"Nancy Zimpher brings excellent experience and achievements to lead the State University of New York into a bright future. I look forward, with enthusiasm, to working with her."
	-- W. Hubert Keen President Farmingdale State College
	"I was delighted to meet Dr. Zimpher today and am impressed both with her on-the-ground experience in running a complex institution of higher education and with her faith in the entire SUNY system's exciting potential. We at Oswego look forward to welcoming her to our campus soon and helping to realize her promising vision for the university."
	-- Deborah F. Stanley President SUNY Oswego
	"I am absolutely delighted that Nancy Zimpher has been named chancellor of SUNY. The outstanding leadership she showed while President of the University of Cincinnati demonstrates her ability to be a consensus builder, a smart and savvy financial manager and a true champion for public higher education. It is exciting to know that SUNY will have the leadership in Albany that it so desperately needs at this time."
	-- Shirley Strum Kenny, PhD President Stony Brook University
	"On behalf of the students, faculty and staff at SUNY Plattsburgh, I extend congratulations to Dr. Nancy L. Zimpher on her appointment as chancellor of the State University of New York. She brings with her a wealth of talent and experience at a crucial time in the history of SUNY. We are confident that she will serve as a visionary leader while navigating us through these uncertain economic times. I look forward to collaborating with Dr. Zimpher in our shared mission to make SUNY one of the preeminent university systems in the country."
	-- John Ettling, Ph.D. President SUNY Plattsburgh
	“SUNY’s 30 community colleges now serve more than half of all students in our university system, and our community colleges have a well-deserved reputation for providing outstanding and innovative education at affordable cost. I look forward to working with an outstanding educator like Dr. Zimpher to strengthen the SUNY system as a whole and especially our SUNY communities colleges that now provide undergraduate education opportunities to so many of our citizens in New York State.”
	-- Stuart Steiner President Genesee Community College
	"We¹re very excited that Nancy Zimpher is joining the SUNY family. We look forward to her leadership in the future, to working with her and to having her visit our campus so that we can share all the wonderful things we are doing here at SUNY Cortland."
	-- Erik Bitterbaum President SUNY Cortland
	"Dr. Nancy Zimpher is a leader of national stature who has distinguished herself as a president at two major public universities. She will advocate strongly for quality and access to public higher education and tirelessly for needed resources to invest in our State University. Most importantly, our new Chancellor has a strong vision for advancing the university and has articulated clear aspirations and standards of excellence."
	-- John. R. Halstead, PhD President SUNY Brockport
	"It is with the greatest pleasure that I applaud the selection of Dr. Nancy Zimpher by the Board of Trustees as the next chancellor of the State University of New York. Filling the leadership vacancy for the country's largest public university system is of critical importance at this time. I pledge my full support and that of Empire State College to the very important work Dr. Zimpher is about to undertake and I look forward to working with her the years to come."
	-- Dr. Alan R. Davis Empire State College President
	"I warmly welcome Nancy Zimpher as SUNY’s new chancellor. She is a highly-regarded educator who will bring a fresh perspective to the university, and my colleagues at Geneseo and I look forward to working under her leadership in aggressively and wisely moving us forward. Her outstanding administrative skills at three major universities has prepared her well for the challenges SUNY faces, and I am confident she will succeed in helping the university reach its full potential."
	-- Christopher C. Dahl President SUNY Geneseo
	"Dr. Zimpher brings the exceptional leadership skills necessary to advance the State University of New York and all of its institutions. We congratulate Dr. Zimpher on her appointment to Chancellor, and look forward to partnering with her to build SUNY into the best comprehensive university system in the United States."
	-- George M. Philip Interim President University at Albany
	"Nancy Zimpher is exactly what we need to once again make SUNY a viable player as far as leadership goes. Her presence in Albany will be hard to ignore, and her vision for the SUNY system is one of hope and optimism. Students are thrilled to have someone who is on their side at the helm, and faculty, staff and even alumni should be proud of the quality and potential of their new university chancellor."
	-- Jacob Crawford SUNY Trustee President, Student Assembly