SUNY Board Names Dr. Joyce Elliott Interim President of Empire State College

Albany – The State University of New York Board of Trustees today unanimously voted to name Dr. Joyce Elliott as the interim president of the State University of New York Empire State College, effective immediately.

“Empire State College plays a critical and unique role in educating adults within the SUNY System.  Dr. Elliott’s proven success in advancing teaching and learning for Empire State College’s adult student population makes her ideally qualified to lead the campus,” said SUNY Board Chairman Carl T. Hayden. “Warm congratulations for Dr. Elliott are well in order.”

“Joyce Elliotts’ accomplishments and experience as an administrator, educator and campus leader, combined with the ability of an outstanding faculty and staff, will ensure continuing excellence of the academic enterprise and efficient day-to-day operations of the campus.  I congratulate Joyce on becoming the interim president of Empire State College,” said Interim Chancellor Dr. John B. Clark.

 “It is an honor for me to serve Empire State College in this new capacity,” said Elliott.  “We have a tremendous faculty and staff and a remarkable student body.  This is a vibrant institution dedicated to providing adult learners genuine access to a college degree through a unique academic model.  Our job this year is to keep a coherent focus on our mission, and prepare for the college's next president.”

Empire State College is conducting a national search for a permanent president and Elliott will not be a candidate.  She will serve as interim president until a permanent president is named, at which time she will resume her previous position as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Empire State College.

Since 2000, Elliott has served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Empire State College.  As chief academic officer she is responsible for college-wide academic leadership, academic program and policies, new programs and program review, academic personnel policies and procedures, labor-management relations, planning, and budget and staffing. 

From 1988-2000, Elliott served as regional academic administrator, and held the positions of associate dean, director, and dean of one of the College's seven regional learning centers.  She was responsible for center academic leadership, program quality, faculty and staff hiring and evaluation, student relations, enrollment management, external relations and budget and planning, as well as for collaborative contributions to the overall academic development of the College.  From 1983-1988, Elliott was dean of Human Services and Sciences/associate dean of the School of Health and Human Services at Sangamon State University, which is now the University of Illinois at Springfield.    

Elliott has teaching and research experience, published numerous articles and delivered presentations, and she has served on college committees as well as community boards. 

Elliott holds a Doctorate and Master of Arts in Sociology from the University of New Hampshire.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.

Elliott has been serving as Officer-in-Charge since October 10, 2007 and will succeed Dr. Kimberly R. Cline, who served as acting president from June 2007 until October 2007.  Dr. Joseph Moore served as President from March 2000 until June 2007, when he left the College to assume the presidency of Lesley University. 

Elliott’s salary is $200,000. She also receives a housing/transition allowance of $3,000 per month and the use of a state-owned car.

Founded in 1971, Empire State College is one of the SUNY’s 13 colleges of arts and sciences accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The college uniquely designed to serve adults pursuing associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The college offers affordable SUNY degrees onsite at 35 locations in New York State and abroad, as well as entirely online.

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating more than 427,000 students in 7,669 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu 

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