SUNY Board Names Dr. Alan Davis President of Empire State College

Albany – The State University of New York Board of Trustees today voted unanimously to name Dr. Alan Davis president of SUNY’s Empire State College.  Dr. Davis’ appointment is effective Aug. 1, 2008.  Previously, Dr. Davis served as vice president of education at Vancouver Community College in Vancouver, B.C.  The appointment of Dr. Davis follows an international search.

 

“I welcome Alan Davis to higher education in the U.S., and I congratulate him on becoming president of SUNY’s Empire State College.  Alan’s experience and skills are a perfect fit for the campus’ mission,” said SUNY Board Chairman Carl T. Hayden.  “The Empire State College Council and the search committee have earned our praise and commendation for their hard work and successful efforts in attracting such an outstanding individual to lead Empire State College.”

 

“Alan Davis brings a new perspective to Empire State College and to SUNY and I look forward to working with him as we advance higher education opportunity and access for the non-traditional students of New York,” said SUNY Interim Chancellor Dr. John B. Clark.  “I congratulate Alan on becoming president of Empire State College.

 

“I am pleased and honored to be named president of Empire State College by the SUNY Board of Trustees and I appreciate the confidence of the chancellor, the search committee and the Empire State College Council,” said Dr. Davis.  “I eagerly look forward to working with the students faculty and staff of Empire State to improve every facet of the college.”

 

Dr. Alan Davis

Dr. Davis has devoted his career to higher education.  Since 2006, Dr. Davis has served as vice president of education at VCC where he managed nine direct reports who oversaw the work of 440 full-time and 250 part-time faculty.  Dr. Davis played a key role in all aspects of planning and development of distributed learning and part-time studies, in degree development, and in building capacity in the support of scholarship in teaching/learning and applied research. 

 

He led the writing of the VCC Campus 2020 submission and the College’s response to “Thinking Ahead,” the provincial government’s review of postsecondary education.  He also led the development of a major Aboriginal Service Plan proposal for 10 postsecondary and Aboriginal partners, which received more than $1 million in funding.  

 

From 2003 to 2006, Dr. Davis served as vice president of academic learner services at Niagara College in Ontario.  In this capacity he was responsible for all academic programming, learning enterprises, academic governance processes and issues, and all student services, including but not limited to library, registrar, athletics, residences, and recruitment.  He managed 350 full-time and at least as many part-time staff and was responsible for a $52 million budget. 

 

During his service, Dr. Davis renewed the academic climate at Niagara College through the re-organization of divisions and the establishment of a center for teaching and learning.  He also implemented polices for program approval and review, as well as for faculty evaluation and development.  During Dr. Davis’ term, applied research developed substantially, he led the establishment of a research office, and he developed plans for the future of e-learning at the college.

 

Previously, Dr. Davis served as vice president- academic at Athabasca University, Alberta which is Canada’s leading distance learning and on-line university and shares a similar mission to that of Empire State College. 

 

Before that position, he held numerous positions at BC Open University, Burnaby, including: director for science and humanities, director of administrative and applied studies, acting vice-president, acting principal (1989 – 1996); institutional evaluation officer, Centre for Curriculum and Professional Development, Victoria (1988-89); Elected Chair of Natural Sciences, University College of the Fraser Valley (1987-1989).

 

A chemist by training, Dr. Davis earned a Ph.D. and M.Sc in Chemistry from Simon Fraser University, and a B.Sc. (Honors) in Chemistry from the University of London.

 

Dr. Davis' own scholarship includes a focus on Prior Learning and Assessment—a process to assess and accredit the learning adults obtain through work and other life experiences, an important mechanism to enable adult learners to access higher education and to acquire advanced standing for what they already know at the university level.

 

He has also published and presented on  services to immigrants, blended learning, issues related to degree recognition across Canada, and in professional and organizational development in higher education.

 

In addition to Dr. Davis' extensive academic publications and presentations, he is a published playwright.

 

Dr. Davis was born in Reading, England, and came to North America in 1972. He is married, and father to four children: 3 adult daughters who live in BC, and a son who is completing high school in Ontario.

 

As president of Empire State College, he will earn a salary of $210,000 and a housing allowance of $4,000 per month.  Dr. Davis succeeds Joseph Moore who served as president from March 2000 until June 2007, when he left to assume the presidency of Lesley University.  Kimberly Cline served as Acting President from June 2007 until October 2007, at which time Joyce Elliott, provost and vice president for academic affairs, began serving as Officer-in-Charge until she was appointed Interim President in November 2007. 

 

Interim Chancellor Clark also expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Elliott and to Dr. Cline for their leadership the campus conducted the search for a permanent president.

 

About Empire State College

Founded in 1971, Empire State College, State University of New York, is one of the university's 13 colleges of arts and sciences, accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Empire State College is 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.

 

About the State University of New York

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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