SUNY Board of Trustees, Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher Welcome Kaitlyn Beachner as New Student Trustee

Albany – State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher today welcomed SUNY Student Assembly president-elect Kaitlyn Beachner as the newest member of the SUNY Board of Trustees. Beachner was sworn in this afternoon by General Counsel William Howard and will officially take office tomorrow, June 1, 2011.

“The Power of SUNY loudly declares that ‘students are at the center of all we do.’ There is no more appropriate sentiment as we welcome Kaitlyn as a member of the Board,” said SUNY Board of Trustees Chairman Carl T. Hayden. “We look to her leadership and student perspective as the State University continues down what can only be categorized as an ambitious path toward excellence. On behalf of the entire Board, I wish Kaitlyn the best of luck in her upcoming journey.”

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Kaitlyn as she takes on the role of Student Assembly President and becomes a voting member of SUNY’s Board of Trustees,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “Kaitlyn brings to the table a proven track record of effective representation, and her prior participation in the strategic planning process means our partnership can hit the ground running. SUNY students can be proud, as we are, of their choice in leadership.”

"I have always had a passion for student government and ensuring that the students voice is heard," said Beachner. “Being a true representative of the students will be my highest priority. I look forward to working with SUNY officials and state lawmakers as we make decisions together that will benefit all New Yorkers. Chancellor Zimpher and the Board have been steadfast in garnering student opinion, and I look forward to continuing and building on that trust.”

Beachner, 25, is a native of Webster, New York, and a 2008 graduate of SUNY Potsdam, where she previously served as student government president. This past year, Beachner served as a representative to the Student Assembly for four-year colleges. Currently, she is enrolled at Buffalo State College as a graduate student pursuing her master’s degree in Student Personnel Administration. She will be the first Buffalo State student to hold the position.

The Student Assembly president is elected annually in the spring by his or her peers from across the SUNY system. In addition to serving as president, the student elected also serves as a member of the SUNY Board of Trustees with full voting privileges, as well as a voting member of the board for the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), best known for administering the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP).

SUNY continues to make student feedback a priority, having partnered with the Student Assembly for critical input on current legislative priorities and substantial representation throughout the strategic planning process.

About the Student Assembly

The Student Assembly of the State University of New York is an organization of student leaders elected by their peers from all SUNY campuses. Empowering students throughout the state, the SUNY SA is committed to student life and ensuring the representation of its members on the state and national level, as well as throughout the SUNY system.

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 465,000 students in more than 7,500 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses with more than 3 million alumni around the globe. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu 

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