Chancellor Zimpher, President Kennedy Announce Administrative Changes at SUNY Canton

Canton – State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher and SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy today jointly announced that President Kennedy will retire following the conclusion of the 2011-2012 academic year to accept an appointment as special advisor to the Chancellor.

At the direction of Chancellor Zimpher over the next year, President Kennedy and SUNY Potsdam President John F. Schwaller will work collaboratively on a plan to implement broad shared services while enhancing the academic resources and opportunities for students at both campuses. Beginning next summer, President Kennedy will advise SUNY and the Chancellor in the ongoing implementation of shared services throughout the 64-campus SUNY system.

“President Kennedy has done an outstanding job raising SUNY Canton’s profile and reputation over the last 18 years, and he is a shining example of the leadership we want our presidents to provide at SUNY campuses,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “President Kennedy has advocated for the types of administrative savings we must consider at this time, while SUNY seeks to uphold its obligation to use taxpayer and tuition dollars as efficiently as possible and to the maximum benefit of students.

“As a longtime president, Dr. Kennedy’s extensive knowledge of the system and campus perspective will prove invaluable as we realign SUNY’s administrative resources now and in the future. I commend him for accepting this challenge and thank him for his continued leadership.”

President Joseph Kennedy said: “I’m excited about the opportunity to work collaboratively on plans to implement shared services here in the North Country and throughout the State, as well as finish several important projects here at SUNY Canton. I am proud of the remarkable progress of this campus and look forward to helping thousands of students across New York State. It’s an extraordinary opportunity that I greatly appreciate.”

SUNY Canton has experienced incredible growth and progress since the beginning of President Kennedy’s leadership in 1993, including moving from a two-year to a baccalaureate-granting college and making the jump to four-year athletics. Also since then, enrollment at the college has almost doubled, and several new construction projects and building renovations have enhanced educational opportunities provided SUNY Canton students.

Additionally, President Kennedy was instrumental in the placement of a federally supported Small Business Development Center on campus, which provides counseling, training, and other resources to current and would-be entrepreneurs, and, under his leadership, the college has become the program agency for North Country Emergency Medical Services, which serves 85 fire departments and ambulance agencies in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.

A public discussion around shared services has been ongoing since January, when Chancellor Zimpher said in her state of the university speech that SUNY must address the inefficiencies associated with 64 campuses replicating 64 sets of activities by consolidating backroom operations and administrative infrastructure, as well as eliminating unsustainable financial models.

On June 15, the SUNY Board of Trustees passed a resolution directing the Chancellor to promote collaboration among the system’s state-operated campuses and implement strategies to improve efficiency, generate cost savings, build capacity, and expand student services through the use of shared administrative functions, procurement opportunities, and realignment of academic program offerings.

About President Kennedy

President Kennedy is personally involved in several community organizations. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the St. Lawrence County Workforce Investment Board and also serves on that body's Youth Council. He serves on the board of directors of several local organizations, and he and his wife co-chair the capital campaign for the Traditional Arts in Upstate New York.

Prior to 1993, Kennedy was Vice President for Academic Affairs at William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri. From 1984 to 1990, he was Dean of Academic Affairs at Vermont's Johnson State College. From 1978 to 1984, he was Director of Liberal Studies at Western Montana College of the University of Montana. He served earlier as Director of the Pyramid Lake Ecological Studies in Reno, Nevada, and as Assistant Professor of Biology at North Georgia College in Dahlonega, Georgia.

President Kennedy received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from North Georgia College, his Master of Science in Entomology from Clemson University in South Carolina, and his Ph.D. in Wildlife Resource Management from Utah State University.

Dr. Kennedy and his wife, Dine, have two adult children, John and James, and two grandchildren. Both of President Kennedy’s sons are SUNY Canton alums.

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 467,000 students in more than 7,500 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses with nearly 3 million alumni around the globe. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu