SUNY Chancellor Discusses the Role of Higher Education in Regional Economic Development with WNY Leaders

Buffalo – State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher today discussed economic development and the role of women at the Western NY Network for Women Leaders in Higher Education Spring Conference.

“With the launch of our strategic plan last April, SUNY has been keenly focused on its inevitable role as a leader in New York State’s economic recovery,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “As this leadership role continues to take shape, so too does the role of our campus-community partnerships and groups like the WNY Women Leaders in Higher Education. How we work together will be critical to our achievement of economic stability for New York.”   

The role of higher education in economic development is the overarching theme of SUNY’s strategic plan, The Power of SUNY, which was launched in April 2010 and provides a roadmap for the system’s development over the next decade.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has made it clear that he envisions SUNY as an economic driver for New York State as well. Earlier this year, he called for the creation of regional economic development councils across the state and asked SUNY to provide leadership for each of them. And just this week, he and Chancellor Zimpher announced NYSUNY 2020, which will make SUNY a catalyst for job growth throughout the state, strengthen the academic programs at its four University Centers and demonstrate that New York is open for business.

SUNY is embedded in every community in New York State – 93 percent of New Yorkers live within 15 miles of a SUNY campus and virtually 100 percent live within 30 miles. In many communities, SUNY is also the region’s largest employer.

Today’s discussion is one of many Chancellor Zimpher has conducted across New York State in the past year as SUNY implements its Strategic Plan and forges partnerships with community groups, businesses and economic development organizations. To date, she has discussed SUNY’s role in economic development at the Crain’s Breakfast Forum in New York City; with the Business Council of New York State, Economic Development Council of New York State, New York Council of Mayors and the New York State Association of Counties. She’s also talked with various business associations, chambers of commerce, and other interested groups in Albany, Clinton, Fulton, Montgomery, Orange, Rensselaer, Rockland, Ulster, and Warren, and Westchester counties, as well as in the cities of Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, and in the Hudson Valley.

The Western New York Network for Women Leaders in Higher Education is dedicated to helping women succeed through networking, mentoring, and professional development. The group has been actively planning inclusive professional development programs for women administrators for more than 20 years.

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 more than 2.5 million alumni around the globe. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu 

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