SUNY Board of Trustees Approves the Appointment of Margaret M. O'Connell as Interim President of Onondaga Community College

Albany – The State University of New York Board of Trustees today approved the appointment of Margaret M. O’Connell as interim president of Onondaga Community College, as previously approved by the OCC Board of Trustees.

O’Connell is executive director of the Allyn Foundation and current chair of the OCC Board. Her appointment is contingent upon her resignation from the OCC Board, effective on or about July 1, 2012. The appointment is effective for a 12-month period, or until a permanent president is appointed, whichever occurs first.    

“As a member of the campus’ Board of Trustees for the last seven years and its chairperson for the last two, Meg O’Connell possesses great knowledge of and familiarity with Onondaga Community College,” said Board Chairman H. Carl McCall. “This will serve her well as she takes on a presidential role in the interim and we are pleased to have her at the helm.”

“Meg has provided excellent leadership and guidance as a member, and as chair, of the Onondaga Community College Board of Trustees,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “I am confident that she will continue to serve students, faculty, and staff at the campus with the highest distinction as interim president.”

“Onondaga Community College is one of the premiere community colleges in the nation, and it is well-known throughout our community and beyond as a provider of top-quality academic programs and services,” said O’Connell. “I am honored to accept this appointment by the SUNY Board of Trustees and look forward to working in collaboration with SUNY, the campus community, regional leaders, and the Board during this interim period.”

O’Connell will succeed current president, Debbie L. Sydow, Ph.D., who has been appointed the new president of Richard Bland College in Petersburg, VA, effective July 1, 2012. Chairman McCall and Chancellor Zimpher thanked President Sydow for her remarkable accomplishments during her 12 years of service as president of OCC.

About Margaret M. O’Connell

O’Connell has been a member of the Onondaga Community College Board of Trustees since 2005 and its chair for nearly two years. O’Connell has more than 15 years of executive-level administrative experience as the Executive Director of the Allyn Foundation, a highly respected nonprofit with assets of $28 million. O’Connell’s office resides within the family-owned company, Welch-Allyn, one of Central New York’s top employers and an internationally recognized manufacturer of medical diagnostic equipment headquartered in Skaneateles Falls, New York.

About the State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating nearly 468,000 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.