Chancellor King Marks Milestone Formalizing Clinton Community College’s Relocation to SUNY Plattsburgh
April 15, 2025
SUNY and North Country Leaders Partner on Bold Steps to Advance Higher Education in the Region
New Agreement Between Clinton Community College and Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital Creates a Pathway for Nursing and EMT Students to Gain Hands-On Training
Photographs From Today's Event are Available Here
Plattsburgh, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. met with North Country leaders to sign two agreements as part of Clinton Community College's relocation to SUNY Plattsburgh. The move marks a turning point for higher education in the North Country. SUNY Chancellor King was joined by Clinton Community College (CCC) Administrator-in-Charge Ken Knelly, SUNY Plattsburgh President Alexander Enyedi, and Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) President and COO Michelle LeBeau to make the move official. The relocation was first announced in early 2024 as part of a strategy to ensure Clinton's long-term sustainability as the college's move to SUNY Plattsburgh is expected to generate critical savings, support academic and operational sustainability, and foster a shared and collaborative environment that benefits both institutions.
Since that announcement, CCC has achieved several critical milestones to keep the relocation on track for Fall 2025:
- January 2024 – CCC announces plans to move primary operations to SUNY Plattsburgh for the Fall 2025 semester.
- March 2024 – SUNY Plattsburgh updates its campus renovation strategy, shifting planned upgrades from Redcay Hall to Algonquin Hall and reimagined uses for Banks and Adirondack Halls, clearing the way for CCC's relocation.
- April 2024 – Redcay Hall and 133 Court Street are identified as Clinton's new main campus buildings.
- May 2024 – Ken Knelly is named Administrator-in-Charge of CCC.
- September 2024 – Clinton reports an increase in fall enrollment compared to previous year.
- November 2024 – Clinton's accreditation is reaffirmed through 2030 by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, lifting the warning status in place since 2022.
- January 2025 – CCC announces relocation of its nursing and EMT programs to Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital.
- February 2025 – Spring enrollment is reported up year-over-year.
- March 2025 – SUNY Plattsburgh relocates employees from Redcay Hall, clearing the way for Clinton's transition into the space.
- March 2025 – The State University Construction Fund begins renovation of Clinton's new spaces.
"In the face of growing challenges, this community rallied and came together to find a solution that ensures a strong future for two vital institutions. By relocating Clinton Community College and its essential healthcare programs to SUNY Plattsburgh and CVPH, we will be able to continue to invest in the academic programs and services for our students and the broader region," said SUNY Chancellor King. "With this new partnership, I am confident that Clinton Community College will thrive and continue to educate and empower students from communities throughout the North Country. I want to thank the SUNY Plattsburgh and Clinton Community College communities for coming together to support the success of the region's students."
Administrator-in-Charge Ken Knelly said, "This is a wonderful day for Clinton Community College, SUNY Plattsburgh, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, and the entire North Country community. From my first days at the college, I absorbed the faculty and staff's commitment to students, their stories, and the journeys that brought them here. The work takes extraordinary care and attention. But it pays off."
SUNY Plattsburgh President Alexander Enyedi said, "The agreements we are celebrating today exemplify the collaborative spirit that Chancellor King champions. By working across sectors – higher education, healthcare and beyond – together we are creating pathways that will benefit our students and strengthen our communities."
As part of the broader relocation plan, SUNY also highlighted a new partnership between CCC and CVPH that will provide students in nursing and EMT programs direct access to a top-tier medical institution and immersive, real-world learning. This shift will position CCC and CVPH as pioneers in education-healthcare partnerships serving as a national model for how to integrate both sectors and help students learn, train, and seamlessly transition into crucial jobs in the health industry.
Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) President and COO Michelle LeBeau said, "We are excited to support this transition and work together to maintain and grow pathways for healthcare professions. It is important for this region, today and for generations to come. CVPH and Clinton Community College have always worked well together, and this new initiative is just the latest way we are joining to serve our region."
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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