Job Details

SUNY Schenectady County Community College

President

Position Number: 6586316
Location: Schenectady, New York
Position Type: Presidents and Chancellors

SUNY Schenectady, a public two-year community college within the State University of New York System (SUNY), emphasizing high quality academic programs, broad access for students, and responsiveness to the needs of the community, seeks a collaborative, engaging, and visionary President to lead the College as it continues to empower students in their pursuit of lifelong success.

The Institution: SUNY Schenectady County Community College (SUNY Schenectady) was established in 1967 and offers over 60 academic programs including 18 career programs, 20 transfer programs, 17 certificate programs, and nine microcredentials. The College also partners with Ellis Hospital School of Nursing on multiple pathways. The College's academic programs are supported by more than 150 full- and part-time faculty and 260 full- and part-time staff. The College currently provides credit coursework for more than 3,800 students, offering more than 100 transfer agreements with four-year schools.

As the College has sought to remove barriers to student success, they've developed a robust cadre of diverse student support services. The College's Food Pantry with refrigerated lockers supports students' food security. Schenectady County is SUNY Schenectady's primary service area in the Capital region of New York, with approximately 162,000 residents and 1.2M residents in the Capital District of New York. The College is well supported by its County with annual increases in contribution and generous support for capital projects. The County supports the College through the Schenectady Promise, which covers the cost of up to six credits for County residents. With funding from the County, and matching funds from SUNY, the College has opened a Learning Commons and a Welcome Center. There is a planned project for an $18M aquatics center, with a ground-breaking plan for 2026. For the past five years, the College has been recognized as the â€œBest Local College - in the Daily Gazette of Schenectady.

Located in a vibrant urban community along the Mohawk River, the campus features six academic buildings: Elston Hall with the Casola Dining Room, Stockade Building, Begley Building, Gateway Building, the School of Music, and the Center for Science and Technology. The College also offers classes in the Mill Artisan District in the heart of downtown Schenectady as well as at Westfield Flight Academy and Richmor Aviation in Scotia. The College has an operating budget of more than $32 million. SUNY Schenectady is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, with their next evaluation site visit slated for Spring 2027, and the College is governed by a ten-member College Board of Trustees. To learn more about SUNY Schenectady, please visit https://sunysccc.edu.

The Position: Reporting to the College Board of Trustees, the President is the chief executive officer of the College, and is responsible for the overall operation, mission, and promotion of the College, overseeing both academic and workforce programs. The President demonstrates, both within the College and to the external community, a commitment to the philosophy of a modern community college which include academic programs, career programs, transfer programs, workforce development, and continuing education. The President is responsible for the fiscal management of the College, prepares the annual budget, with the assistance of the administrators and faculty of the College, and submits it to the College Board of Trustees, the Schenectady County Legislature, and SUNY Board of Trustees for approval. They assess the effectiveness of the College's responsiveness in areas of student success, academic programs, enrollment including international recruitment, and institutional integrity as well as lead the goal setting and strategic planning for the College. The President is responsible for the management of senior-level Administrators who function as the President's Council. Engaging fully in shared governance at the College, the President also leads the faculty and the institution to develop new programs, policies, and goals. The President is responsible for the organizational structure of the College, provides appropriate coordination of negotiation and administers contracts associated with collective bargaining agreements, and promotes professional development opportunities for all employees that enhance both individual professional growth and College priorities. Serving as the Secretary to the Board of Schenectady County Community College Foundation, Inc., the President also serves as the College's chief fundraiser. They are actively engaged in the community, encourage community engagement on behalf of the College, and are responsible for the development and expansion of appropriate and mutually useful community relationships for the College. The President serves as the chief spokesperson and represents the College on local, state, and national boards; task forces; and organizations. They attend national conferences and occasions of significance to the College as well as preside at all major College events. The President implements policies which have been adopted by the State Educational Law, the College Board of Trustees, and the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York system. They maintain working relationships with legislators across the city, county, state, and federal levels, and assure compliance of the College with requirements of local, state, and federal governments. The President develops the agendas for meetings of the Board of Trustees with the Board Chair, recommends policies to the College Board of Trustees for regular updating or renewal, and will carry out such other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the Board of Trustees.

Qualifications: The next President of SUNY Schenectady will be dedicated to open access, the student centered mission of community colleges and the vital role they play in education, workforce development, and community advancement. They will model a leadership approach that inspires trust, encourages innovation, supports shared governance, and promotes unity and collaboration across all areas of the College. They will bring evidence of the ability to lead, delegate, motivate, and collaborate effectively with teams of faculty, staff, and stakeholders. The preferred candidate will bring a familiarity with or understanding of collective bargaining processes and labor relations in higher education settings. Experience in curriculum development and instruction is highly desirable. They will embrace accountability to a wide range of stakeholders, including students, employees, governing boards, elected officials, and community members, with openness and integrity. Demonstrating exceptional communication skills and public presence, the ideal candidate will possess strong public speaking skills, clarity in written and verbal communication, and the ability to serve as a compelling and credible representative of the College in myriad forums. They will be politically savvy; understand and respect the political and legislative environments at the local, state, and federal levels; and effectively advocate for the mission, values, and needs of the College. The ideal candidate will possess the ability to facilitate informed decision-making, build consensus, respond thoughtfully to challenges, and manage institutional responsibilities with efficiency, follow-through, and attention to detail. They will demonstrate a deep sensitivity to all backgrounds, cultures, identities, and lived experiences of students, faculty, staff, and the broader community and foster an inclusive and welcoming campus climate. A terminal degree is required. Preferred candidates will also have significant leadership experience in higher education. Comparable administrative or executive experience outside of education may be considered.

The Location: Nicknamed the Electric City, Schenectady is the famous home of General Electric. The city's energetic spirit extends beyond its rich history of innovation. In recent years, the city has developed a vibrant and diverse restaurant scene and an abundance of entertainment options including Proctors Theatre, the Stockade District (New York's first historic neighborhood), Rivers Casino & Resort, the Museum of Innovation and Science (miSci), VIA Aquarium, and an assortment of art galleries and seasonal festivals. For those looking for outdoor entertainment, there are plenty of walking, biking, and hiking trails in and around the city, as well as kayaking on the Mohawk River. Schenectady is also a short drive from the Adirondacks, Albany, Troy, Saratoga Springs, Cooperstown, and Lake George and is within a few hours of New York City, Boston, and Montreal.

About The State University of New York System: 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, and 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 were nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, 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 www.suny.edu.

Salary: $225,000 - $230,000. The housing allowance is $2,500 a month ($30,000 for the year).

Application: Interested candidates should submit only a cover letter and resume/curriculum vitae to RPA Inc. at SCCCPresident@rpainc.org. For a confidential discussion about this opportunity or to make a nomination, please email Kira Heath, Search Manager; Amanda O'Donnell, Vice President and Senior Consultant; or Dana John Cohick, President, at the email address listed above. Review of candidates will begin on November 10, 2025.

SUNY Schenectady County Community College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. We encourage protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, women and minorities to apply.