PLATTSBURGH — The SUNY Board of Trustees has named Ken Knelly as the acting president of Clinton Community College as it undergoes the move to SUNY Plattsburgh’s campus this fall.
CCC made the announcement in a Facebook post Wednesday.
“I am pleased the SUNY board has taken this step to solidify leadership during our transition,” Devi Momot, chair of the Clinton Community College Board of Trustees, said.
“I am also appreciative of Ken’s willingness to continue the work of heading our campus through these unprecedented times. The work over the past year — from survival and reaccreditation to new campuses and new possibilities — has been extraordinary.”
Knelly has been serving as administrator in charge under a contract with SUNY Plattsburgh since May 2024 when former President John Kowal resigned just months after CCC’s relocation plans were announced.
Since then, Knelly has helped lead the college into its new future, including work to ensure CCC received its reaccreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education late last year. The college was previously in danger of losing its accreditation after being placed on the warning or probation status in June of 2022.
Momot said it’s the board’s intention to conduct a search for a permanent president early in 2026.
“Ken will be eligible to apply for this position, as will others.”
According to the post, the formal action of the SUNY board follows its passing of a January 2025 resolution limiting the terms of any temporary appointments of an officer in charge or an administrator in charge to no longer than one year.
The Clinton Community College board will take up the action at its next meeting on June 17.
“It is a privilege to continue to lead Clinton Community College into and through our transition to new locations and fresh opportunities,” Knelly told the Press-Republican in a statement.
“The power of this college rests in our faculty and staff, our students, and our community that cares about and invests in this institution. We work for and with local businesses and regional partners who also contribute to our success. The future is bright.”