A common question I receive is, “Why would anyone want to be a university president?” Given what we hear about colleges and universities in the news, the question is understandable.
I have given many responses to this question — some have been more eloquent than others. Recently, my perspective on why I love what I do crystallized when SUNY Chancellor Dr. John B. King Jr. remarked that leaders should ask themselves, “What kind of country do we want to be?”
I choose to be a university president because I want to help answer that question. I am especially grateful to be at SUNY Oneonta because it has spent 135 years shaping our country in ways I admire.
From our current students to the many alumni I have met — restaurateurs, astronauts, state Supreme Court justices, world-class athletes, educators, small business owners, dentists, Peace Corps volunteers, physicians, astronomers and engineers — they are civically-active members of our democracy. They bring passion to their work, commitment to their communities, and act with dignity and respect for others.
On Sept. 4, 1889, during the formal dedication of our institution, Sen. Frank Arnold declared that the Oneonta Normal School motto should be, “The foundations of this institution are laid in Honor and Good Faith.” One hundred and thirty-five years later, the evidence shows that we have lived up to that motto.
Our institution was founded as part of a coordinated effort to ensure equity in education. Normal Schools were created to provide academic training in teaching children, so residents of small towns and villages across New York could get an education and have an ample supply of high-quality teachers.
In 1948, then known as the State Teachers College at Oneonta, our institution joined the newly formed State University of New York and our commitment to education was broadened. SUNY’s mission was established as, and remains to this day, “to provide the people of New York educational services of the highest quality, with the broadest possible access, fully representative of all segments of the population…”
As a long-standing entry point for millions of immigrants, New York has always been one of the most diverse states in the country. In 2022, the recorded birthplaces of New York’s residents included more than 100 nations and all 50 states. SUNY Oneonta has honored SUNY’s mission. Our alumni come from all 62 counties in New York, and our student and alumni communities reflect the varied experiences, academic potential and identities of New Yorkers across the state.
One of the things I enjoy most as president is speaking with alumni and finding out what made them choose SUNY Oneonta. Many of our most engaged alumni recall that they did not see themselves as “college material,” but someone at SUNY Oneonta recognized their potential and gave them an opportunity. This commitment to inclusion also emerges from our dedication to honor and good faith — and is carried out through initiatives like ASPIRE and the Educational Opportunity Program. These programs support students to succeed and foster a sense of belonging throughout their time at Oneonta. We uphold SUNY’s philosophy that every student with the aptitude to complete a higher education program, even those who may doubt themselves, should have the chance to do so.
If our 70,000 alumni are proof of our university’s success, then our 4,500 current students sustain our hope for the future. They form a community defined by:
• Service — contributing 38,382 hours of volunteer work annually;
• Academic excellence — generating knowledge through mentored research, disseminating knowledge at conferences and helping publish papers;
• Problem-solving — tackling societal, educational, agricultural, environmental and health challenges through innovative projects;
• Entrepreneurship — Launching businesses, fashion brands, marketing agencies and sustainability-focused products;
• Creativity — writing, producing, composing, performing and designing through several artistic mediums;
• Leadership — students lead every day through student government, more than 200 clubs, residence life and local non-profit organizations;
• Athletic distinction — competing and admirably representing the school and the community throughout 21 NCAA Division III sports.
I choose to be a university president because I believe in the power of public higher education to improve individual lives, local communities, our states and our country.
Since 1889, SUNY Oneonta has been committed to championing equity in education, student diversity and the inclusion of all who show promise — a formula for success built upon a foundation of honor and good faith.