MEZIESBLOG

Type: Full-Time
Posted: 02/25/2025
Category: Presidents and Chancellors

 Priority

Presidential Search

Columbia-Greene Community College, a comprehensive community college dedicated to fostering academic excellence and student success, seeks an engaging, strategic, and innovative President to lead the College as it continues to inspire its community and promote lifelong learning.

The Institution: Founded in 1966 and a part of the State University of New York System (SUNY), Columbia- Greene Community College (C-GCC) is located in the beautiful and historic Hudson River Valley of New York and sponsored locally by the counties of Greene and Columbia through the Greene County Legislature and the Columbia County Board of Supervisors. The College offers quality education through its dedicated faculty, who have received high professional recognition. The institution has 43 degree and certificate programs, distinguished faculty, and a beautiful campus. C-GCC currently enrolls more than 1,300 students, offering traditional face-to-face instruction as well as online and hybrid formats. C-GCC boasts strong retention and completion rates and excellent job placement of graduates. C-GCC also partners with regional school districts to engage and enroll students through the College-in-the-High School program. Campus life is full and varied, as exemplified by student clubs, activities, and sports. As a proud member of the Achieving the Dream Network (ATD), C-GCC is committed to supporting students by eliminating barriers to equity and learning, helping students identify their college readiness, and preparing students to implement change in a digital world. Columbia-Greene is a member of ATD’s Inaugural Building Resiliency in Rural Communities for the Future of Work Cohort, aiming to increase equitable student success by strengthening the capacity of rural colleges to prepare students for careers in a digital economy.

The College is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and in 2023 received its 10-year reaffirmation with 13 commendations, three recommendations, and no requirements. The Columbia-Greene Community College Foundation, a nonprofit organization, supports the College’s strategic impact on the community through its management of approximately 80 scholarship funds while transforming the lives of traditional-age students, career changers, immigrants, struggling parents, the disenfranchised, and lifelong learners.

Sitting on 145 acres adjacent to the Olana State Historic Site, the College campus includes five academic buildings: Main Building, Arts Center, Technology Center, Professional Academic Center (PAC), and Construction Technology Center–along with a Day Care Center and Central Services Building. The Main Building houses science and nursing labs, computer classrooms, as well as learning resource and student services centers. The facility also houses a library, gymnasium, student center, and faculty and administrative offices. The Arts Center provides a creative setting to study the fine and performing arts and includes a 450-seat theater. The structure also includes a dance studio, classrooms, and the Foundation Art Gallery. The Technology Center provides a home for the Colleges’ automotive technology and medical assisting programs. In addition, the Hudson River Environmental Field Station at Cohotate Preserve, Greene County Environmental Education Center, on the Hudson River serves as a college laboratory and classroom as well as a study and research center. The campus atmosphere is friendly and safe. Student backgrounds and hometowns are diverse, providing a stimulating and enriching environment. To learn more about C-GCC, please visit: www.columbiagreene.edu.

& lt;p>The Position: Reporting to the Columbia-Greene Community College Board of Trustees, the President is responsible for the overall operation and administration of the College, promoting the educational effectiveness of the institution, and providing the general educational leadership for personnel. The President leads and empowers the President’s Council team comprised of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs; Vice President of Administration and Finance / Chief Financial Officer; Chief Information Officer; Dean of Academic Affairs; Dean of Enrollment Management; Dean of Students; the Executive Director of the Columbia-Greene Community College Foundation; Chief Diversity Officer, Dean of Nursing and Allied Health; Director of Community Engagement and Professional Development; Director of Marketing and Communications; Director of Institutional Research, Planning, and Effectiveness; and the Director of Safety and Security. The President assures the development of long- range College goals and determines visionary priorities. They also direct the development of the building program and the utilization of buildings and grounds. Leading a dedicated group of faculty and staff, the President administers collective negotiation agreements and approves the implementation of all procedures, recommendations, and actions from faculty or student committees within the framework established by the College Board of Trustees. Serving as the official representative of the College in its relationships with governmental bodies and the public, the President also approves all official publications, media releases, and other public informational documents. The President prepares the agenda for all meetings with the Board of Trustees; submits annual reports on the operation of the College to the Board; prepares appropriate policies and procedures of operation for Board approval; advises the Board in matters pertaining to a change of status of financial or legal responsibilities of the College; formulates and presents to the College Board of Trustees for their action; provides recommendations on curriculum, budgets, salary schedules and salaries, organizational structure, and granting of degrees or certificates; and attends all Board meetings with the exception of presidential salary or presidential contract consideration discussions. The President is also expected to represent the College as an institution within the SUNY System under the direction of the Chancellor and the SUNY Board of Trustees. Additionally, the President will be expected to adhere to New York Education Law, and all other applicable local, state and federal laws. The President of the College advances the strategic agenda of the College by providing a strategic focus for every aspect of the operation of the institution and fulfills duties set by the Board of Trustees and as outlined by NYSED and SUNY.

Qualifications: The successful candidate will demonstrate high emotional intelligence, strong interpersonal skills, and an approachable, engaging, empathetic, and compassionate leadership style. They will express an eagerness to live in and become a visible, respected leader and valuable member of the communities the College serves. In addition to a reputation as a student-centered leader, they must also be community-centered and bring a history of building and maintaining positive relationships with community leaders and residents. The new President must bring a demonstrated understanding of and passion for supporting the mission of comprehensive community colleges and have the ability to advocate successfully on behalf of the College with public, private, and governmental entities and leaders. They will possess a proven track record in building a robust, diverse funding base and strong budget management skills. The new President will embrace and support diversity in all forms and promote equity and inclusion. The successful candidate will bring experience in developing and implementing effective strategic plans and aligning the budget, systems, and operations to support those plans. In addition to understanding national trends in higher education, the successful candidate will display an understanding of the important changing role of technology in all facets of higher education. As an empowering leader, they will be skilled at identifying new opportunities and inspiring others to take risks when needed. The new President will hold themself and others accountable, and will display evidence of valuing and providing professional development for employees. They will have the ability to establish and maintain a positive, collaborative, and transparent relationship with unions; possess a track record of welcoming diverse opinions and using evidence to inform decisions; make tough decisions when needed and have transparency in communicating those decisions; and embrace the opportunity to work in a shared governance environment. Community College teaching experience or other relevant higher education teaching experience is preferred. A demonstrated record of progressive experience and achievement in a higher education setting is required to lead this public institution of higher learning. Qualified candidates will possess an earned doctorate or relevant terminal degree and senior-level leadership experience in higher education.

The Location: Located in the Hudson River Valley, Columbia-Greene Community College is surrounded by one of the Northeast’s most scenic and historic areas. Thirty miles south of Albany and 110 miles north of New York City, the landscape is dominated by the verdant Catskill Mountains to the west and the rolling Taconic and Berkshire Hills to the east. Being near the state capital and New York City, the area offers a wide variety of cultural opportunities. An area rich in the history of the early settlement of America, the legends of the Native Americans and Dutch settlers of the region often find their way into history and literature courses at the College. Columbia and Greene Counties abound in outdoor recreational resources. North Lake, Devil’s Tombstone, Lake Taghkanic, and Bash-Bish Falls all offer public campgrounds and facilities. Three major ski areas–Hunter Mountain, Catamount, and Ski-Windham–are each within a thirty-minute drive from the campus. The Hudson River and more than twenty lakes provide excellent boating and fishing. Nearby golf courses, tennis courts, and athletic fields are also available.

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, 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 $1.16 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: $185,000

Application: Interested candidates should submit only a cover letter and resume/curriculum vitae to RPA Inc. at CGCCPresident@rpainc.org. For a confidential discussion about this opportunity or to make a nomination, please email Amanda O’Donnell, Vice President and Senior Consultant, or Dana John Cohick, President, at the email address listed above. The first review of candidates will continue through March 26, 2025.

Columbia-Greene does not discriminate against any employee, applicant for employment, student or applicant for admission based on an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identification, gender expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, veteran status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction or any other category protected by law. The College adheres to all federal and state civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination in public institutions of higher education.