Nancy Kleniewski, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts, is the SUNY chancellor's recommendation to become SUCO's seventh president.
John B. Clark, interim chancellor of the State University of New York, announced Thursday he will recommend to the SUNY Board of Trustees at its June 17 meeting that Kleniewski be appointed. Her salary would be $205,000 and she would join the college in July, SUNY officials said.
Several SUCO College Council members expressed enthusiasm about Kleniewski, according to a media release.
Kleniewski, who received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching while at the State University College at Geneseo, will replace Alan B. Donovan, 70, who will retire this summer after 20 years as SUCO's president.
"Dr. Nancy Kleniewski made a terrific impression on the committee,'' David Brenner, chairman of the Presidential Search Committee, said in a prepared statement. ``We are very pleased that Interim Chancellor Clark shares our enthusiasm."
SUCO enrolls about 5,880 full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate students, according to the college website, and about 250 full-time and 189 part-time faculty.
Commencement ceremonies at the 250-acre main campus will be Saturday.
``SUNY Oneonta is an exceptional college," Kleniewski said in a prepared statement. "I am honored by the confidence of Interim Chancellor Clark and the members of the Oneonta College Council and the Presidential Search Committee.''
At Bridgewater State, where she has worked since 2002, Kleniewski administers an annual budget of $35 million and oversees all academic services including libraries, admissions, financial aid and learning support. She manages nine academic research and outreach centers in a public college of 9,900 students and 675 full-time equivalent faculty and staff, according to the release.
She works with faculty to develop and enhance academic programs and policies; coordinates institutional planning, assessment, and enrollment management; and directs faculty development, grants and projects.
Dana Mohler-Faria, president at Bridgewater State College, said in a statement issued Thursday that she has worked with Kleniewski for many years.
"She has been not only an exceptional member of the senior management team here at Bridgewater but also an outstanding public servant for the commonwealth of Massachusetts,'' Mohler-Faria said.
``Among the many accomplishments to her credit, Nancy led the development of a new core curriculum, managed an ambitious faculty hiring plan, coordinated the institution's strategic planning efforts, and oversaw the development of the School of Graduate Studies,'' Mohler-Faria said.
Kleniewski didn't return a call Thursday to her office at Bridgewater State, which is preparing for commencement Saturday.
Before joining Bridgewater State, Kleniewski served from 1996 to 2002 as dean of fine arts, humanities and social sciences and professor of sociology at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
From 1981 to 1996, she worked at SUNY Geneseo, where she held positions as executive assistant to the president, chairwoman of the sociology department, associate dean of the college, coordinator of urban studies and professor.
She was credited with increasing the number of sociology majors by 40 percent during a two-year time period after a decade of declining enrollments.
Kleniewski is the author or co-author of nine books and many scholarly articles, the release said, and she has served on the editorial boards of several journals.
In community service, Kleniewski has been in volunteer leadership positions with the United Way of Greater Plymouth County, City of Lowell Community Schools Program, Center City Committee of Lowell, Community Outreach Partnership Center of Lowell, Greater Lowell Community Foundation, Lowell Office of Cultural Affairs, Lowell Transitional Living Center, Mental Health Association in Livingston County, Merrimack Repertory Theatre and Metro-Act of Rochester.
Kleniewski holds a doctorate and master's degree in sociology from Temple University in Philadelphia and a bachelor's degree in sociology and behavioral sciences from Emmanuel College in Boston. She has also completed the Millennium Leadership Initiative Institute of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Higher Education Executive Leadership Institute.
Kleniewski said in the release that she looks forward to meeting with SUNY trustees.
David Henahan, director of media relations in the SUNY chancellor's office, said Clark and his senior advisers have interviewed Kleniewski, who will appear before the 17-member board of trustees June 17.
``We anticipate favorable action by the board,'' Henahan said.
In a media release, Clark noted Kleniewski's dedication to public higher education, earning promotions of increasing responsibility at three different institutions. He also praised SUCO's Presidential Search Committee and College Council. ``I could not be more pleased with the results of all their hard work," he said.
SUCO College Council Chairman Patrick Brown echoed the enthusiasm about Kleniewski and credited the search committee, especially Brenner, with outstanding work recruiting her.
In addition to a salary of $205,000 per year at SUCO, she also will have the use of a vehicle and a monthly housing allowance of $4,500, according to a media release.
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