Position Description

Farmingdale State College and the State University of New York invite applications from visionary and highly accomplished leaders who seek to become the College’s next president. The next president will advance the mission of a highly successful and vibrant institution that is dedicated to transforming students’ lives by providing accessible, civic-minded, and applied learning education that advances personal and professional growth.

The Institution

Farmingdale State College (FSC) offers 45 degree programs principally at the baccalaureate level. These programs are focused on emerging, high-demand, and relevant careers to help prepare the next generation of leaders in technology, engineering, business, healthcare, science and the arts. More than half of its baccalaureate graduates leave debt-free and 94% are employed or enrolled in graduate programs within six months of graduation. FSC is home to Broad Hollow Bioscience Park, which supports the development of biotech start-up companies and partners with surrounding businesses and research institutions along Route 110 Business Corridor. The highly inclusive campus and sustained commitment to accessibility, affordability, and student support help to make FSC one of the best values in higher education.

Farmingdale State College was established in 1912 and has developed into a comprehensive college of applied science and technology. Today, Farmingdale is the largest college of technology within the State University of New York System with over 9,600 students. The campus, spanning over 380 acres with more than 30 buildings, is a primarily commuter school but does offer an engaging residential option. Farmingdale’s programs focus on emerging, high-demand, and relevant careers in its four schools: School of Engineering Technology, School of Business, School of Health and Sciences, and School of Arts and Sciences. Farmingdale State College has dedicated its mission to student success, delivering an immersive student experience, a highly inclusive campus, and academic applied learning outcomes through scholarship, research, and student engagement.

Its commitment to student-centered learning and inclusiveness prepares graduates to be exemplary citizens equipped to excel in a competitive, diverse, and technologically dynamic society. Farmingdale State College offers a small classroom experience with a 21:1 student-to-faculty ratio taught by talented faculty who are dedicated to student success. Farmingdale prides itself on being an engine of opportunity. Its graduates consistently enjoy excellent employment prospects and strong early career earnings. The College ranks highly among institutions that have had particular success in promoting social mobility and hosts an array of successful access and opportunity programs, some of which receive significant external funding.

The College is committed to equity and inclusive excellence. In recent years the College has twice earned Higher Education Excellence in Diversity recognition and is now designated as both a Hispanic Serving Institution and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution. The College is integrally involved in providing talent, programs, and service to the broader Long Island region. Farmingdale currently holds Carnegie Classification for Civic Engagement and has created an Office of Community and Civic Engagement. Farmingdale State College is committed to advancing green energy and sustainability principles and strives to make the campus a more sustainable place to live, work, and learn. Sustainability is a core value as evidenced by its continued recognition as one of the nation’s greenest campuses. For more information about Farmingdale State College please visit: https://www.farmingdale.edu.

The Position

Reporting to the SUNY Chancellor and working collaboratively with the campus College Council, peer SUNY campuses, and the local community, the president is the chief administrative officer of the College and has overall legal responsibility for its operation. The president provides leadership in an environment committed to academic excellence; shared governance; diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence; and student success. Among the duties assigned, the president is responsible for the preparation and implementation of the annual college budget and the allocation of resources. The president makes policy decisions with respect to the mission, plans, development, and personnel of the campus. As a highly visible leader, the president engages students, faculty, administration, staff, and the College Council around a collective and shared vision for the future of the institution. The president will engage all stakeholders with a focus on raising the College’s profile, while providing broad and transformational educational opportunities to students. 
As chief administrative officer, the president assigns duties, powers, and responsibilities to other administrative and academic officers and/or to special committees. Directly reporting to the president are the senior vice president and provost; executive vice president and chief financial officer; vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence and chief diversity officer; vice president for development and alumni engagement; executive dean for student engagement, chief communications officer; vice president for enrollment management, and the executive assistant to the president.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to the College’s mission of inclusive excellence, reinforce a student-focused environment, and demonstrate a commitment to providing a high-quality, affordable education to students from all social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. The next president will possess a record in building institutional diversity and supporting SUNY’s initiative to diversify the faculty, staff, and students. The new president must have demonstrated strategic planning and implementation skills and be familiar with accreditation processes. The president will provide effective leadership by exhibiting innovative and creative approaches relevant to the College’s mission. Additionally, the successful candidate must possess a history of sound financial management, an interest in engaging alumni and donors, and the ability to create a feeling of collegiality and shared inquiry. A personal desire to be engaged with and visible to students is critical. This person will provide pivotal leadership in an environment committed to shared governance and transparency. This person will be dedicated to advancing the College’s commitment to academic excellence by actively fostering an environment that supports faculty success, ensuring that the institution remains at the forefront of both education and scholarly innovation. The consistent ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with campus constituents, SUNY System administration, other SUNY institutions, and community leaders is vital. The successful applicant will join a dynamic group of collegial SUNY presidents across the SUNY System who are fully engaged in dialogue and planning at a national level during a critical time that requires unparalleled commitment to student success, academic excellence, leadership, research, and economic and community engagement. A demonstrated record of progressive experience 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 executive-level leadership experience in higher education.

About SUNY

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 reached nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2022, 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 opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.

Application

Interested candidates should submit only a cover letter and resume/curriculum vitae to RPA Inc. at FarmingdalePresident@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 January 31, 2024. The search process will be confidential throughout.

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Farmingdale State College EEO Statement
Farmingdale State College is committed to the principles of non-discrimination and equality of opportunity in all of its personnel procedures and practices. The College recruits, selects, hires, trains and promotes staff and provides benefits without regard to race, sex, age, national origin, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation. We seek others who support these values of diversity and inclusiveness, and candidates of all diverse backgrounds who wish to participate in our cultural aspirations are welcome and encouraged to apply. Farmingdale State College is an AA/EOE/ADA employer.