ALBANY — State University of New York Chancellor Robert L. King today announced he will recommend Steven G. Poskanzer to the State University of New York Board of Trustees for the position of permanent president of the College at New Paltz.
“I am very pleased to recommend Steve Poskanzer to the State University Board of Trustees for the presidency of the College at New Paltz,” said King. “Steve has distinguished himself as a scholar, an administrator and as a leader. I expect Steve to lead the College at New Paltz to new heights of academic excellence, service to the greater community and to enhance the educational experience for our students, faculty and staff. I am delighted to recommend a person of Steve’s character and integrity to our Board of Trustees.”
The presidential search committee, which included representatives from the college foundation, faculty, students, staff and college council, forwarded two candidates to the New Paltz College Council for consideration, with Poskanzer receiving a unanimous recommendation. The New Paltz College Council unanimously recommended Poskanzer to Chancellor King.
“I am deeply delighted and honored that the search committee, the college council and Chancellor King have decided to send my name forward,” said Poskanzer.
Poskanzer is currently the interim president of the College at New Paltz. He was appointed to that position by the State University Board of Trustees on Oct. 23, 2001.
Poskanzer has had an extensive career in higher education. He served at the State University of New York, System Administration from November 1997 until his appointment as interim president. At System Administration he rose quickly from associate provost to senior associate provost and then to vice provost.
As a member of the Office of the Provost, Poskanzer led a 38-person office responsible for system-wide academic planning, policy and evaluation, the System’s institutional research office and campus liaison. Specific areas of responsibilities included system-wide strategic planning, assessing student learning outcomes, identifying and promoting opportunities for inter-campus collaboration, enrollment planning, and the development of performance measures.
Prior to joining the State University, Poskanzer served for four years as the executive assistant to the president of the University of Chicago. He was a cabinet-level officer and principal adviser to the president. In that role, he was responsible for developing strategies on a broad range of academic and administrative issues, and the determination of matters to be brought before the University’s Board of Trustees. He also was responsible for daily operations of the president’s office and co-chaired the University of Chicago’s reaccredidation effort. Poskanzer also drafted major institutional policy statements.
Poskanzer began his career in higher education as assistant general counsel at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1991-92, he was selected as a fellow with the American Council on Education while serving in the Office of the Provost at Princeton University. Poskanzer then served as associate general counsel at the University of Pennsylvania before joining the University of Chicago.
Poskanzer was awarded a law degree in 1983 from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree, cum laude from Princeton University in 1980 where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Poskanzer grew up on the SUNY Cortland campus where his father, Dr.Charles Poskanzer was a member of the Cortland faculty for 40 years and his mother, Mrs. Joan Poskanzer, served on the SUNY Cortland College Council for seven years.
