ALFRED - Dr. John M. Anderson, Alfred State President, will leave the college effective March 31 to assume the presidency of Millersville University of Pennsylvania.
"Naturally, I am excited about this new opportunity for many personal and professional reasons yet this new transition requires me to separate from a community I care deeply about," said Anderson. "There will always be a soft spot in my heart for Alfred State and the students who make it their home."
Among students, Anderson's departure is deeply felt.
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Dr. John M. Anderson
During Anderson's more than 11 years as a professor of chemistry and physics at Alfred State, which began in 1981, he also served as chair of the Faculty Senate at Alfred and was convener of statewide SUNY Local Governance Leaders. Both experiences influenced him as president to elevate faculty senate representation to the highest level possible.
"In many schools, faculty senate chairs only meet with their respective presidents once a year, but John has always embraced a shared governance model," said Karen Young, Faculty Senate chair and chair of Computerized Design and Manufacturing. "Under John, I am part of his President's Council which means that I meet with him weekly. This allows faculty at Alfred State to have a voice in major decisions. He has always had great respect for faculty and is admired for that."
As president, enrollment at Alfred State grew by 20 percent and the college embarked on a new Strategic Plan that included the reallocation of more than $1 million to new strategic initiatives; new programs were added including new baccalaureate programs in sport management, forensic science technology, human services management, and nursing; and, most recently, Alfred State received approval for a five-year bachelor in architecture, the only one of its kind in the State University of New York system. For the last five years, the college has also been named as a top college by the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Report.
The college has also undergone its largest building boom in recent history under the leadership of Anderson.
Projects totaling $75 million include the complete renovation of the Physical and Health Sciences Building featuring state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms, and the construction of a new $33.5 million Student Leadership Center that is unlike anything seen in higher education. The college also renovated the College Farm and opened the new Center for Organic and Sustainable Agriculture, which is one of only three centers of its kind in the nation designed to enable students to learn about traditional and organic agriculture in a side-by-side analysis.
"President John Anderson truly is a visionary, and it has been a joy to partner with him to accomplish key projects including the Center for Organic and Sustainable Agriculture, Physical and Health Sciences building and Student Leadership Center," said state Sen. Catharine Young, R-C-I-Olean. "President Anderson's outstanding leadership, creativity, and innovation have benefitted the college and the region. SUNY Alfred is an economic engine that features top-notch quality and affordable education that readies our workforce for productive and rewarding careers, thanks to President Anderson's efforts. He leaves behind a tremendous legacy of accomplishments, and I wish him well in his new endeavors."