The search for a new president of Buffalo State College is down to the finalists and the first will be on campus Monday for a tour and questions. There are five finalists, though college Council and Search Committee Chair Howard Zemsky won't identify the other four. The first is SUNY Albany Provost Susan Phillips, with the other four coming in for visits through May 12. Phillips worked her way up at Albany from assistant professor through dean of education to provost.
This presidential search is somewhat different from many, since the post has been vacant since the death of Aaron Podolefsky. Purdue University Calumet Chancellor Emeritus Howard Cohen was brought in from out-of-town as interim president and it is not clear if he is among the five.
Zemsky says searchers are looking for a strong track record.
"Distinguished careers and connected to higher public education and they have demonstrated outstanding scholarship, managerial skills, advancement throughout their career. People who are worthy of consideration for a position as important as the president of SUNY Buffalo State," Zemsky says.
Phillips will be on two days of a packed schedule, starting with a breakfast with the President's Cabinet to an open forum at 12:15 p.m. to meetings with different segments of the college community all afternoon. There will be a reception tonight and more meetings tomorrow, including a lunch with the college council.
