SUNY Plattsburgh President Dr. John Ettling's Biography

President John Ettling

Dr. John Ettling became the 10th president of the State University of New York College at Plattsburgh on June 15, 2004 after serving as vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of North Dakota for six years.

President Ettling began his academic career in 1978 as a visiting faculty member in the History Department at Northwestern University. From 1979 to 1995, he served as a faculty member in the Honors College and History Department at the University of Houston and as chair of the History Department for five years during the mid 1980s.

President Ettling served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Dakota (UND) from 1995 to 1998. He was appointed interim vice president for academic affairs and provost at UND in July 1998 and was selected for the permanent position in March 2000 following a nationwide search. He also has held visiting faculty appointments at Northwestern University, Union College (Schenectady, N.Y.) and Rice University.

Since President Ettling arrived in 2004, SUNY Plattsburgh has seen a transformation under his leadership. Several major accomplishments include:

• Applications have increased from 6,300 in 2004 to more than 10,300 in 2012, and enrollment has steadily increased to more than 6,400 students annually.
• SUNY Plattsburgh completed its first ever-major capital campaign raising more than $16 million.
• A Facilities Master Plan on future campus improvements/developments supporting the academic mission and strategic vision was completed (2010).
• Two new buildings – Hudson Hall Annex and School of Business and Economics/Computer Science Building – were constructed while the original Hudson Hall was rehabilitated.

President Ettling believes the college along with its faculty, staff, and students should be engaged in the community. As part of his public service, President Ettling is a member of several boards and has served on several others, including:

• North Country Regional Economic Development Council.
• Middle State Commission on Higher Education (Commissioner).
• CVPH Medical Center.
• William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute.
• The Development Corporation.
• Canada-U.S. Fulbright Foundation (past member).
• Mountain Lake PBS (past member).
• Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce (past member).

During his academic career, President Ettling has worked to advance honors and international programs and to increase diversity among students, faculty, and staff. An accomplished scholar, President Ettling has lectured throughout the country, presented research papers and served as a commentator and panelist on issues ranging from public and social policy to the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. He is also an author of one book and co-author of another. President Ettling wrote The Germ of Laziness, which was reviewed by the New York Times and dozens of other publications and received national prizes. In addition, he has contributed articles and chapters to scholarly journals and books.

President Ettling has numerous awards, including the University of North Dakota's President's Medal. He was also awarded the Allan Nevins Prize by the Society of American Historians for the best-written doctoral dissertation, nationwide, in American history in 1979.

Originally from Houston, Texas, President Ettling served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force from 1966 to 1971 and was a B-52 crewmember. He holds a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Virginia where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and received his A.M. and Ph.D. from Harvard University. President Ettling is married to Lisa Lewis and has two daughters, Sarah and Rachel.

Contact Information

Office of the President
Office: 159 Hawkins Hall
Address: 101 Broad Street, Plattsburgh, New York 12901

Phone: (518) 564-2010
Fax: (518) 564-3932
Email: president_office@plattsburgh.edu