SUNY Plattsburgh, Concordia University Sign MBA Agreement

There was a round of applause as the agreement between the two institutions was formalized. It marked the beginning of a new program that will provide cross-border educational opportunities for Plattsburgh State graduates who wish to pursue a master's in business administration (MBA).

During the Nov. 7 signing ceremony, SUNY Plattsburgh President John Ettling said, "I've been looking forward to this moment for a long time. We don't see a market for a stand-alone master's in business administration program at SUNY Plattsburgh, so the next best thing is to partner with one of the best MBA programs in the world at Concordia University. This agreement is a tremendous opportunity for our students and is a win-win situation for both institutions."

The new articulation agreement spells out the details for allowing qualified graduates from SUNY Plattsburgh who earn a Master of Arts in liberal studies with a concentration in leadership to enroll in the MBA program at Concordia University. Graduates of the SUNY Plattsburgh program, with additional business experience, now have the opportunity to complete the requirements for a Concordia MBA in as little as a year.

Dr. Colin Read, dean of the School of Business and Economics at SUNY Plattsburgh was visibly pleased. "We think it's important to build this bridge across the border with Concordia University. We think this agreement will attract quality students who want to take advantage of this unique relationship. In addition, the agreement demonstrates the mutual respect that both institutions have for their business curriculums and the rigor of their respective programs."

To symbolize the importance of the cross-border initiative, the ceremony was held at the Center for the Study of Canada at SUNY Plattsburgh. The center is at the forefront of innovative Canadian-focused curriculum, research and program initiatives and is proud to offer the most comprehensive undergraduate Canadian Studies program in the United States. Established in 1975, the center is dedicated to promoting and providing comprehensive scholarly professional development programs on Canada to academic, government and business constituents in the United States.

On hand for the event was Garry Douglas, President and CEO of the Plattsburgh North Country Chamber of Commerce. He sees the agreement as another building block in energizing the North Country economy.  "Quebec and the North Country constitute an important bi-national economic region," he said. "The chamber has an interest in seeing a deepening of cross-border bonds like the one represented in today's agreement. The connection between these business schools and the new supply chain management major at SUNY Plattsburgh are important pieces of the larger puzzle."

Caption - Sealing the deal: SUNY Plattsburgh President John Ettling sits with Dr. Louise Dandurand, interim provost at Concordia University after signing the new articulation agreement. Also pictured left to right, Dr. Colin Read, dean, SUNY Plattsburgh School of Business & Economics (sitting); Dr. Bryan Higgins, director, International Education, SUNY Plattsburgh; Garry Douglas,p and CEO of the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Patricia Higgins, associate vice president for Academic Affairs, SUNY Plattsburgh; Dr. Sanjay Sharma, dean, John Molson School of Business, Concordia University; Dr. Danielle Morin, vice-provost, Academic Programs, Concordia University; Dr. Robert Golden, provost, SUNY Plattsburgh.