Three Finalists Selected for Consideration as Next President by SUNY

December 18, 2003

PLATTSBURGH, NY __ The College Council at Plattsburgh State University of New York has selected three finalists whose names will be forwarded to SUNY Chancellor Robert King for consideration.

Robert Garrow, chair of the College Council, announced that the three individuals selected are:

* Dr. John Ettling, provost/vice president for academic affairs at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D.
* Dr. Robert E. Golden, provost/vice president for academic affairs at Plattsburgh State
* Dr. Leslie E. Wong, the vice president for academic affairs at Valley City State University in Valley City, N.D.

Garrow said, "While the five candidates for the position had various strengths, we had to make a difficult choice in narrowing the field to three finalists for consideration by the chancellor and the SUNY Board of Trustees. I am very pleased with the selection of the three finalists, and I hope a decision by SUNY will be forthcoming in due time."

Garrow also commended the members of the search committee in the process. "Nearly nine months ago we began this process with the formation of the search committee. These 16 individuals have worked very hard to narrow the pool of candidates for consideration.

"I am proud to say thank you to each and everyone of them for the team work they showed throughout the process. Each one spent considerable personal time and effort in pursuit of finding the next president of this college. We have completed our mission and now wait to hear the final decision."

The names and supporting documentation will be forwarded to the chancellor's office for review. After evaluation of the material and interviews with the candidates, the chancellor's office is expected to forward the nomination for a new president to the SUNY Board of Trustees for final consideration.

While campus official are hopeful that a nomination could be forthcoming by the Trustees' meeting in late January, no date has been set for a final decision and announcement.

Former College President Horace Judson announced just over a year ago that he would resign his position at the end of the Spring 2003 academic semester. Following his departure in June, Dr. John Clark was named interim president. He is scheduled to serve until July 2004 or until the new president officially assumes his duties.

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