NEW PALTZ — SUNY New Paltz President Steven Poskanzer is resigning to become president of Carleton College, Northfield, Minn.

Poskanzer's decision was announced on Friday in a press release from the college and in a letter from Poskanzer to New Paltz alumni.

"It will not be easy for me and my family to leave New Paltz," Poskanzer wrote in the letter. "In the almost nine years I’ve been privileged to work on campus, we’ve made enormous strides in improving this college’s academic quality, raising its public stature, and positioning it for future success."

Poskanzer, who came to SUNY New Paltz in 2001, will step down as the college's president at the end of June and begin his duties in Minnesota on Aug. 2.

Poskanzer said he has been in contact with SUNY administrators regarding a transition at New Paltz. "I expect that the chancellor (Nancy Zimpher) will move with dispatch to name an interim leader for New Paltz ...  and the College Council will launch a search promptly," he wrote. "I know that this will be a job that will draw extraordinarily talented candidates."

Zimpher was quoted in the college's press release as saying Poskanzer's "leadership has been invaluable, not only to New Paltz, but to the entire state university (system). His departure will be a tremendous loss."  She said the College Council at New Paltz will conduct a nationwide search for Poskanzer's successor

New Paltz has about 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Enrollment at Carlton is about 2,000.



For more on this story, check back here on Saturday or see the print edition of Saturday's Freeman.

• 1
• 2

• 1
• 2
• 3

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• See Full Story

• Return to Paging Mode