Albany, NY – The State University of New York Board of Trustees voted today to name Anastasia L. Urtz, J.D. as the eighth president to lead SUNY Adirondack. Urtz will assume the presidency this summer following the retirement of current SUNY Adirondack President Kristine D. Duffy. Urtz currently serves as Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Onondaga Community College.
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “Selecting a new campus president is not just about leadership; it’s about vision, experience, and a deep commitment to student success. With over a decade of dedicated service at Onondaga Community College and a distinguished career in higher education, Provost Urtz possesses the expertise, passion, and strategic insight necessary to maintain SUNY Adirondack’s momentum and we wish her absolute success as she embarks on this exciting new endeavor.”
“I am confident that Anastasia Urtz’s vision and dedication to student success, demonstrated through her experience as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at OCC, will solidify SUNY Adirondack’s position as a vital force in education, workforce development, and upward mobility in the Capital Region and North Country,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “I would also like to express my utmost appreciation to President Duffy for her unwavering dedication to increasing opportunities for students at SUNY Adirondack. Under her leadership, SUNY Adirondack has seen an increase in graduation rates, diversity, and closing achievement gaps.”
Chair of SUNY Adirondack Board of Trustees Amie Gonzales said, “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, our campus, and the community, we are thrilled to welcome Anastasia Urtz to SUNY Adirondack. Her dedication to student success, institutional growth, and community engagement makes her the right leader at the right time for SUNY Adirondack.”
Anastasia L. Urtz, J.D. said, “SUNY Adirondack is a welcoming and supportive academic community that prepares students for in-demand careers and engagement in civic life. As a parent of a college junior, I know first-hand how important it is for students to find an academic path that helps them build the lives and livelihoods they imagine for themselves. I am honored to lead this important institution during a time of change in higher education and look forward to collaborating with campus and community leaders to expand educational opportunities for local residents.”
About Anastasia L. Urtz, J.D.
Anastasia L. Urtz, J.D., serves as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at Onondaga Community College. Provost Urtz’s experience in higher education spans public, private, research, land grant, and community colleges, including leadership roles in academic and student affairs, business and legal affairs, cooperative extension, strategic planning, and fundraising. As Provost at OCC, Urtz has led implementation of integrated student supports and worked with faculty to establish more than 20 new programs in healthcare, science and technology, business, and the liberal arts over her tenure in this role. In addition, Provost Urtz has collaborated to strengthen the high school to college pipeline, engage adult learners, expand civic engagement, and foster student success. These efforts have led to enrollment gains (+14% since fall 2023) and contributed to Micron Technology, Inc. naming Onondaga Community College as its community college partner in preparing technicians for a projected $100 billion investment in semiconductor technology in Central and Upstate New York.
Prior to her service at Onondaga Community College, Provost Urtz served as Executive Director (Chief Executive Officer) of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Onondaga County and held several positions at Syracuse University.
She was a 2017-2018 Fellow of the American Council on Education (ACE) and in 2022 was one of 30 women chosen nationwide by the ACE Women’s Network for its inaugural “Moving the Needle” mentorship program. Provost Urtz grew up in a dairy farming family in Central New York, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from The American University in Washington, D.C., and earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She has a record of public service focused on rural community development, sustainability, the well-being of children and families, education, social justice, and the arts, including her current role as Vice President of CNY Arts, a regional arts council serving six counties.
About SUNY Adirondack
SUNY Adirondack is a community college with a growing campus that is part of the nation’s largest university, the State University of New York. With locations in Queensbury, Glens Falls and Wilton, SUNY Adirondack offers courses in person and online; on-campus housing at the Queensbury campus; and serves students via credit and continuing education programs. Learn more at sunyacc.edu.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
The College’s Board of Trustees announced that Dr. Patrick M. Jones will take the helm as the sixth president of Bucks County Community College effective July 1, 2024.
