New Chancellor Introduces Goals for SUNY
January 29, 2018
SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson
In her first State of the University System address earlier this month, Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson outlined her vision for the future of The State University of New York, highlighting the four themes at the foundation of her chancellorship: innovation and entrepreneurship; individualized education; sustainability; and strategic partnerships.
Chancellor Johnson said her vision was informed by her trip across the state to meet students, faculty and leadership at SUNY campuses.
“In my travels to the campuses, I have developed a soaring pride that SUNY is able to offer its students so many different opportunities to build a better world,” said Chancellor Johnson. “Each SUNY school is distinctive, with its own history, legacy and future, but each is also the cultural and economic heart of its community—offering crucial resources for local businesses as well as educating their workforces.”
The chancellor’s goals are expressed in four different areas:
- Doubling Research and Innovation
Chancellor Johnson — an energy expert, researcher and entrepreneur, as well as an experienced educator — called for a doubling of research and innovation across the SUNY System in the next decade. This goal will be achieved in part by expanding student opportunities and internships in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, data analytics, and their applications to education and healthcare, and by making targeted investments in research and faculty development. - Individualized Education on a State-wide Scale
“An individual education is not just about helping our students chart a course through our classrooms,” the chancellor said. “It is about helping students with different backgrounds and different resources succeed. Thanks to the governor’s Excelsior Scholarship program, the Tuition Assistance Program, and other state scholarships, half of our students now attend college tuition-free. But tuition alone is not enough to help all our students stay in school and finish their degrees. Other financial concerns, academic barriers, and the general unpredictability of life are challenges we need to be prepared to help our students overcome.” - Sustainable SUNY
Chancellor Johnson called for purchasing 100 percent of SUNY’s electricity from zero-carbon sources, and deep energy retrofits at SUNY campuses, which represent 40 percent of state-owned buildings. Such a change would reduce New York’s carbon footprint by 400,000 tons of CO2 equivalents per year. She also called for all new SUNY buildings to be designed to achieve zero-net carbon emissions. - Investing in the Future
In support of this goal, the chancellor announced a new collaboration with Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) and four venture capital funds selected to administer the Innovation Technology Commercialization Investment Funds — an $8 million pool of capital that invests in high-growth potential, pre-seed stage firms. This partnership increases the number of SUNY-affiliated companies considered for investment, and provides them with valuable feedback to help strengthen their business. To further support this strategic growth, she announced the creation of a System-wide endowment to be supported by foundations, individual donors and companies.
