College Council President Named President of SUNY Advocacy Group
November 18, 2019
Dr. Patricia Hill Williams
Dr. Patricia Hill Williams, president of the College Council at FSC, has been elected president of SUNY ACT, the Association of Council Members and College Trustees.
“I am honored to receive the confidence of my ACT colleagues as the newly elected president,” says Dr. Williams. “As a product of the state university system, both as an alum of the College of Old Westbury and Stony Brook University, as well as a former Vice President of External Affairs at Farmingdale, I am humbled to serve in this capacity. I truly believe that College Council members and trustees are very valuable advocacy resources, and will continue to do their share to ensure that SUNY maintains its place as one of the best public higher education systems on the global stage.”
ACT consists of members of all SUNY campus College Councils and board trustees, whose primary role is to advocate for quality public higher education by advising presidents on important campus issues. ACT is a liaison among SUNY institutions and the SUNY Board of Trustees, through participation at its board meetings. It seeks to promote College Council effectiveness, constructive government relations, and advocacy for public higher education.
In her message to ACT members, Dr. Williams said: “As valuable influencers, we are committed to doing our best on behalf of our students, campuses, and the future of one of the best systems of higher education in the country.”
Dr. Williams has a long history at FSC, having served more than two decades in various roles. She retired as Vice President for External Affairs in 2004. She was appointed to the College Council by Governor George Pataki in 2006, and later named Chair of the Council by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
In addition to heading the College Council and ACT, Dr. Williams also serves as a non-governmental rep to the United Nations Global Communications Unit. She has been honored as a Woman of Distinction by the New York State Senate, is a member of the SUNYCUAD (SUNY Council for University Advancement) Hall of Fame, and is listed in Who’s Who Among American Women. She was a W.K Kellogg Fellow in International Development, served on four U.S Presidential Advisory Commissions for Women and Girls and with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and was a member of the Inter-American Foundation and the African Development Foundation.
Dr. Williams holds a BA from SUNY Old Westbury, MA in Communications from New York Institute of Technology, MA in Liberal Studies from Stony Brook University, and a Certificate in Management Development from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She earned an EdD in Higher Education Administration at California Coast University.
