Next Corning Community College leader starts in early January

CORNING — The eighth president of Corning Community College will begin his new duties on Jan. 2, 2026. The SUNY board of trustees voted Nov. 14 to name Terence Finley as the school’s next leader. Finley — who is a graduate of SUNY Brockport — currently serves as VP and COO at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, Missouri. His appointment in Corning will take effect on Jan. 2, 2026. Corning Community College has been led by Administrator in Charge Kim Frock since June 2, 2025, following former president William Mullaney’s appointment as the new president of Rockland Community College. “I am confident that Dr. Finley’s dedication to student success, retention, and completion, demonstrated through his work at Harris-Stowe State University, will further catapult Corning Community College forward as a regional and statewide leader,” SUNY Chancellor John King, Jr. said in an announcement. “I want to thank Administrator in Charge Kim L. Frock for her service leading Corning Community College during this leadership transition and for her dedication to the local community served by this essential institution of higher learning.” Finley earned his Ph.D. in educational leadership with an emphasis in higher education from Prairie View A&M University, which is located near Houston; an MBA degree in marketing and logistics from Penn State University; and a bachelor’s degree with concentrations in marketing and economics from SUNY Brockport. “I have dedicated the last 15 years to higher education, championing the principles of access, adequacy, and equity for underserved, underrepresented, under-resourced, and in some cases underprepared student populations,” Finley said in the SUNY announcement. “My deep commitment to educational excellence is underscored by my unwavering belief in the transformative power of education to drive societal change, elevate communities, and create long-term impact through student success. I want to thank the SUNY Board of Trustees, Chancellor King, and the SUNY Corning Regional Board of Trustees for this opportunity.” “We are excited to welcome Dr. Terence Finley back home to upstate New York, as the 8th President of SUNY Corning Community College,” Michael Wayne, chairman of the Corning Community College regional board of trustees, said. “His experience as a SUNY (Brockport) graduate and a native of upstate makes him uniquely qualified to manage the opportunities and challenges of our college. His focus on student success and advocacy of non-traditional students will surely enhance the successes we’ve experienced, at Corning, through the SUNY Reconnect program. We are thankful to our dedicated Presidential search committee for their comprehensive work to bring us to this successful appointment!”