ALBANY — Anastasia Urtz, who currently serves as provost and senior VP of academic and student affairs at Onondaga Community College (OCC), will soon be leaving the campus to lead another SUNY community college. The SUNY board of trustees on March 11 voted to name Urtz as the eighth president to lead SUNY Adirondack, which […]
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ALBANY — Anastasia Urtz, who currently serves as provost and senior VP of academic and student affairs at Onondaga Community College (OCC), will soon be leaving the campus to lead another SUNY community college.
The SUNY board of trustees on March 11 voted to name Urtz as the eighth president to lead SUNY Adirondack, which has locations in Queensbury and Glens Falls in Warren County as well as Wilton in Saratoga County, per the SUNY announcement.
Urtz will assume the presidency this summer following the retirement of current SUNY Adirondack President Kristine Duffy.
“Selecting a new campus president is not just about leadership; it’s about vision, experience, and a deep commitment to student success,” the SUNY board of trustees said in the announcement. “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.”
As OCC provost, Urtz has led implementation of integrated student support services and worked with faculty to establish more than 20 new programs in health care, science and technology, business, and the liberal arts over her tenure in her current role, SUNY said.
In addition, Urtz has collaborated to “strengthen” the high school-to-college pipeline, engage adult learners, expand civic engagement, and foster student success.
Those efforts have led to enrollment gains of 14 percent since fall 2023 and contributed to Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) naming OCC as its community college partner in preparing technicians for a projected $100 billion investment in semiconductor technology in the town of Clay and across upstate New York.
“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,” SUNY Chancellor John King, Jr. said in the announcement.
Prior to her service at OCC, Urtz served as executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Onondaga County and held several positions at Syracuse University as well, SUNY said.
Urtz, who grew up in a dairy-farming family in Central New York, holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the American University in Washington, D.C., and earned her law degree from the University of Michigan.
SUNY says 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 VP of CNY Arts, a regional arts council serving six counties.
“SUNY Adirondack is a welcoming and supportive academic community that prepares students for in-demand careers and engagement in civic life,” Urtz said in the SUNY announcement. “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.”