Advisory Committee

On June 1, 2009, Dr. Zimpher became the 12^th Chancellor of the State University of New York by unanimous vote of the SUNY Board of Trustees. With more than 440,000 students, SUNY is the nation’s largest comprehensive public university system.

A dynamic and nationally-recognized leader, Chancellor Zimpher is known as an effective agent of change in higher education.  The Chancellor began her career as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in the Ozarks and has never lost her passion for providing accessible, quality education for every student.

As the first academic in recent memory to be appointed Chancellor, she is also the first woman to serve in this capacity in the system’s 60-year history.

As President of the University of Cincinnati, Dr. Zimpher led a bold, aggressive strategic planning process, UC|21: Defining the New Urban Research University, which transformed the campus into a national powerhouse and a model for urban universities in the 21^st Century. Under her leadership, UC’s retention and graduation rates, student satisfaction ratings and national rankings all improved.

Prior to her tenure at UC, Dr. Zimpher served as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Executive Dean of the Professional Colleges and Dean of the College of Education at The Ohio State University.

Chancellor Zimpher began her work at SUNY with a statewide tour of SUNY’s 64 campuses, and has engaged a strategic planning process for the SUNY system that will serve as a model for statewide collaboration for public higher education in New York State and beyond. 

She has authored or co-authored numerous books, monographs and academic journal articles on teacher education, urban education, academic leadership, and school/university partnerships.

Chancellor Zimpher holds a bachelor’s degree in English Education and Speech, a master’s degree in English Literature, and a Ph.D. in Teacher Education and Higher Education Administration, all from The Ohio State University.