Presidential Search Update

Chair of the SUNY Oswego Presidential Search Committee and SUNY Oswego College Council James McMahon announced Aug. 26 that the College Council decided not to advance any of five presidential finalists who presented on campus in summer 2022 to SUNY System. McMahon said that a new search firm, RPA Inc., was selected.

“Specifically, we have decided to utilize RPA’s hybrid model for search services,” McMahon said in the announcement. “The hybrid model, long used by RPA, Inc. in many searches, is more cost effective for SUNY Oswego because the hybrid model allows us to tap into the expertise and national networks of RPA, Inc. during the recruitment phases of the search while also utilizing the expertise of Ms. Rodriguez-Awoliyi, assistant vice chancellor for presidential searches at SUNY, to support the search committee throughout the search.”

“He loved this place so much,” said his wife, Sharon Griffin M’22, who is a graduate admissions counselor at SUNY Oswego. Even in his final days, he was dreaming and talking about helping students at the university, she said.

He died on July 30, 2022, at the age of 51.

Now, his family, friends and coworkers are pooling their resources to establish the Daniel B. Griffin ’92 M’00 Memorial Scholarship to help his legacy live on at the institution he cared so much about. When fully endowed, the scholarship will support a graduate student in Oswego’s master’s in higher education leadership program.

“I hope that the recipients get to know a little bit about Dan and the type of person he was and use that knowledge to move forward on their own pathways and be able to assist others in pursuing higher education,” Sharon said.

Gifts can be made in Dan’s memory to the Daniel B. Griffin ’92 M’00 Memorial Scholarship fund online at alumni.oswego. edu/givenow; by mail to the Oswego College Foundation, 215 Sheldon Hall, Oswego, N.Y. 13126; or by telephone at 315-312-3003.

Gifts can also be made to the Dan Griffin ’92 M’00 Second Chance Scholarship, a separate scholarship established by Brad ’89 and Liz Bernstein, and their children, Sara ’18 M’19 and Matthew ’24.

The university initially launched the search for the 11th president of SUNY Oswego in fall 2021 after President Deborah F. Stanley announced that she would retire Dec. 31, 2021. She was shortly thereafter appointed interim SUNY chancellor, as SUNY searched for a new chancellor of the 64-campus system. (See related story on page 18.)

Dr. Mary C. Toale assumed responsibilities as SUNY Oswego’s officer in charge Jan. 1, 2022, while the university searched for a permanent president.

In spring 2022, the search committee— whose members represent SUNY Oswego faculty, staff, alumni, students, College Council and the SUNY system— reviewed applicants and conducted virtual interviews with candidates.

Over the summer, the search committee brought five finalists to campus to present to alumni, students, faculty, staff and community members in forums, which were held in person and live streamed via Zoom. All attendees were invited to provide feedback on each candidate.

“We appreciate the participation of many members of SUNY Oswego’s community during the recent on-campus interviews, and we commend the search committee for successfully conducting the first phase of the search in accordance with the SUNY Presidential Search Guidelines,” McMahon said. “The search committee’s willingness to continue this important work is greatly appreciated and we are confident we will find the next great president of SUNY Oswego at the end of this process.”

Future updates on the search will be posted online to the SUNY Oswego Presidential Search website at ww1. oswego.edu/presidential-search.