The SUNY Chancellor was in Plattsburgh this morning to sign two agreements advancing the move of Clinton Community College onto the SUNY Plattsburgh campus.
In January 2024, officials at the community college announced that it would relocate its programs, faculty and students to the SUNY campus a few miles away.
On Tuesday morning SUNY Chancellor John King Jr. signed agreements with college officials formalizing the partnership.
“First we are taking steps to formalize the relocation of Clinton Community College to the SUNY Plattsburgh campus. This move will generate critical savings, support academic and operational sustainability and create a learning environment that benefits both institutions. It also allows Clinton County to reimagine the bluff for community use and potential development,” King explained. “Second, we are advancing a key component of Clinton’s relocation plan: the college’s new partnership with Champlain Valley Physician’s Hospital. By placing Clinton’s nursing and EMT programs inside a premier medical institution, we’re delivering a truly immersive learning experience.
King noted that the move was motivated by declining enrollment and a requirement that the college improve its fiscal standing or lose its accreditation.
“I’m proud that this community did not retreat. It rallied. Clinton took bold steps. SUNY Plattsburgh stepped up. Local leaders and SUNY staff locked arms to find solutions. Collective action has paid off. Clinton’s accreditation has now been reaffirmed through 2030. Enrollment is growing again. Donors are returning. Clinton has a path forward and a home that will allow it to thrive,” King said. “Today we spotlight the roadmap for how institutions can adapt and thrive in the face of challenge. Today we celebrate what’s possible when public higher education leads with urgency, creativity and care.”
Administrator in Charge Ken Knelly said faculty, staff, students and community partners saved Clinton Community College.
“It’s not an overstatement to say that collectively the people in this room have saved a college,” lauded Knelly . “We had to increase enrollment and gain reaccreditation and we did that. I’ve said before, could Clinton County survive without a community college? And the answer is it could but it would be a branch office with gaps no one else would fill. But we don’t really have to worry about that. The college does matter and it’s here for generations to come.”
SUNY Plattsburgh President Alexander Enyedi says the co-located campuses offer a tremendous opportunity to enhance the region’s economic vitality.
“Today we celebrate partnerships that are instrumental in serving our students, enhancing our workforce and expanding opportunities within our region. This is an effort that reflects our shared dedication to student access, student success and regional success,” Enyedi told the audience. “Together we are creating pathways that will benefit our students and strengthen our communities. These partnerships are a clear demonstration of SUNY’s commitment to local impact and its role as a catalyst for regional development.”
Chancellor King is excited that this fall a new and revitalized Clinton Community College will open on the SUNY Plattsburgh campus.
“You know this will be the first time we have a community college physically located on the campus of one of our four year institutions. But close collaboration is not uncommon and in fact Plattsburgh has a very close partnership with Adirondack Community College, for example, where there’s a satellite campus of Plattsburgh on the Adirondack campus,” King noted. “So we have many close partnerships, but this is unique the colocation of two institutions.”
A second agreement formalizes a partnership with the CVPH Medical Center, located a few blocks from the campus. Clinton Community will collocate its nursing, EMT and paramedic programs at the hospital.
