An administrator from the University of Texas has been appointed as the first Hispanic president of a SUNY college.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has appointed Havidán Rodríguez as the 20th president of SUNY Albany, according to a press release from the governor’s office. The announcement follows the launch of the governor’s SUNY Hispanic Leadership Institute, which will develop and support the next generation of executive-level Latino leaders throughout the SUNY system.
Rodríguez has 25 years of experience in higher education and most recently served as the founding provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Hilda Rosario Escher, president and chief executive officer of Rochester’s Ibero-American Action League, commended the governor’s selection.
"As an agency that works with students who often choose a SUNY college for their higher education, Ibero is pleased to see that the next SUNY president is someone who reflects the growing diversity of our country," she said in a statement.
