Among those serving on the task force are State Education Department Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, New York State United Teachers vice president Catalina Fortino, State School Boards Association Executive Director Tim Kremer, and SUNY chancellor Nancy Zimpher.

The Task Force will complete its review and deliver its final recommendations by the end of this year.

Adopted by the SUNY Board of Trustees, the plan includes a Chief Diversity Officer for every SUNY campus as well as strategic plans to increase diversity among students, faculty, and staff. In addition, there will be a new tool to provide students with an opportunity to voluntarily self-identify their sexual orientation and gender identity.

“New York has a long and proud history of embracing diversity, and our world-class SUNY system is no exception,” Governor Cuomo said. “With this new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy, we are once again sending a strong message that the Empire State is a national leader and a beacon of inclusion for all students.”

“As the public university system serving one of the nation’s most diverse states, it is essential that SUNY adapt to the evolving needs of all students,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “Diversity is interwoven throughout our strategic plan, and now, as we implement a Completion Agenda with the goal of awarding 150,000 SUNY degrees per year by 2020, our commitment to diversity must be stronger than ever before. Thank you to the Board of Trustees and to all those who contributed through the Diversity Task Force for ensuring that SUNY will continue to be a national leader on important issues of equality.”

The new policy broadly defines diversity to include race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, age, socioeconomic status, status as a veteran, status as a student with a disability, first-generation students, and international students or those transferring between colleges. The policy aims to improve services and support for these students, ensure that SUNY’s student, faculty, and staff populations mirror that of New York State, as well as ensure that SUNY’s commitment to being welcoming and inclusive to all diverse populations is clear.

“We cannot plan the future of our State University on yesterday’s dollars,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature have said they want education to be a priority. By supporting our request in its entirety – establishing a SUNY Investment Fund, extending NYSUNY 2020, and supporting our community colleges – New York can give SUNY the tools it needs to educate more of its residents and prepare them for success in college and career.”

Presidents and representatives from seven SUNY campuses – including president Cory Duckworth from Jamestown Community College –  will meet with the press on Thursday starting at 10:30 a.m. in the lobby of Buffalo State’s new Technology Building.

State University of New York at Fredonia President Virginia Horvath will also attend.

Dr. Duckworth, whose appointment is effective September 3, succeeds Gregory T. DeCinque, who has served as JCC’s president since 1994.

Duckworth currently serves as vice president for student affairs at Utah Valley University, a post he has held since 2003. A member of the Utah Bar Association, Dr. Duckworth earned a juris doctorate at the University of Utah College of Law.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher said that Dr. Duckworth is an ideal fit for JCC and his leadership will greatly benefit the more than 3,500 students who enroll at JCC each.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher said the SUNY System is delighted to see so many SUNY schools ranked among the nation’s “Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report again this year.

The annual rankings represent a comprehensive look at how schools stack up based on a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence, and aims to help students evaluate and compare data compiled from 1,391 ranked colleges and universities.

Students Vincent A. Gerace and Christy A. Twilight of Jamestown, Natalie C. Marsh of Bemus Point, and Samantha J. Wulff of Campbell were among 257 SUNY students honored recently with the State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence for their academic achievement, leadership, and community service.

Chancellor Nancy Zimpher said These students have taken full advantage of the academic and extracurricular programs that SUNY provides both in the classroom and in the community.

The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence was created in 1997 to recognize students who have best demonstrated, and been recognized for, the integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, or career achievement.

Dr. Horvath is currently the Vice President for Academic Affairs at SUNY Fredonia, a position she has held since joining the campus in 2005. She was recommended out of a pool of more than 50 candidates and five finalists by a 15-member search committee and SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher. She was officially appointed by the SUNY Board of Trustees at a board meeting held earlier this week, and will begin serving as president on July 1. In doing so, she will become the first female president in the Fredonia campus’ 186-year history.

The 2012-2013 Executive Budget recommends $10.2 billion in All Funds for SUNY and projects a workforce of 42,206, consistent with 2011-2012 levels.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher said that the governor and legislature have made the prudent decision to prioritize the State University as a catalyst for New York’s revitalization, and she and her colleagues at SUNY appreciate the work Gov. Cuomo as well as our legislative partners in their steadfast commitment to higher education.

The budget also includes $30 million of capital funding for a new round of the governor’s NYSUNY 2020 challenge grants. When combined with an equal share from SUNY, the university’s 60 campuses, excluding the university’s centers, will compete for three $20 million challenge grants.

The budget also includes an additional $31.3 million in support for community colleges, raising base aid from $2,122 to $2,272 per full-time equivalent student.