SB Time Capsule

Strictly Business is proud to introduce a new feature.

The Strictly Business Time Capsule will be both a celebration of where the North Country business community has been, where we are now and an invitation to imagine where the next decade may lead. In revisiting businesses from our archives, we will examine what has endured, what has transformed and how the visions of yesterday shaped the realities of today. For some, the journey has meant steady expansion and generational leadership. For others, it has meant navigating closures, reinventions or new ownership. Each story will be a reminder that business is never static—it is a living, evolving reflection of people, community and time.

THEN: 1992

A Vocal Proponent of the North Country

By Mary Carpenter

The State University of New York is in the view of many, the world’s foremost public university and certainly the largest, with 404,000 students, 64 campuses, 30 community colleges, six two-year agricultural and technical schools, four university centers offering doctoral programs and advanced professional degrees in law and medicine and 13 university colleges with comprehensive under­graduate programs on the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels. Plattsburgh is in the middle of the group of 13 university colleges by size with 6500 students.

The greatest transformation of the Plattsburgh campus, in terms of physical expansion and enrollment offerings, came between 1962 and 1975. In recent years enrollment has remained stable and the college is now limiting enrollment by choice. President Charles 0. Warren explained, “Even though financial times are difficult, we are still committed to an increased level of excellence. The credentials of our faculty remain second to none. We are selective in our admission policy, accepting only 60-64 percent of those who apply.”

Despite his West Virginia origins President Warren is comfortable in the North Country. In a recent interview with SB, he talked about his family in Virginia, his education at Virginia Tech and his PhD studies at the University of Florida at Gainesville.

Warren came to Plattsburgh in 1979 as Dean of Arts and Science. After a brief hiatus as SUNY Cortland’s provost, he came back to Plattsburgh to assume the presidency in 1987.

Warren is a vocal proponent of the North Country. In discussing the university and its impact on our area, he said, “Our faculty and staff are excellent role models for SUNY Plattsburgh’s students. It would be difficult to find a community civic, governmental, youth, health, or human service agency whose roster doesn’t include one or more names of our faculty and staff as board members or, frequently in leadership positions. We are proud of our tradition of excellence and service and our position as a regional, national and international leader.”

Following are excerpts from SB’s interview with SUNY Plattsburgh’s President Charles Warren.

What makes Plattsburgh unique?

Let me illustrate with a few examples:

Our Freshman Experience:

We invest resources on the front end of the undergraduate experience to help ensure student success. We offer a one credit seminar for freshmen to help them develop intellectually, socially and emotionally, while at the same time focusing on academics. Faculty mentors, who are committed to the students, guide them on how to take advantage of the intellectual resources on campus and to stretch their minds like they never thought was possible. We’ve run the program for three years now and we’re seeing positive results in terms of increased retention rates and increased grade point averages.

Our Commitment to Transfer Students:

We are aware many students begin their education at two-year colleges in their own communities, with the intention of transferring to a four-year institution after receiving their Associate’s degree. We strive to make that process a simple, yet successful one and, as a result, we have become a leader among SUNY institutions. We’ve developed a network similar to our mentoring program to facilitate their transition.

This August we have about 700 transfer students compared to 875 new freshmen. The average transfer student’s GPA is 2.95, so you know these students are ready to learn.

Our International Connection:

At SUNY Plattsburgh, we place great emphasis on international education and global awareness. This fall, I will be establishing a council for international initiatives that will allow us to bring all the interests on campus together in one group to see how our resources can interrelate and develop new and innovative ways to expand an international focus. This is a positive move and is consistent with trends and goals of the North Country economy and society.

Our Academic Program:

Our Honors Program, begun in the 1950s, is not an elitist program, but one that accepts, engages and involves any prepared and motivated student who wants to achieve at a high level. We have about 150 students in the program and faculty, from all over campus, are participating. Students take small honors seminars, honors sections of traditional courses and a number are engaged in research projects to accelerate their ability.

Our College Foundation:

Last year, the Foundation raised a record $961,000 and provided $360,000 in scholarship monies for deserving students, as well as support for a variety of important student and faculty projects. The Foundation clearly provides a margin of excellence for the College.

Do you think there is a difference in student off-campus behavior in recent years?

I know there is. We have worked to reduce or eliminate undesirable behavior, and there is a greater sense of civic responsibility. Do we still have students who live in the community who are abusive of those around them — especially when under the influence of alcohol? Yes, but the number has diminished. We monitor it. We care deeply about it, but we have no legal authority, However, I am willing to assert a certain level of authority to educate students about what it’s like to live in a community and the need to be responsible and sensitive to the needs and rights of others.

I’m very concerned about businesses that encourage patrons to not just come in and have a beer and a sandwich or pizza, but to over consume — to drink a lot of alcohol, at cheap prices, in a short period of time. That is a broad social and community problem that reaches beyond the limits of this campus.

What effect have budget cuts had on your programs and people?

In 1989, we had 660 positions at SUNY Plattsburgh. At the end of this year, the best we can hope for is 616. In the last two years we’ve lost about two million dollars from our budget. We’ve had to look at the way we do everything. We saw this coming, so last fall we undertook a careful and thoughtful program and activity review. In every area, we looked at why do we do things the way we do. It is necessary for us to focus on quality and centrality-to-mission, not on whether programs or services are worthwhile.

What changes do you envision on the campus by the year 2000?

I see this decade as one of qualitative improvements in everything we do. We have a very capable faculty and staff and, even though we’ve lost resources over the years, the quality of our services has improved. I see a strengthening of our commitment to high quality education and high-quality degrees and a focus on positive community service.

We are a regional center — economically, culturally and educationally — and we want to do all we can to see that continue. We are lucky to be here, and we want to be sure we have a lot to offer the North Country.

NOW: 2025

Fast Forward to Today: SUNY Plattsburgh in 2025

Much has changed at SUNY Plattsburgh since President Charles Warren’s era, yet the university’s dedication to excellence and service to the North Country remains steadfast. What follows is a look at how the institution has evolved through the perspective of its current president, Dr. Alexander Enyedi.

About the State University of New York

“The State University of New York remains one of the world’s foremost public university systems,” Enyedi said. “More than 95 percent of New Yorkers live within thirty miles of one of SUNY’s sixty-four campuses. Across those campuses, SUNY educates about 1.4 million students in credit and non-credit programs and supports nearly a quarter of all academic research in New York State.”

The SUNY system includes four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, and the state’s only colleges of optometry and maritime. System wide research expenditures totaled nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024. More than three million SUNY alumni live and work around the globe, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY graduate.

What makes Plattsburgh unique today?

Enyedi noted that in 1991, SUNY Plattsburgh was primarily a residential undergraduate college. “Fast forward thirty-five years, and we have evolved into a comprehensive public university offering more than sixty undergraduate majors and an expanding portfolio of graduate and online programs,” he said. Graduate enrollment now exceeds 700 students, reflecting growth in high-demand areas such as social work, education, and accounting.

Total enrollment stands at 4,560 students, including learners from more than 30 countries. “We remain the right-size to know our students by name, but broad enough to make a global impact,” Enyedi said.

The Freshman Experience

Asked how the student experience has changed, Enyedi pointed to the university’s holistic approach to success. “Our Division of Enrollment and Student Success integrates academic advising, career readiness and wellness support from the first semester through graduation,” he said. “We focus on belonging, persistence, and preparation for life after college. Today’s students understand that their future success is our mission.”

Commitment to Transfer Students

Like his predecessor, Enyedi emphasized the university’s strong partnerships with numerous community colleges. “Transfer students are central to who we are,” he said. “We’ve strengthened pathways and articulation agreements across the SUNY system, including a major collaboration with Clinton Community College, which recently relocated to the SUNY Plattsburgh campus. This partnership enhances workforce development and expands educational access for North Country students.”

He said the partnership benefits both institutions and the region. “It creates new opportunities for North Country students, expands workforce development and builds stronger educational and economic connections across Clinton County. Together we are elevating the economic success of our citizens.”

The International Connection

SUNY Plattsburgh’s international programs continue to enrich the campus and the community. “Our students come from over 30 countries, bringing new perspectives to classrooms and to the region,” Enyedi said. “We value global citizenship as much as regional engagement, and we see them as deeply connected.”

The Academic Program

Academic innovation remains a hallmark. Enyedi cited a 93 percent rate of tenure-track faculty holding the highest degree in their field. “Our programs are aligned with future workforce needs, but they’re also grounded in critical thinking and real-world application,” he said. “Students are conducting research, interning with regional employers, and applying what they learn to solve real problems.”

The long-standing Honors Program, he noted, “continues to nurture intellectual curiosity and leadership among students across all majors.”

The University Foundation

Enyedi described the Plattsburgh College Foundation as “a cornerstone of our success.” Annual scholarship, funded by the Foundation, now exceeds $2 million, with another $1.5 - $2.0 million dedicated to university programs to enrich the student experiences. “Our alumni remain deeply connected to this place,” he said. “Their investment ensures that future Cardinals have the same or even better life-changing opportunities they did.”

Campus and Community

When asked about the university’s relationship with the City of Plattsburgh, Enyedi said: “That connection defines us. Our students volunteer thousands of hours each year, our faculty serve on local boards, and our campus events draw the community in. We are a cultural and economic anchor for the region.”

Budget, Growth, and Resilience

In contrast to 1989, when President Warren spoke of staff reductions and fiscal strain, Enyedi said the picture today is encouraging. “We have maintained a stable budget and steady enrollment at a time when higher education nationwide is facing significant demographic and financial headwinds.”

The university continues to invest in its physical and academic infrastructure. Significant renovations to Memorial Hall and campus dining facilities have been completed, and a $14 million transformation of Algonquin Hall into a new Admissions Welcome Center is scheduled to begin soon. “Our campus is being renewed,” Enyedi said, “and that investment from SUNY reflects confidence in our future.”

Looking Ahead

Enyedi acknowledged that 35 years ago no one could have foreseen the 2009 recession, the global COVID pandemic or the impending national high school student enrollment decline beginning in 2026. “These are challenging times,” he said, “but we are well positioned. We have strong programs, a dedicated faculty and staff and a deep commitment to the region we serve.”

As SUNY Plattsburgh celebrates more than 135 years of service to the region, Enyedi sees a clear throughline between past and present. “Our mission remains: to educate, serve and strengthen the North Country,” he said. “That has never changed. It continues to shape who we are, even as our reach and impact continue to expand.”