SUNY Cobleskill's new president may be SUNY Delhi President Candace Vancko.
Sources close to SUNY Cobleskill said Dr. Vancko would split her time between the two campuses and that the SUNY Central Administration in Albany would make the announcement today, Wednesday.
Dr. Vancko would replace former SUNY Cobleskill president Don Zingale, who retired abruptly in late July.
A campus-wide meeting--also open to the public--to explain the new arrangement will be held at 10am Thursday, according to several sources.
Although several Cobleskill employees expressed concern at sharing a president, others said the practice is coming to the SUNY system and is common in other states.
SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam are expected to be sharing a president, and in Ohio, smaller schools in the Ohio State system share presidents.
"Consolidation [of administration] is the way many schools are going," one person said.
Two sources close to SUNY Cobleskill worried that without a full-time president, the college wouldn't have a "public face."
But others pointed out that during the long period between former President Tom Haas and Dr. Zingale--well more than a year--SUNY Cobleskill had a solid public presence with Anne Myers as provost.
Several sources spoke highly of Dr. Vancko, describing her as a strong, innovative president who's done a good job at Delhi.
"She gets things done," one person said. "She's a worker."
According to the SUNY Delhi website, Dr. Vancko has been president there since 1999.
More than one source also said Wednesday's announcement would indicate that the two campuses would share some services.
"This was in the planning stages for a while," one person said. "This decision didn't happen when Zingale stepped down."
Spokesmen for both colleges would neither confirm nor deny Dr. Vancko would serve Delhi and Cobleskill.
Calls to the SUNY Central Administration were not returned.