SUNY Morrisville President David Rogers will retire at the end of the academic year, concluding more than a decade of leadership marked by academic growth, expanded programs and campus transformation.
Rogers, who became the college’s eighth president in 2015, oversaw the expansion of academic offerings, including new bachelor’s degrees and the college’s first master’s degree programs in food & agribusiness, and project management.
His tenure also included significant investments in campus facilities, including a $12.9 million grant he helped secure to build the Agricultural & Clean Energy Technology (ACET) Center, alongside the development of new programs to meet evolving industry demand.
His presidency was further defined by strengthened partnerships with industry and regional organizations, aligning academic programs with workforce needs across Central New York. He served on regional boards, including the Madison County Industrial Development Agency (IDA), the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council (REDC), Cornell Cooperative Extension and Community Memorial Hospital, strengthening connections between the college and the broader community.
Additionally, he currently serves on the Health WorkForce New York (HWNY) and Partners for Campus-Community Engagement (PCCE).
The college also made key infrastructure improvements during his tenure, creating a more sustainable campus through modernized underground systems designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
Rogers brought years of higher education experience to Morrisville when he arrived in 1999. He joined his wife, Jan, already part of the college community and now a retired faculty member, and together, they became deeply rooted in campus life.
Through the years, he served in a variety of leadership roles, including provost; chief operating officer; vice president for academic affairs; chief information officer; dean of the college’s School of Business; and interim dean of the Norwich Campus and the School of Agriculture & Natural Resources.
Reflecting on his time at the college, Rogers said leaving will not be easy.
“What I’ll miss most is the daily life on this campus, seeing students learn, grow and challenge themselves, walking the quads and cheering at games,” Rogers said. “Being part of students’ growth and seeing them step into the world has been the most rewarding part of my time here.”
A national search is underway to identify the college’s next president.
