SUNY Chancellor stepping down, to lead Ohio State University

ALBANY, N.Y. — SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson is stepping down to become the next president of the Ohio State University, effective Sept. 1.

State University of New York board of trustees on Wednesday announced Johnson’s departure.

She will continue her duties as SUNY Chancellor to help prepare campuses for the fall semester until the SUNY board of trustees appoints an interim leadership structure.

Johnson became the 13th chancellor of SUNY on April 24, 2017. Before her term officially began on Sept. 5 of that year, Johnson coordinated SUNY’s response to help the people of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. It was part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s efforts to “rescue and rebuild” the island, SUNY said.

Johnson volunteered on the island in 2018 along with SUNY and CUNY students.

“Leading SUNY has been an honor, and throughout my term I have been energized by the students, our esteemed faculty, and the brilliant leaders I have come to know and value,” Johnson said in a statement. “New York State has been welcoming to me and my wife Veronica Meinhard, and I am thankful to have the opportunity to build on SUNY’s strength as a diverse and inclusive higher education system.”

Since Johnson became chancellor, two-year community college graduation rates have increased 22 percent, and the number of students requiring remediation was reduced by half, per SUNY.

She launched PRODiG (Promoting Recruitment, Opportunity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Growth), an initiative designed to increase faculty diversity across SUNY campuses by hiring 1,000 underrepresented minorities and women in STEM by 2030.

More recently, Johnson oversaw efforts to ensure the continuation of academic instruction for about 400,000 students during the COVID-19 pandemic and deliver clinical care to nearly 1,000 COVID-19 infected patients.

She also led the establishment of #SUNYTogether, a fundraising effort that provides direct aid to students impacted by the pandemic and supports technology needs.