Nancy L. Zimpher

Dr. Nancy L. Zimpher
12th Chancellor of the State University of New York
Term	June 1, 2009 – present
Predecessor	John J. O’Connor (Officer in Charge) John R. Ryan
Born	October 29, 1946 (1946-10-29) (age 65) Gallipolis, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater	The Ohio State University
Institutions	The Ohio State University University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee University of Cincinnati State University of New York
Residence	Albany, New York, U.S.
Profession	Educator
Salary	$545,400
Spouse	Kenneth Howey
Website	Office of the Chancellor

Nancy L. Zimpher (born October 29, 1946) is an American educator, state university leader, and Chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY).^[1] Prior to her service at SUNY, Zimpher was a dean and professor of education at Ohio State University (where she had earned her bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees); then Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee between 1998 and 2003; and President of the University of Cincinnati from 2003 through May, 2009. Zimpher is the first woman to serve as Chancellor of SUNY, was UWM's first woman chancellor, and was UC's first female president. Zimpher is a native of the village of Gallipolis in southern Ohio.^[2]

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

At UWM (where she was the first female Chancellor of that university), Zimpher created the now-defunct "Milwaukee Idea", a deliberately-derivative variation on the historical Wisconsin Idea that "the University's boundaries are the State's boundaries", with a strategic plan that tied UWM, with its faculty knowledge base and research facilities, to the economic health and strength of the Greater Milwaukee area,^[3] and raised the profile of UWM in the region vis-a-vis crosstown rival Marquette University.^[4]

University of Cincinnati

At UC, she worked to eliminate the previous divisions among the colleges (such as by creating a single university commencement) and continuously championed UC|21, an academic plan which redefined UC as a "new urban research university" for the 21st century. Her work was complicated by controversy over her ouster of longtime basketball coach Bob Huggins. Shortly after her arrival at UC, Huggins had been arrested for driving under the influence. This arrest, combined with the poor performance of Huggins' players in the classroom, were among many factors that led Zimpher to force Huggins to resign in 2005.^[5][6][7]

SUNY

Soon after taking over at SUNY, Zimpher promised to visit all 64 campuses in the sprawling system—the largest university system in the nation under a single governing board.^[8]

Eight months after being sworn in, Zimpher had to deal with another athletic controversy, this time at Binghamton University. After a rash of incidents involving the school's basketball team, Zimpher ordered an audit of Binghamton's athletic department—to be overseen by the SUNY board of trustees, not Binghamton.^[9] The resulting report tallied what the New York Times described as "a litany of transgressions, including lowered admission standards and changed grades." In its wake, Binghamton president Lois B. DeFleur retired in July, athletic director Joel Thirer resigned and basketball coach Kevin Broadus, was placed on paid administrative leave and ultimately stripped of coaching duties.^[10]

Zimpher eventually assigned SUNY’s interim provost, David K. Lavallee, to lead an overall effort for the SUNY system to ensure that academics remain the highest priority; and Charles R. Westgate, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Binghamton, as a special adviser for academics and athletics for the SUNY system: moves some critics of the over-emphasis on athletics decried as insufficient.^[11]

References

1. ^ "Challenges aplenty at SUNY". The Times Union (Albany, New York): p. 1A. 2009-02-11. http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=768743&category=REGION. Retrieved 2009-02-17 ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ "Nancy Zimpher, UC's new president, at a glance". http://www.magazine.uc.edu/1103/zimpher3.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-04. 
3. ^ Business Courier of Cincinnati. "Zimpher to accept SUNY" top job". republished in The Business Journal of Milwaukee February 10, 2009
4. ^ [Goetz, Kristina. "UC's new leader keeps fast pace, personal touch." Cincinnati Enquirer, July 27, 2003]
5. ^ Rozin, Skip (March 30, 2006). "The Basketball Coach Vs. the College President". The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114367599328911693.html?mod=todays_us_personal_journal. 
6. ^ "SI.com - SI on Campus - 2004-05 Hoops Preview: Least Rootable Teams - Thursday, November 11, 2004 @ 10:56AM". CNN. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/sioncampus/11/10/least_rootable1111/. 
7. ^ UC Magazine
8. ^ Foderaro, Lisa W. SUNY Chancellor to Build a Strategy by Consensus. New York Times, 2009-02-10.
9. ^ Thamel, Pete. SUNY Board to Oversee an Audit of Binghamton. New York Times, 2009-10-03.
10. ^ Thamel, Pete. "At Binghamton, Concern That Sports Still a Focus" New York Times" February 27, 2010
11. ^ Thamel, Pete. "Binghamton Will Keep Men’s Team in Limbo" New York Times, March 23, 2010

External links

• Official biography
• UC|21 official site
• Nancy L. Zimpher collected news and commentary at The New York Times
• Works by or about Nancy L. Zimpher in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

Academic offices
Preceded by John H. Schroeder	Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee 1998–2003	Succeeded by Carlos E. Santiago
Preceded by Joseph A. Steger	President of the University of Cincinnati October 2003 – April 2009	Succeeded by Monica Rimai (Interim)
Preceded by John J. O'Connor (Officer in Charge)	Chancellor of the State University of New York June 1, 2009 – Present	Succeeded by Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Zimpher, Nancy
Alternative names
Short description	American educator and university president
Date of birth	October 29, 1946
Place of birth	Gallipolis, Ohio, U.S.
Date of death
Place of death