Dr. Virginia Schaefer Horvath

ALBANY — State University of New York Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson announced Thursday that after more than 40 years of service and leadership in public higher education, Dr. Virginia Schaefer Horvath, President of SUNY Fredonia plans to retire at the end of the spring semester on July 1, 2019.

“As a first-generation student herself, Dr. Horvath has a keen focus on an enrollment program that encourages students from diverse backgrounds to pursue a college degree and in doing so, Fredonia has achieved its most diverse applicant pool in its history,” said SUNY Chairman H. Carl McCall. “We thank Dr. Horvath for her service to SUNY and the Fredonia community.”

Horvath announced her retirement to students, faculty and staff in a campus-wide email on Thursday morning: “…I have been proud to serve the students, faculty, and staff of our university and the communities in our region. Together we have focused on challenging and supporting students as they learn from talented faculty and staff, and together we have advocated for the importance of accessible public higher education in our region. You are all remarkable, and you will continue to inspire me after I leave.”

In a phone interview with the OBSERVER on Thursday, Horvath said the announcement surprised some, as the news was kept quiet until Thursday. “I’ve talked to the chancellor and certain staff over the past few weeks,” she said. “I shared the news with my family on Tuesday and the cabinet on Wednesday.”

Next steps

Horvath told the OBSERVER that the chancellor will likely make an interim appointment for the 2019-2020 school year. “A full search takes much longer than three months,” Horvath explained. “It’s quite a big, expensive process but the chancellor and SUNY Board of Trustees will ensure that there is interim leadership in place by the start of the new academic year.”

Notably, Horvath is Fredonia’s first female president in the college’s 193-year history. When former Fredonia President Dennis Hefner announced his plans to retire, the search committee spent approximately 800 hours and six months narrowing down their list of 50 applicants to the final four. Horvath was the final candidate recommended to then-Chancellor Nancy Zimpher, and she officially stepped into her role as Fredonia’s 13th president on July 1, 2012. “A lot of people gave me clocks when I was inaugurated in the spirit of ‘It’s about time,'” said Horvath on being the first female president of Fredonia. “It’s been a privilege to have worked with so many wonderful people here.”

In her email to the campus, Horvath shared her future plans: “I will not be participating in the Fredonia Retirement Incentive program or remaining here as a tenured full professor in the English Department. My plan is to return to my family in Ohio, treasuring so many memories of the Fredonia students, faculty, and staff with whom I’ve had the honor and privilege to work,” she wrote.

Horvath told the OBSERVER that she is most looking forward to her final celebration on campus: commencement. “I love commencement,” she began. “There are 44 days until commencement, and I think it will be just a wonderful day. One of our alums is going to be the commencement speaker, and I’m looking forward to celebrating our Lanford Presidential Prize recipient, Monica Manney. I’ve heard from former students who are now graduating in May, and they’re excited that I’ll be a part of their commencement day. It’s really an honor.”

A western New York native, Horvath is from Amherst and graduated from Buffalo Seminary, where she later served on its board of trustees for six years. She received her B.A. in English from the State University of New York at Buffalo and an M.A. and Ph.D. in English from Kent State University, where she taught in the English department for several years. She served as Dean of Academic and Student Services for Kent State’s regional campuses and assistant to the president for strategic planning, prior to coming to Fredonia as Vice President for Academic Affairs. While serving as an administrator, Horvath also taught more than a dozen classes on campus over the past 14 years; those opportunities to engage with the student body are among her fondest memories of Fredonia, she said.

Horvath’s legacy

Key accomplishments during Horvath’s seven years as Vice President for Academic Affairs included developing HARP (Handbook for Appointment, Reappointment, & Promotion), coordinating Middle States accreditation and eight specialized accreditations, and leading academic involvement in the design and construction of two award-winning academic buildings.

During Dr. Horvath’s seven years as president, Fredonia implemented an enrollment management plan and achieved major goals of the Power of Fredonia strategic plan, including a Carnegie Community Engagement classification. She was instrumental in key initiatives leading to significant growth in the Fredonia College Foundation endowment.

“It’s been a priority for me that Fredonia, as a regional public university, serve the people of this region in many ways,” Horvath shared with the OBSERVER. “Fredonia students, faculty, and staff contribute thousands of hours of community service, and the Incubator provides workshops, support, and office space for those who are starting businesses. I was proud of the work leading to the Carnegie Engaged Campus Classification, because it recognizes the importance of our service and engaged scholarship. I’ve been proud of the collaborations with Jamestown Community College and our Destination to a Dream program.”

Community involvement

Horvath has also been actively involved in the Dunkirk-Fredonia community and served the area in several capacities. “For me, public service and volunteering have always been part of my responsibility to give back and to try to make a difference. I love this community and will miss it,” she told the OBSERVER.

“I have served on the WNY Regional Economic Development Council since 2015 and as its co-chair since 2017. This is one of 10 Councils appointed by Gov. Cuomo for awarding NYS funds for projects related the priorities of the region. The WNY Strategy for Prosperity has led to investments in Buffalo and far beyond, including the $10 million Downtown Revitalization investment in Jamestown and the Smart Growth funds for Dunkirk ($2.5 million), Fredonia ($2.5 million), as well as Gowanda and Westfield,” said Horvath.

Horvath is a member of the Brooks-TLC Board of Directors and in February was named co-chair of the citizens advisory committee for the reuse of Brooks Memorial Hospital. She is also a board member for Dunkirk Salvation Army’s advisory board.

Other organizations that Horvath has been involved in include Girl Scouts of Western New York Board of Directors, Central Connection working with Mayors Landis and Rosas to secure a technical assistance grant for collaborative funding for Dunkirk, Fredonia and the college, the 1891 Fredonia Opera House Board of Directors, Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Northern Chautauqua Women and Girls Coalition, member of the steering committee and volunteer in the Women 2 Women program, volunteer in Literacy Volunteers tutoring in ESL to a visiting family from 2012-14, and member and occasional officer/volunteer of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Northern Chautauqua since 2006. For the past six years, Horvath has volunteered in Compeer Chautauqua, mentoring a Dunkirk girl with whom she is close.

Horvath said, “I have been honored to work with colleagues and students and take pride in what we have been able to achieve together in academics, research and creative activity, student leadership, shared governance, community service, athletics, student success, economic development, and innovation. I will leave with joy at having served here and with hope for continued success for the next generations of Fredonians and for all SUNY faculty, staff, and students. A part of my heart will always remain here.”