Embedded Files
December 2025
Dear Members of the SUNY Board of Trustees,
As the founders of the Coalition of NYS School Board Members and as dedicated volunteers who have committed
our time to advancing and protecting public education across New York State, we write to express our deep
disappointment and concern regarding the SUNY Board’s unanimous decision not to approve the appointment of Dr.
Maria Conzatti as the permanent President of Nassau Community College.
This decision disregards the informed judgment of the Nassau Community College Board of Trustees, who—after an
extensive national search—selected Dr. Conzatti as the most qualified and capable candidate to lead the institution
forward. For years, SUNY’s prolonged hesitancy to appoint a permanent president has hindered NCC’s ability to
operate at its fullest potential. Despite this, Dr. Conzatti’s three years as Acting President represent one of the longest
and most successful periods of leadership the College has seen.
SUNY’s decision does not reflect the needs, priorities, or best interests of Nassau Community College or the
community it serves. Many across the region are concerned that the rejection of her appointment may have been
influenced by factors unrelated to the merit of her candidacy or the well-being of the College.
Dr. Conzatti is not simply an administrator—she is an NCC alumna who has devoted her entire professional life to the
institution. She has risen through the ranks with integrity, commitment, and a profound understanding of the students,
faculty, staff, and mission of Nassau Community College. As someone who has lived the NCC experience firsthand,
and as a long-serving leader, she is uniquely prepared to guide the College into its next chapter.
Under her leadership as Acting President and Chief Administrative Officer, NCC has achieved significant milestones
that directly benefit New York State’s public education landscape:
Eliminating the College’s structural deficit without layoffs of tenured faculty
Securing Middle States reaccreditation for eight years
Driving meaningful enrollment increases
Expanding innovative academic and workforce development programs that promote economic mobility and
student success
These are not small accomplishments—they are transformational outcomes that demonstrate the strength,
steadiness, and vision Dr. Conzatti brings to Nassau Community College.
As founders of the Coalition of NYS School Board Members, we see firsthand how critical NCC is to the educational
pipeline in New York State. Community colleges are no longer simply transitional institutions; they are hubs of
workforce readiness, career advancement, technical innovation, and gateways to opportunity. Under Dr. Conzatti’s
leadership, NCC has evolved far beyond the traditional model of a community college and has positioned itself as a
dynamic, responsive, forward-thinking institution that better meets the needs of today’s students and tomorrow’s
workforce.
We strongly urge the SUNY Board of Trustees to reconsider its decision. Nassau Community College—and the
students and families who depend on it—deserve stable, committed leadership. Dr. Conzatti has already proven her
capability, her dedication, and her vision for the institution’s future. She has earned this position, and NCC has
flourished under her guidance.
For the good of the College, for the stability of public education in New York State, and for the thousands of students
whose futures are shaped by NCC, we implore SUNY to act in the best interests of the institution and grant Dr.
Conzatti the permanent presidency she has long demonstrated she is uniquely qualified to hold.
Respectfully,
Margaret Marchand, Michael Rich, and Kerry Wachter
Founding Members
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