By Courtney Dentch
The newly appointed president of York College received a warm welcome at the Jamaica campus last week as he promised to be a “charismatic listener” to learn how to lead the school community.
Robert Hampton, an administrator at the University of Maryland, was officially introduced as the new head of York College by City University Chancellor Matthew Goldstein at a news conference May 28. Hampton, 55, was unanimously appointed by the CUNY trustees May 27 and was slated to start June 21.
“You’re an impressive community,” Hampton said at the news conference. “To use a sports metaphor, York has its ‘A game’ together. All the ingredients to be a great institution of higher education are here.”
Hampton, a retired Army reservist, is the associate provost for academic affairs and the dean for undergraduate studies at University of Maryland, College Park, and he spent seven years as a dean at Connecticut College.
“His distinguished career in the academic community made me believe he should be appointed as the next president at York College,” Goldstein said.
Hampton is eager to talk to faculty, staff and students to learn more about his new school, and he plans to spend his first few weeks hearing their concerns, he said.
“Listening is my top priority because I need to learn,” he said. “I need to understand who you are, to understand what makes you proud to be affiliated with York College.”
A Michigan City, Ill. native, Hampton also said he will need time adjusting to New York City and the CUNY system.
“I’m a Hoosier,” Hampton said. “I’m not a New Yorker. I may talk funny, I may eat a lot of corn, but I come to New York City with a fresh perspective.”
Hampton hopes to build on the school’s partnerships with the city’s public school system, the Food and Drug Administration, the Port Authority and the immediate community to develop programs that will attract and retain students, he said.
“There have to be some programs for an institution to do some chest-pounding or walk with a stagger and say, ‘We do these things well,’” he said. “That’s the way to attract attention. We have to make sure we have high-quality programs for these students so they’ll see York as an alternative to other schools.”
But some staff members are worried there are not enough resources to fund these programs.
“York’s been making due with too damn little for too damn long,” said Agnes Grey Ross, a secretary in the Biology Department. “I’d like to know your plans for fund-raising.”
While Hampton acknowledged that the school would have to spend its money wisely, he also plans to approach the Queens community to offer chances to help York, he said.
“I have a responsibility to work within the broader community to cultivate opportunities for them to make a difference,” Hampton said. “We need to provide a menu, to say here are the ways we can make a difference.”
He earned three sociology degrees, receiving his bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and his master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Michigan.
Hampton takes over for Russell Hotzler, who served as interim president at York College after the previous president, Charles Kidd, stepped down last June.
Hotzler was barred from seeking the permanent position by a CUNY policy that says allowing an interim leader to vie for the permanent seat could be a conflict of interest, since his work at the school during his temporary stint could be seen as a form of campaigning.
Hotzler will remain with CUNY as a vice chancellor for academic program planning to improve transfer policies among the university’s colleges. He was scheduled to join CUNY’s central administration starting Aug. 1.
“It will be good to go back at a higher level,” Hotzler said of his new title. “I’ll be able to continue to build on my background as an administrator. We have to solve some problems.”
Reach reporter Courtney Dentch by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com, or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
