Suffolk Community College board extends president’s contract to 2020
Shaun McKay, get comfortable.
Dr. McKay, president of Suffolk County Community College, just had his employment contract extended to 2020.
The school’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Thursday to adopt a resolution extending the contract, school officials said.
“We know Dr. McKay will continue to strengthen the college’s reputation for excellence and that he is committed to ensuring its operations are focused upon enhancing student success,” board chairwoman Dafny Irizarry said in a statement. “The board would like to publicly acknowledge its satisfaction with the broad range of accomplishments achieved to date under Dr. McKay’s leadership.”
“We are confident that we will all see many additional, noteworthy gains as Dr. McKay continues his tenure as president, she added.”
The move comes at a time when Dr. McKay and school officials are trying to grow the college’s Eastern Campus in Northampton.
Just last year, the school began construction on a new, $14.5 million learning center at the campus, commonly referred to as the school’s Riverhead campus. The project is now complete.
Officials also plan to build a fitness center at the campus, complete with an indoor pool.
The plan took a step forward in June, when the county Legislature voted to include the $17.75 million for the project in the county’s capital budget.
The proposed gymnasium and health/fitness center would include an indoor pool, a strength training room, an aerobic room, a gymnasium, classroom space, office space, locker rooms and a lobby, according county officials.
Currently, Eastern Campus students have to trek to the Brentwood campus to complete physical education requirements.
Dr. McKay, of Manorville, was appointed president in 2010 at a salary of $230,000, according to a State University of New York officials.
The extension doesn’t make any salary changes, college officials said, adding that Dr. McKay “surrendered” an annual cost of living adjustment both this year and last.
With some 26,000 students at three campuses, Suffolk Community is the largest community college in the SUNY system, officials said.
Read about Dr. McKay on the Suffolk County Community College website.
