SUNY Canton

(02/15/12) Investigators have determined that a fire that broke out last Friday at SUNY Canton wasn't caused by "an intentional or criminal act."

Students were evacuated, and the campus is shut down this week as local fire and police departments look into what started the fire. In a press release, the Canton Fire Department said Tuesday that the fire had started in a chemistry prep and storage room.

College spokesman Randy Sieminski says they're waiting for test results to make sure it's safe to reopen academic buildings and residence halls. He says the school is still hopeful that classes will resume on Monday. He told Julie Grant everyone's glad arson has been ruled out as a cause. more

(02/13/12) Classes are canceled at SUNY Canton this week, as investigators work to determine the cause of an explosion and fire at Cook Hall on Friday.

Many campus buildings are also closed off, including two residence halls.
A school spokesman say they've sent air quality samples off for lab work, and hope to reopen the buildings as quickly as possible.

Classes are set to resume on Monday, Feb. 20. Students will be allowed to return to campus on the nineteenth.

Until then, the school's website offers assistance to those who can't get to their dorms, and need clothes, toiletries, and other essentials.

No cause has been determined for the fire.

There was an explosion in a chemistry lab on the north end of Cook Hall just before noon Friday. No one was injured.

Investigators were on the scene throughout the weekend, and will be there again today.

(02/10/12) Crews from ten fire departments were at SUNY Canton today, after a reported explosion and fire. A spokesman for the school says it happened in a chemistry lab, on the north end of the Cook Science Center.

No injuries had been reported.

NCPR was on the scene at around 12:30 this afternoon, and ran into John Stafford of Canton Fire and Rescue...

"Cooke, there's a fire in Cook Hall. There's toxic fumes. So they need to stay out of there... we've got fire departments from all over, rescue squads, everything going here."

Stafford was wearing a yellow mask over his head and mouth to protect him from the chemical smoke. The campus center was closed, and officials were stationed along campus roadways, preventing people getting too close.

Surrounding buildings were evacuated. Student Jeremy Coleman was walking around campus looking a little dazed. A few minutes earlier, he'd been asleep in his dorm...

"They came banging on the door, saying everyone has to leave, the building is being evacuated."

Fire officials said all firefighters will have to go through a decontamination process.
It is not known whether anyone was in the lab when the fire began. Arson investigators are reportedly looking into the matter.

(11/23/11) The State University of New York is apparently softening on the idea of a shared president for the Canton and Potsdam campuses.

More than a hundred Canton College supporters attended a meeting of SUNY Trustees in New York City yesterday.

Afterwards, Chancellor Nancy Zimpher sent a press release saying that SUNY still wants the schools to reduce administrative costs and redirect the money to support students. But she says SUNY understands "that support falls short at the concept of one president serving two campuses."

SUNY trustees have asked for a joint report by the presidents of the Potsdam and Canton colleges on how they will reduce costs by sharing services by July 2012.

Similar reports are due from other campuses around the state targeted for partial mergers.

(11/22/11) A busload of Canton college is heading to New York City this morning - to defend their local SUNY campus at the meeting of the state university's Trustees.

SUNY Central has proposed merging some college presidencies around the state, to save money on administrative costs, and funnel more to academics. SUNY canton and SUNY Potsdam were on the list. Canton Town Supervisor David Button says the two schools are too different, and Canton should be able to hire a president that represents its own interests. more

(09/27/11) This summer, the St. Lawrence County legislature considered a measure to create a climate action plan. The plan would find ways to save money while reducing the county government's carbon footprint. That could include anything from energy audits in county buildings to anti-idling policies in county parking lots. The legislature tabled the matter because it wanted a better cost-benefit analysis of the plan.

Clarkson University professor Stephen Bird hopes to provide that analysis. Bird studies energy and environmental policy. He's working with faculty and students at all four universities in Canton and Potsdam. Bird told David Sommerstein that climate change models project significant changes for the North Country in the future.

(09/21/11) The State University of New York is backing off from what had seemed like a done deal - that the Canton and Potsdam campuses would share one president. more

(09/08/11) State Senator Pattie Ritchie announced Wednesday she's introduced legislation that would require every SUNY college to have its own president.

The legislation comes after the state university system announced last month it's planning to merge the leadership of several pairs of SUNY colleges including Canton and Potsdam, Morrisville and Utica, Delhi and Cobleskill. more

(08/02/11) After several days of media speculation, The State University of New York Chancellor announced Tuesday afternoon that SUNY Canton President Joseph Kennedy will retire at the end of the 2011 - 2012 academic year. After that, he will become special advisor to the Chancellor.

SUNY officials say they are looking to save money, improve efficiency, and promote collaboration among their campuses...but some are seeing this as a step down the road to consolidation of the Canton and Potsdam SUNY campuses. more

(07/29/10) This is the season for summer school. Sometimes it's academic, sometimes fun, sometimes both. A group of high school students in the Upward Bound program at SUNY Canton have used theater, dance and poetry this summer to learn more about teamwork and self-confidence. They'll present a collection of children's skits and poems in SUNY Canton's Kingston Theater Friday afternoon (2 pm). It's free and open to all. Todd Moe stopped by a rehearsal earlier this week for a preview.