John King, former Secretary of Education, chosen as the new SUNY Chancellor

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The SUNY Board of trustees has chosen a new chancellor.

Board members voted unanimously to appoint John King to the position starting in January. King, the former New York State Education Commissioner, also served as the U.S. Secretary of Education under President Barack Obama. We heard the governor’s thoughts on this while she was in Rochester.

“He has incredible experience and his knowledge of the state,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “We interviewed many many people and it was a lengthy process looking at individuals from all across the country. There’s a lot of interest in this position but to have someone who knows our state and lived in our state and held a very high position in education. And then went from there to become President Obama’s Secretary of Education so he has a broad base of education overall, higher education in particular.”

In a statement, New York State United Teachers said they’d work with King to make sure “every New Yorker has access to an affordable and exceptional public education.”