President Rodríguez: University ‘Well Equipped’ to Face Higher Ed Headwinds

A man in a stiped tie speaks at a lecturn
President Havidán Rodríguez delivered his Spring University Address Tuesday. (Photos by Patrick Dodson)

ALBANY, N.Y. (April 15, 2026) — Despite “serious headwinds” facing higher education, UAlbany is well equipped to confront challenges, President Havidán Rodríguez said in his Spring University Address Tuesday.

The president, speaking before a packed house in the Campus Center Ballroom, mentioned federal cuts in research funding; attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs; and visa and immigration cuts that have led to declines in international enrollment. 

“While UAlbany is not immune to these pressures, we have not experienced the dramatic cuts and academic restructuring that have become common at colleges and universities across the country,” he said.

Echoing the words of Senate Chair and Physics Associate Professor Cecilia Levy, whose opening remarks served to introduce the president, Rodríguez said engagement from the campus community is essential. “None of us could navigate the upheaval facing higher education by ourselves,” he said.

A man in a suit and glasses shakes the hand of a smiling young woman in a pale dress as a young man in a suit and tie smiles at her.
The president greets two Chancellor's Award winners after his speech.

The president pointed to some of the highlights and new initiatives of the past year, including the birth of Thrive UAlbany, a campus-wide initiative focused on students’ health and wellness, financial literacy, career readiness, and sense of belonging. He mentioned new enrollment agreements the University entered into with Columbia-Greene Community College and Albany High School, as well as several new academic programs. These include a bachelor’s in nursing, a minor in the ethics and philosophy of AI, and new programs in mechanical and design engineering and mechanical and mechatronics engineering.

The president also spoke of two inspirational UAlbany alumni — Omar Yaghi ’85, who won the Nobel Prize in chemistry and returned to campus earlier this month; and Dorcey Applyrs, MPH ’05, DrPH ’14, the current mayor of Albany.

And he honored the nine winners of the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence: Maurice Burbridge, Sophie Coker, Halimah Lawson, Massa Masri, Sean Millington, Dominique Platt, Senbahavalli Ramasamy, Sanaa Woodley and Addison Yang.

Watch the president’s entire speech.

2026 President’s Excellence Awards

Along with the president, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Carol Kim honored members of UAlbany’s faculty and staff with excellence awards.

Excellence in Professional Service

A man in a black suit shakes the hand of a woman in a pale purple jacket in front of a poster of the goddess Minerva
President Rodríguez congratulates Lisa Clarke.
  • Lisa Clarke, Educational Opportunity Program
  • Kirk Leszczynski, Department of Residential Life
  • Anette Lippold, Office of Enterprise Risk Management
  • Karen McNeill, Office of Academic Progression and Success
  • Alison Olin, School of Education
  • Marie Rabideau, College of Arts and Sciences

Excellence in Academic Service

  • Matthew Ingram, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy
  • Eliot Rich, Massry School of Business

Excellence in Teaching

A line of people stand holding tear-dropped shaped glass trophies
The winners of the President's Excellence in Teaching awards.
  • Jaclyn Amoroso, Writing & Critical Inquiry Program
  • Kathleen Dunn, College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering
  • Marina Hernandez, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Sean McKeever, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy
  • Royal Srem Sai, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy
  • Tara Yasenchak, Educational Opportunity Program

Excellence in Librarianship

  • Abigail Adams, University Libraries

Excellence in Classified Service

  • A line of faculty pose with glass trophies under a projection with their faces and the words" President's Excellence Award in Research and Creative Activities
    The winners of the Excellence in Research and Creative Activities awards.

    Janine Gestwick, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy

  • Michael Mabee, University Police Department
  • Lena Thornton, Facility Management

Excellence in Research and Creative Activities

  • Cheryl Andam, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Ashley Fox, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy
  • Ken Halvorsen, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Verónica Pérez Rodríguez, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Woongje Sung, College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering
  • Mehmet Yigit, College of Arts and Sciences