CANTON -- The SUNY chancellor's plan for success for the 64-campus SUNY system is drawing praise from SUNY Canton's president.

President Joseph Kennedy said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher's plan to create a disciplined system of success fits well with SUNY Canton's overall plans to create more online courses for all SUNY students, share services, and to extend outreach to pre-college educational programs.

Of the chancellor's message, delivered during her State of the University Address, Kennedy said that Zimpher "has marked a path for the success of our current and future generations of students.

"We are no strangers to growth, adaptation, and innovation," Kennedy said. "We've established a clear model for successful online learning through SUNY Canton OnLine, and hope to expand our offerings to more students from more places."

Kennedy said the college is exploring new ways to share resources among colleges, including nearby SUNY Potsdam, and researching ways to extend shared services with SUNY Plattsburgh. Earlier this semester, Kennedy created a task force to initiate discussions with other colleges about shared administrative services.

"A critical component in the overall transformation the chancellor pointed out has already begun locally," Kennedy said.

"Earlier this semester, we hosted senior leaders from SUNY's Information Technology team. We've fared very well in their overall expectations and our systems fit well within the broader scope of the SUNY System. We look forward to working with SUNY further to expand collaborations among colleges."

The college has also extended its high school outreach, offering college-level courses in nearby high schools including Ogdensburg Free Academy and Massena Central through a New York State Department of Education grant. The new program allows high school students to begin accumulating college-level credits prior to graduation.

There is also a special project with Heuvelton Central High School allowing more than 40 senior-level students to earn six college credits in English, and ongoing distance-learning initiatives at area high schools.

"Students who earn college credits in high school are more likely to graduate and successfully attend college," Kennedy said. "It helps students create a realistic expectation of college-level courses. We are offering courses that will help them when they enter SUNY Canton or almost any other SUNY college."

SUNY Canton already offers almost 200 online courses each semester, and more than 4,000 students are expected to enroll in at least one course each semester. The college also has eight completely online bachelor's degrees, which increases accessibility to community college and two-year students.

SUNY Canton also offers high-needs majors that help students graduate from college and step directly into a career. "By targeting the careers with the highest growth and need, we are offering our students a competitive advantage for future success within today's economy," he said.