History of the College

In April 1958, the Warren County Board of Supervisors encouraged the formation of an action committee to discuss the methods, plans, and requirements for a community college.

Since the population and tax base of Warren County alone were insufficient to establish a community college, Washington and Saratoga counties were invited to join with Warren in sponsoring the College. The action committee was expanded to include representatives from Washington County, along with those of Warren County.

Sub-committees were appointed, surveys conducted, and preliminary plans for the College developed. Pamphlets were printed and widely distributed, and members of the action committee made numerous speeches before citizens groups throughout Warren and Washington counties. In April 1960, the action committee presented the matter to both boards of supervisors, who took favorable action and approved the submission of the plan to the State. The State University approved the plan on June 10, 1960, officially establishing Adirondack Community College (ACC) as part of SUNY. (Although Saratoga County decided not to become a sponsor, more than one-third of our students are from Saratoga.)

A Board of Trustees for Adirondack Community College was appointed during the summer of 1960 and held its first meeting October 11, 1960. The first president, Dr. Charles R. Eisenhart, took office February 20, 1961, and the College opened on September 12, 1961, on the south edge of Hudson Falls. The first class graduated on June 11, 1963. ACC moved into its permanent quarters on Bay Road north of Glens Falls on August 28, 1967. Dr. Eisenhart retired on June 30, 1978, and was named President Emeritus. Dr. Gordon C. Blank served as ACC’s second president from 1978 to 1988, when he retired. The College’s third president, Dr. Roger C. Andersen, assumed his position in June 1988, and served as president until May 31, 1998. Dr. Jane M. Harmon was named president of ACC as of July 1, 1998. Dr. Jay Fennell, retired president of Clinton Community College, was appointed and served as interim president of Adirondack Community College from September 1, 2000, to July 13, 2001. Dr. Marshall E. Bishop became president of Adirondack Community College on July 16, 2001, and served until his retirement in the summer of 2007. In July 2007, Dr. Ronald C. Heacock became the sixth president of the College and served through mid-2013.  Dr. Kristine D. Duffy became the seventh President of the College on July 1, 2013.

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