College Presidents

Dr. James Sunser began his tenure as the fourth president of Genesee Community College on August 1, 2011 and retired from GCC in May 2024.  Before coming to GCC, Dr. Sunser served as a member of the staff of Onondaga Community College for 22 years, as Bursar (1989-1996), Vice President for Finance (1996-2004), and Vice President for Continuing and Extended Learning (2004-2011). Dr. Sunser is also an alumnus (1984) of Onondaga Community College.

A native of Syracuse, Dr. Sunser holds a B.S. degree from Syracuse University, a M.S. degree from SUNY College at Brockport, a Certificate of Advanced Study from the University of Rochester, and an Ed.D. degree from the University of Rochester.

The inauguration of Dr. Sunser was held May 5, 2012.

Dr. Stuart Steiner served as president of Genesee from 1975-2011. He was a member of the College’s staff from its founding in 1967. He served as Genesee’s Dean of Students from 1967 to 1968, and Dean of Instruction/Executive Dean from 1968 to 1975.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Steiner began his career as a social worker in 1959, working first as a caseworker and later as Director of Juvenile Court Services for the City of Baltimore. He also served as Director of Baltimore Information and Referral Services for the Health and Welfare Council of Metropolitan Baltimore. He also began serving as a member of the adjunct faculty of Community College of Baltimore County in 1963.

Dr. Steiner was a graduate of Baltimore City Community College (formerly Baltimore Junior College). In addition to the Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree from BCCC, he held a B.S. degree from the University of Maryland; Graduate Certificate in Social Work from Florida State University; a M.S.W. degree from the University of Pennsylvania; a J.D. degree from the University of Baltimore; a M.A. degree from Columbia University, Teachers College; and a Ed.D. degree from Columbia University, Teachers College.

Dr. Steiner received state and national recognition for his work. He was a recipient of the New York State Phi Theta Kappa Service Award; New York State Community College Faculty Council Distinguished Service Award; Association of Community College Trustees Northeast Region Chief Executive Officer Award. He was named a Transformational Leader in Higher Education by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation; received the University of Texas at Austin Community College Leadership Award; received a Kellogg Fellowship and various academic honors from Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Maryland, and University of Baltimore Law School. He was named a distinguished alumnus of Baltimore City Community College.

Dr. Cornelius (Neal) V. Robbins was president of Genesee Community College from 1970-1975.  He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Delaware and his doctorate in education from the University of Pennsylvania in 1964.  Prior to coming to Batavia, he served as Academic Dean at two community colleges, as an educational consultant, as Associate Director of the School Study Councils at the University of Pennsylvania, and as a teacher in secondary education.

Dr. Robbins left GCC in 1975 to become the Associate Chancellor for Community Colleges in the SUNY Central Administration.  He later served as president of SUNY Cobleskill and following that, went on to Albany to join the Department of Educational Administration & Policy Studies.

Dr. Alfred C. O’Connell was the founding president of Genesee Community College serving from 1967 to 1970.  Dr. O’Connell received Master’s Degrees from both Trinity College and the University of Hartford (Connecticut.)  He received his Doctor of Education degree from Columbia University, where he studied under a Kellogg Fellowship in community college administration.  He also earned a graduate diploma at the University of Vienna.  After teaching in public and private schools in New England and serving as chairman of the History Department at Grosse Pointe University School in Michigan, Dr. O’Connell entered the community college field in 1959 as assistant professor of history at Auburn Community College.  Prior to coming to GCC, he was president of Harford Junior College (now Harford Community College) in Bel Air, Maryland.

Following his time at Genesee, Dr. O’Connell was the State Director for Community Colleges for Maryland and later returned to serve as president of Harford Community College.

The Alfred C. O’Connell Library was named in his honor when the new College Road campus opened in January 1972.