On Feb. 12, President Deborah Stanley sent out an email to students announcing the retirement of Nicholas Lyons, the current vice president for administration and finance. Lyons’ retirement will be effective on April 13, according to the email.

In his current position, Lyons oversees finance, student accounts, human resources, environmental health and safety, campus police, facilities design and construction, physical plant and purchasing. He is in charge of most financial operations and facilities.

Lyons has worked for SUNY for about 43 years, with the last 19 years at SUNY Oswego. He also received his education from the SUNY system, holding degrees in business administration from Morrisville State and Plattsburgh State. 

Lyons previously worked as the assistant vice president for administration at SUNY New Paltz, as a university internal control officer and in several administrative positions at System Administration and the Research Foundation of SUNY. 

Having experience with SUNY as both a student and employee, Lyons praised the public education that SUNY provides. Lyons is a first generation college student and believes there are many benefits of  public education.

“I think that’s the premise of public education, that it really gives opportunity for people to improve their lifestyles,” Lyons said. “Public education gives people a chance to have a better life.”

In 2011, Lyons was recognized by the SUNY Business Officers Association (SUBOA) as the Robert J. Wagner Business Officer of the Year. In her email, Stanley praised Lyons and this award, crediting Lyons for his, “outstanding performance, highest professional standards and significant contributions to SUNY and SUBOA.”

Lyons expressed his gratitude for receiving this award and emphasized the honor and pride he felt to have received it.

“[Robert J. Wagner] was a mentor to me and was a great help to me in my career. To receive an honor in his name was just an unbelievable feeling for me,” Lyons said. “I am so proud to be associated with him because he helped so many of the business officers with his knowledge.” 

Current Associate Vice President for Finance and Budget Victoria Furlong will move into the role of interim Vice President for Administration and Finance upon Lyons’ retirement. Lyons expressed his confidence in the team he will  leave behind come April 13.

“I have complete confidence in Vicki,” Lyons said. “She has been at the college for over 25 years and has been my right-hand for a number of years. She is ready, and I think it will be a seamless transition.”

Lyons recognized Stanley as a key factor in SUNY Oswego’s success. He explained that having one consistent boss helped to keep initiatives and plans for the college alive. Lyons enjoyed that with Stanley, as the college has had the same well-formulated plan for nearly two decades and believes that he and his colleagues have been given the proper tools and time to execute that plan.

“The one thing that I have been really happy with is that I have had the same boss for the last 19 years,” Lyons said. “It has been Deborah’s plan, and we have been building on that plan for 19 years.”

Lyons also praised SUNY Oswego for its effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You can’t plan for everything, but you have to be able to react to it, and I think we have done a very good job of that,” Lyons said. “There are a lot of SUNY campuses that are struggling right now; we are not one of them. I think we will come through this pandemic stronger.”

Lyons spoke highly of SUNY and the experiences he has had as an employee, expressing his pride in having worked in public education.

“It is a life-long career, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” Lyons said. “I really feel that what we do is for the better good of the whole state.”

Stanley expressed her gratitude on behalf of SUNY Oswego for Lyons in her email. 

“As a member of the SUNY family for nearly 50 years, as a student and an employee, Nick will be greatly missed,” Stanley said. “Thank you Nick for the mark you have made on our institution … We are indebted to your vision and commitment.”

Photo provided by Nicholas Lyons