ITHACA, N.Y. -- Barbara Viniar is the new executive director of the Institute for Community College Development (ICCD) at Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR), Extension Division, starting today (July 21).

The institute was created in 2001 to help community colleges worldwide meet societal needs for training and education and provide valuable education and professional development for community college administrators and faculty members. Founded through an agreement between the State University of New York (SUNY) and Cornell, ICCD originally was housed in Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Department of Education. It moved to ILR's Extension Division, the outreach and public service arm of the school, in the summer of 2002.

"We are delighted to have someone of Barbara's caliber as executive director of the institute," said Carl Haynes, president of Tompkins Cortland Community College and chair of the board of directors of ICCD. "She brings with her a rich background of experiences that will contribute immeasurably to the ongoing success of the institute's mission."

Viniar brings to her position 25 years of experience in leadership positions at community colleges. She has been president of Berkshire Community College in Western Massachusetts since 1994, where she built the college's first substantial endowment and brought in more than $16 million in new grants. Before that she was vice president of institutional advancement at SUNY Rockland Community College and also held a variety of positions at that college, including dean of instructional and community services. Among her accomplishments at Rockland was a comprehensive faculty development program. She won the Woman of Achievement Award in 2001 from the Berkshire Business and Professional Women's group and was a Kellogg National Fellow in 1986-89. She holds a doctoral degree in education from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

In her new position, Viniar plans to work with ICCD's board to define and strengthen the institute's niche among community college education and leadership programs, identify new partners and audiences, and develop programs to meet emerging needs.

Viniar replaces Peter Spina, who will remain affiliated with ICCD as a consultant. For more information on ICCD, see this Web site: http://www.iccd.cornell.edu .