Shaun McKay to stay as SCC president

Suffolk County Community College President Shaun McKay is staying put.

McKay, who last month was named one of three finalists for the post of chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents, was informed last week that the Regents had selected in-state contender Flora W. Tydings, president of Chattanooga State Community College.

The board voted unanimously Dec. 27 to give Tydings the $345,000-a-year job. McKay and contender Monty Sullivan, president of Louisiana Community and Technical College, also were interviewed. Sullivan later dropped out.

McKay did not return calls for comment.

McKay was among 41 contenders for the job overseeing Tennessee’s 13 community colleges and 27 state colleges of applied technology, but not the University of Tennessee.

A search by a 16-member committee headed by Gov. Bill Haslam came after former chancellor John Morgan departed after criticizing the governor’s restructuring plans.

McKay is currently under contract as Suffolk’s president until August 2020. He makes $291,196 a year in total compensation, with a base salary of $240,270 as well as a car and shelter allowance.

McKay heads Suffolk’s three-campus community college, the largest in New York by enrollment with 25,600 credit students, 10,000 continuing education students and a $219 million budget.

DuWayne Gregory (D-Amityville), the Suffolk legislature’s presiding officer, expressed relief McKay would remain in Suffolk. Gregory said McKay has been a “tremendous asset” in improving the school with major building programs at all three campuses, improved food service and increased fundraising for scholarships.

“It was a personal professional decision for him and I didn’t want to be discouraging,” said Theresa Sanders, SCC board of trustees chairwoman. “But I had my fingers crossed behind my back that he would stay . . . and I’m ecstatic that he’s going to remain.”