David Finney

Campaign Committee

Dave Finney was the seventh President of Champlain College from 2005–2014, and also served as Interim President from 2021–2022. During his time at Champlain, the college implemented a new core curriculum requirement, the development and completion of a campus master plan, the completion of a ten year college-wide strategic plan, tripled applications for admission, nearly doubled the size of the faculty, established several new graduate programs, created of a life-skills curriculum and established study abroad campuses in Montreal and Dublin as well as a campus in Shanghai for native Chinese. During Dave’s tenure the operating budget nearly quadrupled, enrollments and student selectivity increased, the tuition discount rate remained at less than 50% of the national average, and the College’s reputation grew.

Prior to Champlain, Finney was the Dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at New York University from 1999 until 2005. Earlier roles at NYU included serving as the Vice President of Enrollment Services and Planning, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services and Director of Admissions. He came to NYU in 1985 from the Rochester Institute of Technology where he was the Director of Admissions.

Finney earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Westminster College, Pennsylvania and a Master of Arts in higher education from Bowling Green State University. He holds a Master of Science in adult education and a doctorate in adult education, both from Teachers College, Columbia University.