(April 21, 2004) — BROCKPORT — The SUNY Brockport president credited with boosting the school’s academic standing and reputation is leaving to assume the presidency of San Jose State University.

The hiring of Paul Yu was announced Tuesday by the California State University system. He will start work July 15 at the 30,000-student school in the San Francisco Bay area.

Yu, 62, was returning Tuesday from California and could not be reached for comment. But students, faculty and colleagues said he will leave the 8,500-student State University College at Brockport notably better than when he arrived in 1997.

”He’s really made a difference in the quality of students coming to Brockport,” said Dena Levy, an associate professor of political science and Faculty Senate vice president, pointing to the college’s move into Tier 2 of SUNY schools. The state system categorizes its four-year schools based on selectivity; Brockport climbed from Tier 3 last fall at the culmination of a multiyear effort to attract an academically stronger student body.

For students, Yu “is an icon on campus,” said Steve Keblish, 22, vice president of Brockport Student Government. “I think he’s made huge improvements to this college that makes everybody happier to be at Brockport.”

”I’ll miss President Yu as a colleague and a friend, but he certainly is deserving of this job,” said State University College at Geneseo President Christopher Dahl. “They’ve found an outstanding new president at San Jose. I know for a fact President Yu did not seek out this opportunity. I’m sure he was ardently recruited.”

The SUNY board of trustees will likely have an interim president in place by the time Yu leaves, said SUNY spokesman David Henehan, and then a search committee of faculty, staff and students will work with a recruitment firm to create a pool of candidates.

”I’d like to see someone come in and continue what (Yu) has started,” Levy said. “I don’t want to see us slip backwards.”

Brockport is the second area college seeking a president. The University of Rochester’s Thomas Jackson will step down after the 2004-05 school year.