Anastasia L. Urtz, J.D., serves as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at Onondaga Community College (OCC), an affiliated community college of the State University of New York, enrolling 7500 students annually. Anastasia’s experience in higher education spans public, private, research, land grant, and community colleges, including leadership roles in academic and student affairs, business and legal affairs, strategic planning, and fundraising. As Provost at OCC, Anastasia has led implementation of a guided pathways model of integrated student supports and faculty redesign of the curriculum to reflect changing demographics and regional workforce needs, including over 20 new programs in healthcare, science and technology, business, and the liberal arts. In addition, Anastasia has supported the implementation of initiatives to strengthen the high school to college pipeline, engage adult learners, expand civic engagement, and foster student success.
Anastasia has served as adjunct faculty in public policy, law, and ethics, at St. John Fisher College; published, presented, and served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Education in the fields of student substance abuse prevention and community coalition-building; and, received individual and institutional awards and national recognition in the areas of student affairs, campus safety, first-year experience programs, and, most recently, the “Box of Books” student equity project, which was a 2019 Top Ten Bellwether Award finalist. Anastasia was a 2017-2018 Fellow of the American Council on Education (ACE) and is one of thirty women chosen nationwide by the ACE Women’s Network for its “Moving the Needle” mentorship program. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from The American University, Washington, DC, and earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Anastasia has a long record of public service with community based organizations focused on community development, the well-being of children and families, K-12 education, social justice, and the arts, including her current role as Vice President of CNY Arts, a regional arts council serving six counties. In addition, Anastasia plays Bb clarinet in the Silverwood Clarinet Choir and the Cazenovia Community Band.
