Interfaith America (IA) and the State University of New York (SUNY), the nation’s largest public university system, recently announced a partnership that brings together ten campuses in a cohort dedicated to equipping senior leaders to develop and implement sustainable pluralism strategies.

Representing the breadth of American higher education, the SUNY cohort includes nationally ranked R1 universities, public liberal arts colleges, public regional universities, rural and urban campuses, and a community college.

“Developing civil discourse skills and fostering civic engagement are essential components of an excellent public higher education,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. at a recent roundtable event. “SUNY provides students with opportunities to engage in civil discourse, build bridges through dialogue, and strengthen communities on and off campus through civic engagement.”

Interfaith America defines pluralism as the practice of engaging diversity in ways that foster mutual respect, build meaningful relationships across differences, and advance shared goals. As polarization continues to challenge campuses and communities nationwide, colleges and universities are increasingly turning to pluralism as a framework for strengthening dialogue and collaboration across differences.

“As an organization with more than two decades of bridge-building experience in higher education, Interfaith America is well-positioned to partner with SUNY campuses as they develop and advance sustainable pluralism strategies tailored to their unique environments,” said Cassie Meyer, Director of Campus Partnerships at Interfaith America.

The cohort convened for the first time at Interfaith America’s Interfaith Leadership Summit, held August 6-9, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois. Three senior administrators from each institution, including at least one cabinet-level leader, learned best practices for advancing campus pluralism and began developing strategic plans for their campuses.

These plans will focus on key levers of institutional change, including leadership, curriculum and scholarship, capacity building, and co-curricular engagement. Each campus will receive a $25,000 grant from Interfaith America to support implementation.

Previously, three leaders from SUNY Oswego: Lillian Evans, Emily Estrada, and Scott Furlong, participated in an Interfaith America Advancing Campus Pluralism Cohort in partnership with AASCU, and will be serving as Pluralism Fellows for the SUNY Cohort. The three will advise and support the ten SUNY campuses in partnership with Interfaith America over the next 18 months.

Today, the commitment to pluralism extends across the SUNY system. “Our view is that upholding our fragile democracy requires fidelity not to any ideology, but to a pluralistic society,” said Chancellor King. “Public higher education is uniquely positioned to help address our nation’s need for stronger civil discourse.”

Participating Campuses

• Binghamton University 
• Buffalo State University 
• Stony Brook University 
• SUNY Brockport 
• SUNY Cortland 
• SUNY New Paltz 
• SUNY Oneonta 
• SUNY Plattsburgh 
• SUNY Purchase 
• SUNY Rockland Community College 

Learn more about advancing campus pluralism.