State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher was in Western New York on Wednesday as part of a series of town hall-style meetings being held across the state to discuss the overarching challenge for SUNY in the decade to come:

How can the largest public higher-education system in the nation help New York State rebuild its quality of life and struggling economy?

“That’s what these statewide conversations are about,” Zimpher said.

Zimpher, the former University of Cincinnati president who took over as SUNY chancellor in June, finished a whirlwind tour of all 64 campuses during her first 100 days and is now focused on devising a strategic plan for the system by March.

The campuses are proud of the work they are doing but frustrated by losses in state funding, Zimpher said during a break in Wednesday’s forum.

Developing a five-year budget process, boosting the prestige of SUNY and giving the campuses more flexibility from state rules and regulations are among the core issues that have emerged during the strategic planning.

“What we’re really talking about is where the State University of New York can be in the next five to 10 years,” said Anthony Knerr, the New York City-based consultant helping the system through the planning process.

The chancellor was at the Center for the Arts on the University at Buffalo North Campus in Amherst on Wednesday for the second of seven of these conversations, where she and other SUNY officials received feedback from some 200 delegates representing campuses around the state.

While the overarching mission is to use the SUNY system to help revive the state’s economy, themes have emerged for the SUNY conversations, including diversity and globalization, quality of place, arts and culture, and health affairs.

The theme at UB was the education pipeline — how SUNY can help students travel seamlessly through their education from early childhood to college. It’s an issue getting much more attention in higher education, as it deals with students who are academically unprepared for college.

The event included presentations by Robert M. Bennett, former chancellor of the state Board of Regents, and Joe Scantlebury, senior policy officer for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

“Unfortunately, this pipeline is leaking, and people are falling out at all levels,” Zimpher said.