ALISON BUCKLEY, ED.D. NAMED SUNY ULSTER PRESIDENT
The SUNY Ulster Board of Trustees has named Alison Buckley, Ed.D. as the College’s seventh president, according to Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Alan Lomita. The announcement follows confirmation by the State University of New York Board of Trustees at its monthly meeting held today. Buckley will assume the helm of the 59 year-old college after Dr. Alan P. Roberts retires at the end of July after seven years as president. During Roberts’ tenure, he established the President’s Challenge Scholarship program with the College’s Foundation, and due to the many contributions of faculty and staff, SUNY Ulster was named the #1 Community College in New York State for two consecutive years in a row (2020 and 2021) by BestColleges.com.
Buckley is currently Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at Connecticut State Community Colleges in New Britain, CT. In this role, she is responsible for establishing the strategic enrollment management direction for the state’s community colleges and also leads the reform efforts for student affairs to ensure all community college students, regardless of location, have the support and resources needed to be successful. She previously served as Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services at Howard Community College in Columbia, MD. During her tenure, Howard was consistently recognized for best practices in the field of enrollment management and had the strongest enrollment among Maryland’s community colleges.
Dr. Buckley earned a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership Studies from Northeastern University in Boston, MA; a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland, College Park in College Park, MD; a Master of Philosophy in Women’s Studies from the University of Dublin, Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland; a Master of Arts in History and a postgraduate certificate in museum studies from the University of Delaware in Newark, DE; and a Bachelor of Arts in Classics and History from Randolph College in Lynchburg, VA.
Chair of the Presidential Search Committee and SUNY Ulster Vice Chair, Deborah Briggs says, “Dr. Buckley brings a focus on student success and a track record in enrollment management, with over 20 years of experience in both college and university settings in executive leadership, enrollment management, marketing, recruitment, and program and budget management, which is vital as we enter the next chapter of SUNY Ulster’s commitment to serving students and the community.”
“Dr. Buckley’s expertise comes at a critically important time in the landscape of community colleges, which are rapidly evolving due to the unprecedented challenges as a result of COVID-19 abound with many opportunities to offer new and traditional programs that provide career, transfer, and economic development opportunities to the region,” said Chairman of the SUNY Ulster Board of Trustees, Alan Lomita.
“Dr. Buckley has incredible leadership qualities and an unwavering belief in the importance of community colleges and how they can propel students to further educational opportunities and successful careers,” said Interim Chancellor Stanley. “We trust Dr. Buckley will apply her knowledge and aptitude to her presidency and strive to push equity and inclusion efforts in all decision-making at SUNY Ulster. Many thanks to SUNY Ulster’s Board of Trustees and the search committee for bringing forth such a stellar candidate and to President Alan Roberts for his dedicated service to the SUNY Ulster community since 2015.”
Incoming President Dr. Buckley said, “Community colleges are well-positioned to set students on a trajectory for higher education, and to pursue their goals and that is why I am excited to join SUNY Ulster as their next president. I share the goals of the SUNY Ulster community to provide a safe and welcoming academic experience and will focus on ensuring students enroll and stay on track to get their college education. I look forward to working with the campus’s faculty and staff to create educational opportunities for our students and will look to mitigate any barriers in their path. My thanks to the SUNY Board of Trustees, Chancellor Stanley, and the SUNY Ulster Board of Trustees for this opportunity.”
Lomita said the selection of Buckley concluded a six-month search process conducted by a search committee comprised of the college’s students, staff, faculty, community leaders, and board members, through the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), led by Julie Golder, J.D., Vice President of Search Services. The committee recommended four finalists who visited the college in April through a series of in-person and virtual sessions. The college’s board of Trustees considered feedback from these sessions when making the final selection, Lomita said.
“On behalf of the SUNY Ulster Board of Trustees, I commend the College community for their participation in the presidential forums. All feedback was reviewed and greatly valued as part of the process,” Lomita said. Deborah Briggs, Chair of the Presidential Search Committee and Vice Chair of the SUNY Ulster Board of Trustees, said, “The search committee did an outstanding job of understanding the level of leadership the college needs and selecting appropriate candidates to consider further. They set high standards, asked insightful questions, and worked collaboratively to enrich the process. I’m very grateful for everyone’s time, dedication, and commitment to SUNY Ulster.”
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