Old Westbury, New York…September 16, 2020…  SUNY Chancellor James Malatras and the SUNY Board of Trustees officially appointed Calvin O. Butts, III as President Emeritus of the State University of New York at Old Westbury, in recognition of his 20 years of distinguished service to the college. The appointment was made during the Board’s September 15, 2020 meeting.

The SUNY resolution appears below:

“Whereas President Butts served successfully for 20 years as the longest-serving president in the history of Old Westbury; and

Whereas Dr. Butts directed a period of tremendous growth at the College, highlighted by the introduction of the highest admissions standards on record for the College and enrollment growth of more than 1,800 students since 1999; and

Whereas Under President Butts’ leadership in the Fall 2019, the College achieved its largest student enrollment in its history with 5,128 students in attendance; and

Whereas President Butts grew full-time faculty from 113 to more than 170; and

Whereas President Butts introduced graduate programs at the College, which now boast some 300 students studying in 19 master’s degree programs, the online version of the M.S. in Accounting – the College’ first online delivery of a degree program, three new undergraduate programs (Adolescence education: Social Students, Biochemistry, and Visual Arts: Electronic media, introduced the First year Student Engagement Program (2007) and Introduced the Honors College (2008; and

Whereas President Butts has led more than $200 million in new capital construction and renovation projects for the campus; and

Whereas President Butts is a 9-time honoree on the U.S. President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the College’s academically embedded civic engagement program for first-time-to-college students; and

Whereas Under President Butts’ leadership, SUNY Old Westbury earned in 2018, 2019, and 2020 the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, one of only 96 institutions of higher education across the nation to receive the honor. This is the only national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion across their campus.

Whereas Under President Butts’ leadership, the college ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the highest college’s in Campus Diversity for 19 consecutive years, for graduating students with among the lowest debt levels among colleges of its type nationwide (2008, 2009), and among “10 Colleges that Lead to Graduate School” (2011); and

Resolved that Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III be designated President Emeritus of the State University of New York College at Old Westbury in recognition of his past service effective September 15, 2020.”