Upon the recommendation of the State University of New York Interim Chancellor Deborah F. Stanley, the SUNY Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Darrell P. Wheeler as President of SUNY New Paltz. The statement was announced by the Board of Trustees and Chancellor Stanley and is effective July 18, 2022.
Incoming President Dr. Wheeler said, “It is an honor and a privilege to be named New Paltz’s ninth president and to join a campus community I have already come to respect and admire. I look forward to working together with students and colleagues at New Paltz to advocate for the value of a liberal education tailored to 21st century needs and build upon the institution’s core values of access, integrity, inclusion, social justice, leadership and excellence.
Given its success in advancing the social mobility of its graduates, its geographic distinctiveness, and its stature within the SUNY system, New Paltz is poised to leverage profound opportunities even in this moment of rapid change. The College’s collective accomplishments speak to the dedication, hard work and creativity of many in the campus community. We have an opportunity to build on that momentum as we prepare for the next chapter in SUNY New Paltz’s history. This includes positioning the College for continuing success in a dramatically changing higher education landscape, ongoing planning for a post-pandemic future, additional progress on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and anti-racist initiatives, and setting the stage for continued student success.
As New Paltz’s next President, I will promote the academic opportunities at the University; the prominence and impact of its institutional members (students, faculty and staff); its community and regional relevance; and success in advancing the social mobility of its graduates. My husband Donovan and I are looking forward to getting to know the New Paltz community when my tenure starts this summer. My thanks to the SUNY Board of Trustees, Chancellor Stanley, the SUNY New Paltz College Council and the SUNY New Paltz presidential search committee for this opportunity, and to the community of Iona College for their commitment to my success as an academic leader.”
Wheeler currently serves as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Iona College. Prior to that, he served as Dean of the School of Social Welfare and Vice President for Public Engagement at the University at Albany, Dean for the School of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago, and has held academic positions at Hunter College, CUNY, Columbia University, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.