Chairman Merryl H. Tisch, SUNY Board of Trustees, Chairman Emeritus H. Carl McCall, and Interim Chancellor Deborah F. Stanley on the Passing of SUNY Old Westbury President Emeritus Calvin O. Butts, III
October 28, 2022
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, a cherished friend and leader in higher education. As President of SUNY Old Westbury, he educated and mentored thousands of SUNY students over the course of his nearly 21 years at the helm of the school. For the entire SUNY community, President Emeritus Butts was an inspiring leader and colleague.
"Dr. Butts had a profound presence that was felt by all. His leadership, voice, and advocacy for educational equity was widely known and respected. He instilled a culture of civic engagement, and emulated this philosophy of pride and excellence for each and every student. Students at SUNY Old Westbury's campus knew they were welcome and that he was their champion. His commitment to our students was unwavering, as he believed everyone deserves an excellent and affordable education to reach their dreams.
"President Emeritus Butts left a lasting impression, and he will be dearly missed by all of those whose lives he touched. Our deepest condolences are with his wife Patricia and his entire family, as well as his friends and all those he served."
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The State University of New York, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2022, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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