NEW PALTZ – Dr. Darrell P. Wheeler will be installed formally on April 20, 2023, as SUNY New Paltz’s ninth president — the first Black, openly gay president to lead the 195-year-old institution — in an investiture ceremony celebrating the University’s history, mission and limitless potential.
The investiture will be held in the Athletic & Wellness Center on campus at 11 a.m. and will put the ceremonial stamp on Wheeler’s tenure, which began July 18, 2022, after his predecessor, Dr. Donald P. Christian, retired from the role.
“President Darrell Wheeler brings to this extraordinary institution precisely the skills and experiences that are needed in an environment of change,” said Alice Chandler, SUNY New Paltz President Emerita (1980-1996) and honorary co-chair of the inauguration planning committee. “He has been a faculty member and a provost and academic vice president. He believes not just in student access but in student success. Dr. Wheeler has also lived that engagement between the expertise of the academic world and the needs of society through his extraordinary accomplishments in combatting the scourge of AIDS.”
The University has planned three days of inaugural festivities from April 19 through April 21 under the theme Our University, Our Future to celebrate its community of students, scholars, leaders, educators, alumni, community partners and friends. The festivities will be bookended by the sounding of the carillon at noon in the clock tower atop van den Berg Hall, which plays the Alma Mater.
More than 700 individuals RSVP’d by the March 31 deadline to attend the investiture, including about 150 individuals who are planning to participate in the processional in academic regalia prior to the official ceremony.
Attendees include delegates from other public and private colleges and universities, local, county and state leaders, SUNY System Administration personnel, New Paltz administrators, faculty and staff. The procession, which begins at the Student Union Building and travels to the Athletic and Wellness Center, includes an ROTC student color guard, international students carrying flags of their nations, student leaders, local law enforcement and musicians.
Planned Inaugural Events, April 19-21
Day 1, Wednesday, April 19, includes a powerful student-faculty forum facilitated by President Wheeler, followed by a Festival of Big Ideas. The extraordinary ways that students and faculty work together to make the world a better place will be showcased and celebrated along with activities sponsored by student organizations and campus offices, such as the Sojourner Truth Library. Later that day the Office of Development & Alumni Relations will host their annual scholarship reception from 4-6 p.m.
Day 2, Thursday, April 20, all of campus is invited to don their academic regalia and march in the formal investiture ceremony followed by a community lunch reception. Special guests include SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr., State Senator Michelle Hinchey, State Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger, City of Kingston Mayor Steve Noble, Town of New Paltz Supervisor Neil Bettez, Village of New Paltz Mayor Tim Rogers, and Stockbridge Munsee Band of the Mohican Indians President Shannon Holsey.
Day 3, Friday, April 21, features a panel discussion, community and campus partnership faire, and award ceremony, led by President Wheeler, that will focus on the University’s ties to our community partners and the many ways in which our students, faculty, staff and alumni serve the local, regional and global communities. The University will also take time to recognize 10 community partners with “Regional Impact Awards” to honor those that serve our students and the greater region. Panelists include representatives of county government, regional school districts, arts organizations and private businesses.
Media interested in attending campus events related to the Inauguration of Dr. Darrell P. Wheeler are asked to contact Chrissie Williams at williamc@newpaltz.edu or 845-257-3274 by Tuesday, April 18, 2023.
About President Dr. Darrell P. Wheeler
Recently named one of New York’s most influential college and university leaders by City & State NY, President Wheeler brings to the role more than 30 years of teaching, research and community partnership experience in health disparities.
Prior to coming to New Paltz, he served as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Iona University; as Dean of the School of Social Welfare and Vice President for Public Engagement at the University at Albany; and Dean for the School of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago. He has additionally held academic positions at Hunter College (CUNY), Columbia University, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Wheeler and his husband, Donovan Howard, a retired insurance professional, reside in New Paltz.
Since beginning his tenure last July, Wheeler has focused much of his time on outreach to stakeholders across the community while also weighing in on issues like declining enrollment and philanthropy. He strongly advocates for the value of a liberal arts education tailored to 21st-century needs that build upon the institution’s core values of access, integrity, inclusion, social justice, leadership, and excellence.
One of Wheeler’s goals for his first 365 days has been to launch the Presidential Fund for Innovation in Public Higher Education seeded by his own $25,000 pledge. The goal of the Fund is to celebrate sustained creative commitment, and innovative thinking and activities at SUNY New Paltz.
Read President Darrell P. Wheeler’s full bio online.
Visit the Inauguration Website and the FAQ page where we address common questions we’ve heard about the inaugural events and the investiture ceremony.
What is the difference between an inauguration and an investiture?
The inauguration is a series of events marking a transition in leadership at the University; the investiture is the formal ceremony where the newly appointed president is formally endowed with the power and responsibilities of the presidency.
