I am pleased to inform you that Dr. Timothy E. Sams, Vice President of Student Affairs at Prairie View A&M University, has been named President of SUNY Old Westbury by the State University of New York Board of Trustees, effective January 11, 2021.
While Vice President of Student Affairs at PVAMU, Tim has demonstrated a deep commitment to student success. Having brought a wealth of experience from his time at leading institutions, he has focused on excellence, expanding opportunities for students, enhancing the residential experience, and many other improvements in student life. His inclusive vision for student life led to the creation of the emergency resource center and the LGBTQ+ Resource Center.
Dr. Sams will be returning to his home state of New York. A native of Syracuse, New York, he earned a bachelor’s degree in History and Sociology from Union College in Schenectady, New York; a Master’s degree in Africana Studies from the University at Albany; and a Ph.D. in African American Studies from Temple University. He is an MSI Aspiring Leaders Fellow and recipient of the 2020 Champions for Student Success Award from American Campus Communities.
SUNY Old Westbury is a selective public liberal arts college with more than 5,000 students studying in more than 45 undergraduate degrees in its liberal arts and professional programs and 19 graduate programs in business, data analytics, education, liberal studies, and mental health counseling. Important to Tim in accepting this position is the university’s significant minority enrollment; the university is the most diverse among the 64 campuses in the SUNY System and has received numerous awards and accolades for its commitment to diversity.
I know you will join in thanking Tim for his service to Prairie View and congratulating him on this new milestone in an already exceptional career.
Ruth J. Simmons
President