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Stanley has a quarter century of experience as a higher education scholar-practitioner at public and private institutions ranging from community colleges to research universities, with leadership roles in both student and academic affairs. In addition, he maintains an active research agenda that examines transfer students, retention, and first-generation college students.

At St. Francis, where he also served as interim Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Stanley’s accomplishments have included restructuring the student affairs division to most effectively respond to and anticipate student/campus demands; collaborating with academic affairs to create a cross-divisional Student Success and Retention Taskforce charged with creating strategies and making recommendations to close the achievement gap between underrepresented minority and non-marginalized student populations; and helping lead the institution through the challenges of the COVID pandemic and the return of students, faculty, and staff to campus after 17 months of remote learning.

At Ithaca College, he will be responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction to more than 100 professional staff and over 450 student employees in advancing programs, activities, and services that enhance opportunities for student engagement, leadership, and success. He will support the development of curricular and co-curricular community partnerships and activities and work collaboratively with the Provost and the Associate Vice President/Chief Human Resources Officer to advance the college’s goals of equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Stanley’s values and experience align with Ithaca College’s belief that academic excellence, respect, accountability, innovation, sustainability, and equity are critical factors to students realizing their full potential. I am excited to welcome him to the IC community and look forward to both the knowledge and the collaborative approach he will bring to our critical work in helping to ensure student well-being and success.

You can read more about his background in this news story.

I want to thank the search committee, led by co-chairs Amy O’Dowd, Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences; and Dave Weil, Vice President and Chief Information and Analytics Officer, for its diligent work in developing an outstanding candidate pool for my consideration.

I also want to thank Bonnie Prunty for leading the Division of Student Affairs and Campus Life as its vice president for the past two years, and for her service in a variety of student-facing roles since joining the college in 1988. I look forward to joining the rest of the campus community in celebrating her well-earned retirement at the end of this academic year.

In the meantime, I hope that you will join me in congratulating Stanley and welcoming him to the Ithaca College community.

Sincerely,

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President