Distinguished Academy

Since 1963, the State University of New York Board of Trustees has conferred the rank of Distinguished Faculty upon those individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence, kindle intellectual vibrancy, elevate the standards of instruction, and enrich contributions to public service. Appointment constitutes a promotion to the State University’s highest academic rank.

Distinguished faculty serve as role models to faculty members here at SUNY Brockport and across the SUNY system — while offering our students a world-class education and demonstrating outstanding service to our institution and our community.

Current Distinguished Faculty

  • The Distinguished Professorship is conferred upon faculty having achieved national or international prominence and a distinguished reputation within the individual’s chosen field through significant contributions to the research and scholarship, or through artistic performance or achievement in the fine and performing arts.
  • The Distinguished Service Professorship is conferred upon instructional faculty having achieved a distinguished reputation for service not only to the campus and the University, but also to the community, the State of New York or even the nation, by sustained effort in the application of intellectual skills drawing from the candidate’s scholarly research interests to issues of public concern. It is bestowed on faculty in any of the disciplines or fields of study.
  • The Distinguished Teaching Professorship is conferred upon instructional faculty for outstanding teaching competence at the graduate, undergraduate, or professional levels. Teaching mastery is to be consistently demonstrated over multiple years at the institution where the Distinguished Teaching Professorship is bestowed.
  • The Distinguished Librarian is conferred upon librarians whose contributions have been transformational in creating a new information environment by providing access to information, sharing or networking information resources, and fostering information literacy. The Distinguished Librarian rank honors and promotes the achievement of personal excellence, groundbreaking professional progress, and wide-ranging benefit to the academic community.

Historical List of Distinguished Faculty

Name (Year) Rank (Department)
Justus Hartnack (1968) Distinguished Professor (Philosophy)
Henry Bretton (1969) Distinguished Professor (Political Science & International Studies)
Wayne Deldman (1975) Distinguished Teaching Professor (History)
Raymond Duncan (1979) Distinguished Teaching Professor (Political Science & International Studies)
Donald McWherter (1982) Distinguished Service Professor (Political Science & International Studies)
Garth Fagan (1985) Distinguished Professor (Dance)
Robert Marx (1989) Distinguished Professor (Art)
William Rock (1989) Distinguished Service Professor (Educational Administration)
Edward Lehman (1994) Distinguished Teaching Professor (Sociology)
Sarah Liebschutz (1994) Distinguished Service Professor (Political Science & International Studies)
Betsy Balzano (1995) Distinguished Service Professor (Education and Human Development)
Ross Vasta (1995) Distinguished Teaching Professor (Psychology)
Joseph Kandor (1996) Distinguished Service Professor (Counselor Education)
Earl Ingersoll (1996) Distinguished Teaching Professor (English)
Owen S. Ireland (1997) Distinguished Teaching Professor (History)
Joseph Winnick (1997) Distinguished Service Professor (Physical Education and Sport)
Philip Gerber (1999) Distinguished Professor (English)
Barbara Jancar-Webster (1999) Distinguished Professor (Political Science & International Studies)
Nathan Lyons (1999) Distinguished Professor (Visual Studies)
John Maier (1999) Distinguished Teaching Professor (English)
Joseph Makarewicz (1999) Distinguished Service Professor (Biological Science)
Vincent Tollers (2000) Distinguished Service Professor (English)
William Stier (2001) Distinguished Service Professor (Physical Education and Sport)
Arden Bucholz (2002) Distinguished Teaching Professor (History)
Earl Ingersoll (2002) Distinguished Professor (English)
Morris Beers (2005) Distinguished Service Professor (Education and Human Development)
Sanford Miller (2010) Distinguished Professor (Mathematics)
Bruce Leslie (2013) Distinguished Professor (History)