TC3's longest-serving president announces retirement

The following is a republished press release from Tompkins Cortland Community College and not an article written by The Cortland Voice...to submit a press release, community announcement or information about an upcoming event, email Editor Peter Blanchard at [email protected].


DRYDEN, NY – Tompkins Cortland Community College President Carl Haynes will retire on August 31, 2017. Haynes, the longest-serving president in the College’s history, told the College community of his intentions today and will submit his formal letter of retirement to the College’s Board of Trustees this evening.

By the time he retires, Haynes will have been president for 23 of his 48 years at the College. Just the third president in the College’s history, he is the first to hold the position for more than two decades. In his letter to the College community, he said he never dreamed he would serve as president this long. “This College has provided so much for me, as it has for so many others. I have been given the opportunity to grow, develop personally and professionally, to learn from mistakes, and draw upon challenges to find opportunities to better serve students and our communities,” wrote Haynes. “It has been an honor to serve among so many dedicated and talented individuals working so well as a team.”

“Carl’s leadership of Tompkins Cortland Community College has been nothing short of remarkable,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “Throughout his distinguished career at the College, Carl has created and fostered opportunity for his students, faculty, and staff, ensuring pathways for their educational success as well as their personal and professional growth. He has immersed the college in its surrounding community and expanded its reach to countries around the globe. Carl will leave a lasting legacy at the College and throughout the SUNY system.”

Featured photo by Laura Kozlowski.

TC3 President Carl Haybes. Photo by Laura Kozlowski

The responsibility of finding the next president of Tompkins Cortland Community College belongs to the College’s Board of Trustees. “President Haynes has had a long and distinguished career that has included national recognition for his leadership. He has led the College through growth in size and in capabilities, and he leaves big shoes to fill,” said Board of Trustees Chair Elizabeth Burns. “His retirement next year marks an historical moment in the history of the College, and the entire Board joins me in thanking Carl for his tireless service to our College, our communities, our SUNY system, and the higher education community in general. The work towards finding our next president is already underway, and I am confident the Board is prepared for the challenge.”

The Board of Trustees plans to work with a search firm this fall with the expectation of choosing a new president late during the 2017 spring semester. The goal is to have the new president hired prior to Haynes’ retirement date to provide a seamless transition.

Haynes, who will be 72 years old when he retires, has been president since 1994. He started at the College as a member of the business faculty in 1969, the second year of operation for the College. When Haynes became president, he replaced Eduardo Marti, who served from 1986 to 1994. Hushang Bahar was the founding president, serving from 1968 to 1986.

As president, Haynes has overseen tremendous growth. Enrollment at the College has nearly doubled and construction projects have included a new student center, athletics facilities, several residence halls, and a major solar farm on campus. The College has created a farm on campus and opened a restaurant in Ithaca, Coltivare, in support of its Farm to Bistro initiative that includes degree programs in culinary arts and sustainable farming and food systems. The College has also reaffirmed its commitment to the community with new extension centers in Cortland and Ithaca during Haynes’ tenure.

In addition to serving on several local, state, and national committees and boards, Haynes has pushed to expand the College’s reach. Under his leadership the College has partnered with more than 50 school districts in the state to offer College credits in their high schools, and has also become a leader in international education by bringing students from all over the world to campus while providing opportunities for students from the College to study abroad.

Haynes received a bachelor's degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology, a Master of Science and Master of Business Administration from Syracuse University, and a Ph.D. from Cornell University.