LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS
Dr. Michael
A. Baston
“Elated” to be
Appointed as
RCC’s Seventh
President
M
ichael A.
Baston, JD,
EdD, who
has a 20-year record
of visionary and
transformational leadership
in higher education, became
president of Rockland
Community College on
July 1.
MEET RCC'S NEW PRESIDENT
Dr. Baston’s work
has been featured in
the Chronicle of Higher
Education, the Atlantic,
Diverse Education, the
Community College Times,
the Education Advisory
Board, MSNBC, and Handbook for
Student Affairs in Community Colleges.
He was selected as a member of the
inaugural class of Aspen Institute
Presidential Fellows for Community
College Excellence this year where
he explored systemic issues impacting
the educational access pipeline and
student success. As an American
Association of Community Colleges
Pathways coach, Dr. Baston supports
leadership teams in integrating
student success initiatives to
advance college completion at four Florida
community colleges.
Dr. Baston began his career as a public
interest lawyer representing various
educational institutions and social justice
organizations. His work with academic
clients led him to pursue a second career
in academia as both a professor of legal
studies and business and a student affairs
administrator. Dr. Baston holds a BA from
Iona College, a JD from Brooklyn Law
School, and an EdD from St. John Fisher
College. Dr. Baston and his wife Tasha have
relocated to Rockland County from Valley
Stream, NY.
“...I will work tirelessly to
broaden the scope, reach,
and influence of RCC in the
years ahead.”
For the past seven years,
Dr. Baston has held executive
leadership positions at LaGuardia
Community College, CUNY,
overseeing programs to enhance
academic, personal and social
success of more than 50,000
students.
During his time at LaGuardia, Baston
worked to better integrate and align the
academic and student affairs functions.
He also helped grow LaGuardia’s grant
funding to support new and creative
interventions for student retention and
success, with a special focus on diverse and
underserved student populations. Most
recently, Dr. Baston served as LaGuardia’s
Vice President for Student Affairs and
Associate Provost, where he led the largest
student affairs portfolio of any CUNY
college, with responsibility for the fiscal
oversight and management of operations,
student aid and scholarship budgets in
excess of $92 million. He also served
as Acting Provost and Vice President
for Academic and Student Affairs and
Associate Dean for Student Affairs and
Enrollment Management during his tenure
at LaGuardia.
“I feel elated to have the opportunity
to lead RCC, one of our nation’s finest
community colleges, and to join the State
University of New York, a forward-thinking
university system widely recognized as a
national standard bearer,” said Dr. Baston.
“You will not find a more dedicated
and stellar performing faculty and staff,
thoughtful and aspirational student body,
and an administration and Board of
Trustees committed to student success and
furthering the success of Rockland County.
I’m proud to stand on the shoulders of
retiring president Dr. Cliff L. Wood and
will work tirelessly to broaden the scope,
reach, and influence of RCC in the years
ahead.”
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