Bulletin News

04/23/2010 

Richard C. Peagler, who served SUNY Cortland for 38 years, will retire on July 31. He has been designated as director emeritus of counseling and student development.

A member of the SUNY Cortland community since 1972, Peagler joined the Division of Student Affairs as a counselor. He later became a senior counselor, assistant director of counseling and director of student support services. In 1998, he was named the Student Development Center director, responsible for overseeing counseling, career services, health promotion, student health services, student disability services and substance abuse prevention and education.

In Summer 2006, Peagler was named the College’s interim vice president for student affairs, an appointment he filled until a permanent vice president was hired in Summer 2008. Peagler then returned to his former position as director of counseling and student development.

Within the Division of Student Affairs, Peagler was the first coordinator of Cortland’s Urban Recruitment of Educators (C.U.R.E.), a scholarship program that prepares students to teach in urban centers. He also coordinated the First Year Orientation Welcome Weekend and served on the Faculty Senate. He has worked extensively with the College’s Educational Opportunity Program and helped shape and implement SUNY Cortland’s multicultural and diversity initiatives, most recently as a member of the College’s newly formed Multicultural Council. He serves or has served on numerous College-wide and student affairs committees.

A 1999 recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service, Peagler has received numerous honors during his service at the College. The New York State United University Professions selected Peagler for its 1990 Excellence Award for his outstanding performance and superior statewide service. In 1992, Peagler was inducted into the Cortland Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, an interdisciplinary academic honor society; he has directed its Graduate Fellowship Committee. He received the Faculty Award in 1992-93 in recognition for unselfish service to the Black Student Union. In 1998, Peagler earned the Faculty/Staff Award, presented to individuals who have been instrumental in ethnic students’ academic success.

In 2003, he won a SUNY Cortland Excellence in Professional Service Award and a SUNY Cortland Dedicated Service Award. The Student Government Association acknowledged him as its 2006-07 Outstanding Staff Administrator. In 20 of his 38 years and most recently in 2009, SUNY Cortland presidents have honored him with a Recognition of Meritorious Service.

Peagler has frequently served as a consultant for the International Association of Counseling Services, Inc., by which he has evaluated counseling and mental health services at other colleges. He also has served as a consultant on race relations, motivation and the assessment of leadership potential.

Before joining SUNY Cortland, Peagler worked as an academic counselor at Western Connecticut State College in Danbury. He also served as an Upward Bound Project associate director at Wooster Prep School, also in Danbury, and coached the varsity and junior varsity basketball teams, with the varsity team capturing its first undefeated season in school history.

A native of New Milford, Conn., Peagler earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Central State University in Ohio, his master’s degree in student personnel counseling from the University of Connecticut and his doctorate in counseling and human services from Syracuse University.

Within the Cortland community, he served since 1997 as member of the Cortland City School District Board of Education and since 2005 on the Cortland County Council on Aging Advisory Board. A board member of the Seven Valleys Council on Alcoholism, he has participated as a Red Cross volunteer and conducted volunteer training in stress debriefing.

Peagler and his wife, Vashti, live in Cortland. Vashti retired recently as a human resource associate at Cornell University after 34 years of service. They have one son, Richie, who is employed as a residential counselor with the William George Agency in Dryden, N.Y.