Herkimer College Board Chair to be Honored with NYCCT Award

Herkimer County Community College Board of Trustees Chair Isabella S. Crandall of Herkimer, NY has been selected to receive the Marvin A. Rapp Award for Distinguished Trustee Service. Given by the New York Community College Trustees (NYCCT), the award recognizes community college trustees with dedicated and effective service over an extended period of time.

Crandall was originally appointed to the Herkimer College Board of Trustees by Governor George Pataki on July 26, 1999. In April 2008, she was appointed by the Herkimer County Legislature, and reappointed in 2012 to serve a term through 2019. Crandall currently serves as chair and previously held the offices of vice-chair and secretary. She has served on the Executive and Personnel Committees of the Board and is currently the Board’s NYCCT delegate and NYCCT legislative delegate. Crandall also is a member of the Herkimer County College Foundation Board of Directors.

Crandall regularly represents Herkimer College at community functions and participates in board, committee and campus meetings and events such as dedications of new buildings and facilities, presiding at Commencement exercises and officiates at dedication ceremonies. As a member of the Board of Trustees, Crandall has provided leadership during the growth of the campus, including a number of important new capital projects and the renovation and/or expansion of existing facilities. She has helped guide the College through the development of such innovative initiatives as the establishment of the Center for Global Learning and a consolidated student service center for streamlining enrollment services. Crandall contributes to decisions regarding the creation of new academic programs, enrollment, finances, college policies and collective bargaining agreements.

Trustee Alfred Barbato said, “Isabella stepped up to provide leadership during a time of transition, spent countless hours on the presidential search and has kept each trustee informed throughout the process. She has gained consensus on every issue that has come up and has continuously displayed effective leadership abilities that will serve the board well.”

The award will be presented on Saturday, September 20 during the Trustee Awards Banquet at the 60th Annual NYCCT Conference at the Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs, NY.

NYCCT is a voluntary nonprofit consortium of community college trustees established to strengthen the effectiveness of NY community college trustees as an active force in the development and implementation of public policy impacting community colleges. NYCCT represents the appointed board members who govern the 30 community colleges in the State University of New York (SUNY) system.