SUNY Plattsburgh's William. D. Laundry Receives Award for Leadership

Vice President for Student Affairs William D. Laundry is the latest recipient of Omicron Delta Kappa’s Dr. Eldgridge W. Roark Jr. Award for Faculty/Professional Leadership.

Named after Dr. Eldridge W. Roark Jr. — a vice president for student affairs at SUNY Plattsburgh who was once the national president of Omicron Delta Kappa — this award is given to faculty or staff members who have displayed a consistent pattern of leadership on the Plattsburgh campus for at least five years. To qualify, faculty and staff must also be involved directly with students and have exhibited leadership outside of the classroom.

“Bill has gone unrivaled as an advocate for students since 1969,” said Bryan Hartman, the associate vice president for student affairs. “He is both a charismatic leader and an empathetic person, making student’s lives, goals and needs the focus of his 42-year career. He has always been successful in bridging the relationships between students and the rest of the college community, while ensuring that any new program initiatives or decisions made by the institution have a positive impact on the students.

“His leadership and dedication inspire the students and staff of this campus, especially the ODK membership, to excel in all of their pursuits,” Hartman continued. “Bill is the embodiment of the ODK idea.”

In addition to his many contributions to SUNY Plattsburgh, Laundry has served ODK locally and at the national level. He was the chief of the Convention Resolutions Committee at the 1996 national convention, the faculty director of Province I 1998-2000, a member of the Resolutions Committee at the 1998 convention, a member of the National Committee on Extension from 1998-2000, the faculty secretary of the local circle and the recipient of the Meritorious Service Award at 2002 national convention.

While Laundry obtained both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University at Albany, he became an Honorary Alumnus of SUNY Plattsburgh in 2005. He started his Plattsburgh career as the director of housing, subsequently holding the titles of director of residence life, director of campus life, dean of students and currently the vice president for student affairs.

SUNY Plattsburgh welcomed ODK to its campus on May 2, 1981. Today, Plattsburgh is one of just 13 institutions of higher education in the state of New York to have been granted a charter by the society. Since 1981, more than 2,000 men and women have been inducted into the Plattsburgh ODK circle in recognition of their scholarship, leadership and service.