Muriel A. Howard
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Dr. Muriel A. Howard became the seventh president of Buffalo State College on April 24, 1996.
She received her bachelor of arts in sociology from Richmond College, City University of New York; her master's of education and doctorate in educational organization, administration, and policy from the University at Buffalo, and a certificate from the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University. In 2002, President Howard received the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from City University of New York City Technical College.
Prior to her arrival at Buffalo State College, she was the vice president for public service and urban affairs at the University at Buffalo. Her professional and scholarly interests include educational leadership and the representation of women and minorities in the academy.
President Howard is the chair-elect of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Board of Directors. She also serves on the National Survey on Student Engagement Advisory Board, the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities Board of Directors, where she chairs the Communications and Public Relations Committee, and the American Council on Education (ACE).
She is a member of the State University of New York (SUNY) Advisory Council on Teacher Education and serves on the SUNY Board of Directors of the Center for Russia. She co-chaired the State University of New York Provost's Advisory Task Force on General Education, establishing guidelines for the institution of a general education curricula throughout the SUNY system, and was a member of the New York State Blue Ribbon Commission on Youth Leadership.
President Howard’s current community involvement includes membership on the executive committee for the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, Niagara University Board of Directors, Buffalo Public Schools Foundation Board of Directors, and the King Urban Life Center Board of Directors. She also serves on the corporate boards of directors for Merchants Insurance Company and Farm Credit of Western New York, ACA.
She is a member of the Erie Community College Board of Trustees search committee. In addition, she served on the search committee for the Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent and also served as co-chair for City of Buffalo Mayoral Transition Team.
In 1999, President Howard chaired the United Way campaign for Buffalo, New York and Erie County. She served on the board of directors of that organization for many years. She has also chaired the subcommittee on Youth Services and Education for the Erie County Executive’s transition team.
President Howard has received numerous awards for her contributions in education and service to the community. Among these are the Governor's State Division of Women Award for Excellence in Education; Citation Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice; American Jewish Committee Institute of Human Relations Award; the University at Buffalo Distinguished Alumni Award; Staten Island College Distinguished Alumna Award, The Black Educators Association of Western New York Educator of the Year Award; the Minority Bar Association of Western New York Award for Community Service; and the State University of New York at Buffalo, Newman Center, Catholic Campus Ministry, Distinguished Alumnus Award. She is a recipient of the State University of New York Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service and was a charter inductee in the Western New York Women's Hall of Fame.
She was listed in the Buffalo News 2001 Leadership Survey as the “Most Powerful Woman in Western New York”. In April 2006, she received the Outstanding Alumni Community Leadership Medal from the University at Buffalo Alumni Association. She most recently was the recipient of the 2006 Athena Award. This award, sponsored by the Western New York Women’s Fund and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, honors women professionals who have attained and personify the highest levels of professional excellence, demonstrate support for the goals of women professionals, and provide significant and selfless assistance on their behalf.
