NEW PALTZ — The State University of New York at New Paltz will award an honorary doctorate of humane letters to Arthur Sulzberger Jr., publisher of The New York Times, at the May Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 21, on the Old Main Quadrangle.
Sulzberger will deliver the undergraduate commencement speech after receiving the honorary degree, the highest honor that the State University of New York can bestow upon an individual.
“I couldn’t ask for a more fitting speaker,” said College President Steven Poskanzer. “He is both one of the most distinguished and important national figures in journalism and public affairs, and knowledgeable and connected to the Mid Hudson region.”
Sulzberger has a long and distinguished career as a newspaper journalist and publisher and follows his father and grandfather in running the prestigious daily. He became publisher of The New York Times in 1992 and was named chairman of The New York Times Company in 1997. Under his leadership, the company’s flagship newspaper, The New York Times, has earned 28 Pulitzer Prizes. Since becoming chairman, he spearheaded several print, broadcast and online innovations as the company’s business strategist in order to keep this newspaper of record on the cutting edge of the global media marketplace. He helped launch NYTimes.com on the Web, and started new enterprises, such as The New York Times Learning Network and The Discovery Times Channel. In 2005, the company was ranked No. 1 in the publishing industry on Fortune’s list of America’s Most Admired Companies, for the fifth consecutive year. Also at the Undergraduate Ceremony, College President Steven Poskanzer will award SUNY New Paltz alumnus, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (’68,’70g), the Presidential Medal, the highest honor the campus can bestow upon an individual, in recognition of his ongoing support of the college.
The college will hold the May Graduate Commencement Ceremony at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 19, on the Old Main Quadrangle. Both commencement ceremonies are ticketed events, and all graduation candidates and spectators must present a ticket to participate.
Note to editors: A high-resolution photograph of Arthur Sulzberger Jr. is available on the SUNY New Paltz Web site at www.newpaltz.edu/news/images/Sulzberger.html.
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