OCC President Crabill to retire after the current academic year

ONONDAGA, N.Y. — Casey Crabill, who has served as president of Onondaga Community College (OCC) since July 2013, has announced plans to retire from the role following the current academic year.

She confirmed her decision to retire during Tuesday’s board-of-trustees meeting, the college said in a news release. In that session, the board voted to hire the Asheville, North Carolina–based search firm RH Perry & Associates to help find OCC’s next president.

Crabill is a lifelong educator who began her career teaching English, OCC said. She served as a college president in California, Connecticut, and New Jersey before returning to New York and becoming OCC’s eighth president on July 1, 2013. She is a native of East Greenbush in the Albany area.

OCC, in its release, described Crabill as a “fiscally conservative leader, demonstrating the ability to reduce expenses efficiently in the face of reduced support.” When she started at OCC, the annual operating budget was $78 million. That has declined to $64.5 million in the 2021-2022 academic year, OCC said.

Crabill has served on numerous community boards including the Central New York Community Foundation which she chaired; CenterState CEO; Clear Path for Veterans; and MACNY, The Manufacturer’s Association.

Crabill accomplishments

OCC’s news release listed what the college considers accomplishment highlights during Crabill’s tenure as president.

They include her leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic. Classes remained primarily in-person while OCC expanded virtual options. The 2020-2021 academic year concluded with three in-person commencement ceremonies.

During the pandemic, OCC “continued respond to industry demands” by creating new degree and certificate programs including paramedic, health sciences, health studies, electromechanical: drone technology, geospatial science & technology, sound recording, and creative writing.

In addition, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education reaccredited OCC.

The highlights also included creation of what OCC calls the “first-in-the-nation” Box of Books program, which cut student textbook costs in half and provided students the opportunity to purchase laptops at a reduced price.

OCC also created the Lillian Slutzker Honors College, which provides 15 new students each year the opportunity to attend OCC tuition-free. The school also started “OCC Advantage,” which gives graduating high-school students in partner school districts the chance to attend OCC tuition-free.

OCC also listed accomplishments that included the complete renovation of the Coulter Library building; the complete reconstruction of the quad on the west side of campus; and the certification of campus buildings Academic II and the SRC Arena as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) Gold buildings.