Rodger Summers, Binghamton University’s vice president for Student Affairs, will be stepping down from his position and will soon begin working with BU in a new capacity — as a full-time classroom teacher in the new College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA).

Summers has served as vice president for Students Affairs since 1991 and has agreed to remain in this role until a search committee, to be commissioned by President Lois B. DeFleur, successfully finds a replacement for Summers.

According to Summers, once a new vice president is hired, he will take a semester off to pursue research and study in effort to best prepare for his new teaching role.

Summers reflects on his tenure as the top man in Student Affairs with pride. He recalled his work in establishing BU’s identity as one of diversity and cultural growth.

“I have worked hard to make [BU] a better place for students to learn about their own beliefs and the beliefs of others,” Summers said. “I’ve watched organizations such as Hillel and the Black Student Union come together to do programming. At what other school does that happen?”

“[BU] is about people learning from people,” Summers said. “This is not a perfect institution, but it is one of the best, and I have learned so much from the faculty, but especially the students.”