Distinguished Alumni Award: Jeffrey S. Putman, EdD ’96
Dr. Putman serves as the Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs for all five of the SUNY Downstate schools and colleges.
In his role, he provides overall coordination of services for students (supervising the Offices of Student Affairs, Admissions, Financial Aid, the Registrar, Student Life and Student Activities, International Student Services, and Accessibility Services) and serves as the deputy Chief Academic Officer. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the Downstate Middle States Accreditation Self-Study Process. In addition, Dr. Putman also serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry.
Dr. Putman previously served as Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students (2013–2017) and as Assistant Dean for Student Affairs (2006–2013) at SUNY Downstate. Prior to coming to Downstate, Dr. Putman served from 1996–2006 in multiple Student Affairs roles at Purchase College, SUNY, including as Interim Dean of Students and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs & Ombudsperson.
Dr. Putman is the recipient of the Pillar of the Student Affairs Profession Award from the NASPA Foundation (2020), the Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Performance as a Dean from Region II of NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (2019), the Outstanding Contribution to the Student Personnel Profession Award from the College Student Personnel Association of New York State (2017), the Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional Award from Region II of NASPA (2007), and the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service (2001). He was also awarded the inaugural Resiliency Award for Leadership from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in May 2023, the Teachers College, Columbia University Alumni Award for Outstanding Service from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2021 and was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) National Medical Honor Society by the SUNY Downstate Eta Chapter in March 2022 and into the Gold Humanism Honor Society in May 2023.
Dr. Putman earned his Doctor of Education in Higher & Postsecondary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2011. He also holds a Master of Education and Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Purchase College, The State University of New York. He was inducted into the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education Kappa Chapter at Teachers College, Columbia University in December 1998.
In addition to his role at Downstate, Dr. Putman serves in leadership roles as Past Regional Director and Regional Historian for NASPA Region II, after having served a two year term (2023-2025) as a Regional Director and member of the Board of Directors for NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. He has served as a member of the NASPA Region II Advisory Board since 1997. Dr. Putman also serves as Past-President of the SUNY Council of Senior Student Affairs Officers (served as President from 2019–2021); as President Emeritus of the Purchase College Alumni Association Inc. (having served two different terms as President); as Co-Chair of the Alumni Engagement Committee of the Teachers College, Columbia University Alumni Council and Alumni Association; and as Doctoral Campus Liaison and member of the Executive Committee of the SUNY Chief Academic Officers Association. From 2015-2017, Dr. Putman served as the 26th leader and first elected President of the Teachers College, Columbia University Alumni Council and Association.