October 8, 2025

Board Chair Puglia officially installs William H. Sanders as RIT President

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a woman stands behind an R I T podium in univesity regalia.

Carlos Ortiz/RIT

Susan M. Puglia, chair of the RIT Board of Trustees, officially installed William H. Sanders as the university’s 11th president on Sept. 26.  Board vice chairs Susan Holliday ’85 (MBA) and Frank Sklarsky ’78 (business administration accounting) placed the Presidential Collar of Authority on Sanders during the ceremony.

Here are Puglia’s remarks as Sanders was officially installed as president:

a man and a woman speak to each other in a room full of people

Elizabeth Lamark

Susan Puglia, chair of the RIT Board of Trustees, shares a moment with RIT President Bill Sanders after a panel discussion about the future of higher education. Later that day, Sanders was installed as RIT’s 11th president.

Susan Puglia: Today, we gather to formally install William H. Sanders as the eleventh president of Rochester Institute of Technology. Dr. Sanders, please join us at the podium.

Dr. Sanders, the RIT Board of Trustees has chosen you to lead Rochester Institute of Technology - a remarkable university with a proud history and a bright future. With your vision and guidance, we look forward to shaping a future that builds on our proud legacy and reaches new heights together.

 As you assume the Office of the Presidency, you become one of 11 individuals throughout RIT’s history who has been given the trust of this university. As you undertake this vital role, you can be assured of our continued and enthusiastic support.

As chair of RIT’s Board of Trustees, I entrust to you, Dr. William H. Sanders, the Office of the President of Rochester Institute of Technology and charge you to fulfill the duties of that office to the best of your abilities.

And on behalf of the Board of Trustees of Rochester Institute of Technology, I am privileged to hereby install you, William H. Sanders, as president of Rochester Institute of Technology, with all of the rights, privileges, duties and responsibilities of this office.

The vice chairs will now place upon you the Presidential Collar of Authority, the symbol of this Office. The placement of this Collar signifies your formal installation by the RIT board of trustees to this preeminent position of leadership.    

On behalf of all those present and all those who have sent their regards, we wish you a long, impactful, and successful tenure in this esteemed office.

Congratulations!