The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) is a community hub offering quality Deaf education and a sense of family for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (HOH) community at RIT. Gerald Buckley is no stranger to the lifelong relationships built at NTID, having attended RIT/NTID as a social work student before becoming the school’s president after a long history of service at NTID. Buckley will retire in July, ending a 15-year-long tenure that began in 2011.  

Buckley explained his decision to step down in a statement released to the Reporter. He reflected on the ties he and Judy, his wife of forty years, have established in the community.  

“I leave NTID with a deep sense of appreciation for all that the RIT/NTID Community has given us and a sense that my work here in this role is done.  As scripture says…there is a time and season for everything, and my time here has arrived at a wonderful ending”, Buckley noted.

As NTID president, Buckley has cultivated relationships with many students in the RIT/NTID community. Buckley specifically mentioned the Mather and Brown family, recalling his school days with fellow students Bob and Sue, who recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Their daughter, Roberta, worked alongside Buckley and later achieved great professional success. Now, Bob and Sue’s granddaughter, Savannah, is currently serving as a student senator and is a first-year Biomedical Science Engineering major.   

Part of the challenges of being an NTID president, Buckley described, is prioritizing NTID students’ success — whether academic or extracurricular. Buckley strives to be a supportive role model and mentor by attending NTID events whenever possible.  

Sensing NTID was in a strong position to support his successor, Buckley felt it was appropriate to step down.   Buckley described NTID as a resilient institution that places deaf education as a priority.

“[NTID has] proven time and time again that Deaf students can thrive in the mainstream of higher education and employment when provided appropriate accommodations,” he stated.  

Buckley will retire, having played a key role in ensuring NTID provides future generations with the same education current Deaf and HoH students receive. RIT president Munson has announced that a search committee will be tasked with finding Buckley’s successor. As NTID continues to evolve, how will Buckley’s successor help move the institution forward?