- Date: Saturday, May 26, 2012
- Length of Ceremony: About 2 hours
- Time: Saturday, May 26 at 10 AM
- Location: Chabot College Grand Court
(If RAIN, Chabot College
Performing Arts Center)
- Student Information
Dr. Reed L. Buffington, Ph.D.
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In
its first twenty years, Chabot College was led, from the
College's founding until his retirement in 1981, by our founding
president, Dr. Reed L. Buffington. Dr. Buffington earned A.B.
and M.A. degrees in Political Science from the University of
Chicago, and a Doctorate of Education from Stanford University.
Before becoming an administrator, Dr. Buffington taught
Political Science and Economics at Wright Junior College in
Chicago. He moved to California in 1950 to join the staff at
Diablo Valley
College in Martinez, where he was the Dean of Instruction until 1956.
After this he served as Assistant Superintendent of
the Contra Costa Junior College District.
In July 1961, he was hired as as Superintendent/President of Chabot College by the
Board of Trustees of the newly-formed South County Joint Junior College District. The Board's selection of Dr. Buffington was
undoubtedly influenced by his strong commitment to quality
education, his organizational and management skills, and his
willingness to open the college by September 11, 1961. When asked by a newspaper reporter to name his chief objective for
the new college, Dr. Buffington replied, "Quality!...quality in
everything we do."
During his extraordinary tenure at Chabot College, Dr. Buffington made innumerable contributions to
higher education in California and to numerous local civic organizations. A
passage from the
book, Chabot College: The First Twenty Years, aptly
reflects Dr. Buffington's enduring legacy of excellence and service
to Chabot College and the community: "From the very beginning, this
has been Reed Buffington's college, dedicated in its every thought
and deed and act to the fulfillment of the educational and cultural
needs, hopes, and desires of the people of South County. To this
day, he remains an iconic figure." Through Dr. Buffington's leadership, Chabot College was selected as
the nation's top community college in 1976 for its combination of
both academics and athletic programs.
The Chabot-Las Positas Community College District continues to
benefit from his legacy and from his eponymous awards for alumni,
students, and faculty. Upon his retirement, Dr. Buffington created
an endowment for this annual award for excellence in a teaching
career. The Buffington Award is considered the most prestigious
faculty honor in the district. On this, our 50th anniversary,
Chabot honors and celebrates the legacy of Dr. Reed Buffington
at Chabot College.
