Craig Stone
Bringing extensive experience in public safety, campus security, community policing and emergency management to Syracuse University, Craig A. Stone has been appointed the new associate vice president and chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services. Stone most recently served as deputy director of the Department of Public Safety for the city of Columbus, Ohio. He begins his new role at Syracuse University on April 1, 2022.
The new position reports to Gwenn Judge, interim senior vice president and chief financial officer, and is responsible for Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services, including all administrative, operational and financial aspects of the Department of Public Safety (DPS), Emergency Management, and Global Safety and Support.
“The search for this new position was comprehensive and attracted impressive candidates from across the nation,” says Judge. “Craig stood out in the field as a genuine leader, a bridge-builder and an innovator. I am eager to welcome him to the Orange community.”
Stone brings decades of experience to the role, with nearly 30 years as a police officer in Columbus, Ohio, including 13 years as a lieutenant in Homeland Security, Internal Affairs, Patrol and Staff Inspections, and prior service as chief of police for Cleveland State University, The Ohio State University (OSU) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
“I am excited to join Syracuse University and work with the teams that are charged with advancing campus safety priorities,” says Stone. “I look forward to the kinds of transformative changes that will ensure a campus culture that is truly welcoming and offers a sense of safety and openness to diverse communities, thoughts and experiences.”
Allen Groves, senior vice president for the student experience and chief student experience officer, led the search committee supported by students, faculty and staff that recommended Stone.
“Craig impressed everyone with his depth of experience and his track record of collaborating with diverse constituencies to build trust and strengthen community relations,” says Groves. “Craig’s campus safety philosophy and his approach to community policing is responsive to and consistent with the evolving needs of students, faculty, staff and visitors. What impressed me the most was his commitment to openness, candor and collaboration. I have no doubt Craig will be an excellent addition to our community.”
In his most recent position in the city of Columbus, Stone helped develop a neighborhood violence prevention plan and worked with the Columbus City Council on legislation to improve the police hiring process. He helped expand community policing programs at OSU and, as OSU chief of police, implemented bike patrols and community police academies to build community trust.
Stone received a master of science in the administration of justice from the University of Louisville and a bachelor of business administration in organizational leadership from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. He is a highly-sought-after presenter on issues ranging from risk management and crowd control to campus and community policing and high-risk drinking prevention, to diversifying police forces and biased-based profiling. Stone has also taught courses in criminal justice management and policing.
Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.
