Thom Hanford, Ph.D.
Sociologist | Student Advocate |
Higher Education Champion
Dr. Thom Hanford is a senior administrator and student advocate whose career spans over two decades within the State University of New York (SUNY), the nation’s largest comprehensive public university system. As Assistant Vice Chancellor for Transfer and Articulation, Dr. Hanford leads SUNY’s strategic efforts to reform and modernize transfer policy, ensuring that students—particularly those from SUNY’s community colleges—can navigate their educational journeys with clarity, equity, and efficiency.
A graduate of SUNY institutions at each level, Dr. Hanford earned his doctorate in Sociology. His sociological training underpins a career-long commitment to understanding and dismantling structural barriers that impede student success. He applies this lens to the complex dynamics of transfer, advocating for reforms that recognize the diverse pathways students take and the systemic challenges they face.
Dr. Hanford has played a central role in launching and leading the SUNY Transfer Task Force, a comprehensive initiative charged with reimagining transfer across the system. Under his leadership, SUNY has introduced a suite of reforms aimed at maximizing credit applicability and acceptance, reducing excess credits and time to degree; improving transparency; enhancing technological infrastructure; and establishing nation-leading system-wide partnerships
These efforts are guided by the 2024 Transfer Task Force Recommendations Report, which outlined a bold, data-informed strategy for improving transfer outcomes and elevating SUNY’s national leadership in student mobility.
Dr. Hanford’s career and causes are deeply rooted in the values of public higher education. He is a proponent of New York State’s commitment to providing accessible, affordable, and high-quality education to all residents. His leadership reflects a belief that transfer is not merely a logistical challenge but a matter of educational justice—one that demands thoughtful policy, inclusive practice, and sustained institutional collaboration.
In addition to his administrative leadership, Dr. Hanford continues to contribute to national conversations on transfer reform through his involvement with organizations such as AACRAO, NASH and Complete College America and through presentations at statewide and national policy and professional conferences.