Sharon F. Cramer, professor of exceptional education at Buffalo State College, has been named a State University of New York Distinguished Service Professor.

Four separate designations constitute Distinguished Faculty Rank in the State University of New York: the Distinguished Librarian, the Distinguished Professorship, the Distinguished Service Professorship and the Distinguished Teaching Professorship. Regardless of designation, individuals so appointed hold SUNY’s highest academic rank. Distinguished Service Professors are faculty whose extraordinary service to and far beyond SUNY have contributed to the improved health, education, culture, economy and overall public good of our state and nation.

Cramer, who began teaching at Buffalo State College in 1985, holds a B.A. in English education from Tufts University, an M.A.T. from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Human Relations and Social Policy from New York University. She is also a graduate of the Harvard Management and Leadership in Education Institute.

At Buffalo State College, she has served as chair and professor of exceptional education, chair of the College Senate By-Laws and Elections Committee, chair of the Commencement Committee, chair of the Intercollegiate Athletics Board, co-leader of the “Write On” program for scholarly writing and executive director of the SABRE Project, the college’s recently instituted student admissions, aid, billing, registration and enrollment management program.

Cramer served as president, director, membership chair and program committee member of the Northeastern Educational Research Association; as a member of the Council for Exceptional Children; and president and secretary of the Federation of Chapters of the New York State Council for Exceptional Children. She also served on the Public Affairs Service Committee and Governance Committee and chaired the Handbook Revision Committee of the State University of New York Senate.

She is the author of the texts “Collaboration: A Success Strategy for Special Educators” and “Instructor’s Manual, Collaboration: A Success Strategy for Special Education,” as well as a number of refereed and invited journal articles.

Cramer is the recipient of the Burton Blatt Humanitarian Award from the Division on Developmental Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children; the Special Recognition Award by the Division on Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities; the Award for Service from the Buffalo State College Chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children; the President’s Award for Excellence in Academic Advisement; and The New York Federation of Chapters of the Council for Exceptional Children Service Award.