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The start of the spring semester has brought us back into a full slate of tasks and activities. It has also brought us some interruptions, like a few feet of snow and a rapidly changing federal landscape. I have been proud to witness our university community respond to these complexities as we have before — by coming together to solve problems with adaptability and resilience.
You may remember that I titled my message for this year's opening breakfast "Anatomy of a Community." In the message, I tried to underscore the importance of understanding the benefits and positive outcomes of our collective work. With a community of over 1,100 employees and more than 4,000 students, the university requires us to carry out many different functions to operate smoothly. These include functions with contributions in facilities, teaching, advising, coaching, groundskeeping, research, advising, mentoring, counseling, customer service, learning, and leading, just to name a few.
Each of us has varying levels of involvement in the functions that help SUNY Oneonta operate successfully. Within each of those functions, we usually play one of three roles (and these roles may change for each function you're involved in). You might be a core participant who is deeply involved in the day-to-day responsibilities of a function. You might be an active participant who helps support the function's success and gets involved only when needed. Or, you might be a peripheral participant, minimally active in the tasks to execute the function, but you are still greatly impacted by the outcomes.
I ask us all to step back and try to see the various functions across the university and think about our role in each of them and who might be the core, active, or peripheral participants. Oftentimes, the people on the periphery of your daily functions are at the core of functions in which you are a peripheral participant.
We all are core and periphery participants at one time or another. We must all respect and acknowledge those who might be on the periphery of our day-to-day tasks. The more we take time to be aware of the different functions on campus and the responsibilities of those carrying out the core tasks, the more trust and reciprocity we will have for one another. It is the mutual admiration, trust, care, and value that binds us together, creating a sense of safety and belonging.
With this in mind, I would like to recognize all of the departments and functions across the university —especially in facilities and other essential services that have helped us keep campus open and safe during this particularly active winter. Without their hard work, we would not have been able to maintain our operations and daily schedules as we did this year. I would also like to thank the offices that have helped us maneuver and plan in response to the changing guidance and procedures at the state and national levels. These have required additional reports, organization, and communications.
Every employee plays a key role in SUNY Oneonta not only offering a quality and high-value education to students but also maintaining a caring, respectful, and strong community. Thank you for your contributions.
Sincerely,
Alberto J.F. Cardelle
President
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SUNY Oneonta, Otsego County Celebrate
Job Shadowing Month
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The Career Planning and Networking Center (CPNC) launched a new job shadowing program in February. The program is geared toward first- and second-year students as they begin to explore career choices and what path they may want to pursue after graduation. The goal is to provide students with an inside look at various fields and workplaces and an understanding of the skills required for success.
CPNC staff secured placements for over 30 students in wide-ranging fields, including cybersecurity, music industry, counseling, photography, and human resources. The organizations hosting our students were located throughout Otsego County, and one took place virtually in Sullivan County.
Participating students engaged in informational interviews with experienced professionals, learned firsthand from industry experts, and observed how classroom theories are applied in real-world work settings. Additionally, the program fosters meaningful networking opportunities, helping students build connections that can support their professional growth.
Otsego County helped the university celebrate this new endeavor. On Feb. 2, the Board of Representatives passed a proclamation declaring Feb. 2 "Job Shadowing Day" in Otsego County in recognition of the powerful, positive impact shadowing has on students' career readiness. CNPC Director Christy Funsch, Employer Relations Counselor Corrine Armstrong, and Director of Community & Government Relations Caroline Williams joined County legislators as the proclamation was signed.
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What's New in the Office of Student Experience
Kate McMichael,
Director, Office of Student Experience
The Office of Student Experience has seen exciting new programs and developments over the past several months. The initiatives outlined below enhance our engagement and support for students and their families. Please reach out if you want to learn more or partner with us!
We are proud to facilitate the university's interfaith support services. This spring, we are opening a new Interfaith Prayer and Reflection Space. This will be an inclusive, safe place for students of all faith and non-faith backgrounds to engage in individual or small-group reflection, contemplation, meditation, and/or prayer. We will be using the Oneonta Room on the main floor of the Hunt Union for the space, and it will have regular hours open to all. We are hosting a grand opening event on Friday, April 11 - please mark your calendars to join us!
This spring, we have added a new engagement event for SUNY Oneonta families to formally welcome them to the campus during the spring semester. Our first Spring Fling will be held April 11-13. While there are not as many sessions as we host during Family Weekend in the fall, Spring Fling will offer outdoor activities, a chance for families to meet faculty and staff, and more.
Lastly, we have begun hosting monthly online workshops for families of SUNY Oneonta students called "Pillars of Support." This workshop series is designed to provide deeper insights into SUNY Oneonta's many forms of support and opportunities available to students. We feature different departments and areas for each workshop so families can better understand their student's college journey and better support them in connecting with the resources on campus.
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| Upgrades coming to Secondary Campus Entrances
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Lachlan Squair,
Associate Vice President, Facilities Planning
This summer, the signs at the Bugbee Rd and MOC/West St campus entrances will be replaced. The designs (below) have been modeled to match the large sign at our main campus entrance on Ravine Parkway.
We don't expect that either of these projects will cause major traffic disruptions. The work on the Bugbee Rd entrance may impact parking lot 49, a residential student lot. We have been in touch with Residential and Community Life to help direct resident students who may park in this lot to other nearby parking.
Construction on these signs will begin as soon as the weather permits this spring, and we plan for both projects to be complete before Commencement this May.
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Students Explore Careers with Bassett Healthcare
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Tami LaPilusa
Director, Office of Health Careers
SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College students attended a Healthcare Career Day at Bassett Medical Center (BMC) in Cooperstown, NY, on Feb. 19. Students were able to meet & mingle with current BMC employees and learn how Bassett supports career advancement through educational support for those pursuing clinical roles. Members of Bassett’s Talent Acquisition Team discussed current employment opportunities and the hiring process while highlighting the Bassett CARES initiative and discussing volunteer opportunities for students. The day concluded with a tour of Bassett Medical Center to showcase the learning spaces for medical school students, administrative office space and employee health, diagnostic imaging facilities, emergency department, and clinical spaces that provide the foundation of Rural Healthcare for Otsego County and the surrounding areas.
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Online Programs Recognized by
U.S News & World Report
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SUNY Oneonta's fully online M.S.Ed. programs in Literacy Education and Educational Technology rank 114th out of more than 1,800 programs in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 edition of Best Online Master’s in Education Programs. This ranking reflects excellence across five key categories: Engagement, Faculty Credentials and Training, Peer Assessment, Services and Technology, and Student Excellence.
Read more about this recognition.
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Cabinet Meeting Notes
Notes from meetings of the President's Cabinet are shared with the university community monthly in Notes from Netzer. Questions can be directed to president@oneonta.edu.
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