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With just a few days of the Fall 2023 semester in the books, campus is already full of activity. I want to thank everyone for their preparations for the 2023-2024 academic year. A special thanks go to those who worked to get campus ready to welcome our students. More than 90 employees and 45 current students volunteered to assist during new-student move-in, Academic Convocation and Pass Through the Pillars. So many students, parents and family members commented in person and on social media about how helpful everyone on campus was and what a celebratory, low-stress experience they had.
Below, you'll learn more about the new One-Hart nursing agreement with Hartwick College, the second round of the Faculty Academy, our food pantry expansion and more. Every item in this edition of Notes from Netzer highlights our collective, university-wide approach to improving student retention through nurturing student growth, expanding opportunities and promoting excellence. We have an excellent incoming class (as you'll read more about below). Now it is time to focus on supporting all students, planning for the future, and fostering the sense of belonging that has helped generations of Red Dragons succeed and cherish their time at SUNY Oneonta.
Sincerely,
Alberto J.F. Cardelle
President
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One-Hart Nursing Agreement Established
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On Aug. 16, we signed an agreement with Hartwick College for an articulation agreement allowing students who enroll in our Pre-Nursing Advising Track and successfully complete two years of study in our Biology major to transfer into Hartwick's Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The One-Hart program will go into effect on Sept. 1, 2023, and is open to first-time, first-year or transfer students who enroll at SUNY Oneonta with fewer than 24 college credits. Students must earn a minimum grade of C in all prerequisite courses and an overall grade-point average of 3.0 to remain in the program.
This is a truly historic collaboration. Working with Hartwick to create a pathway for our students to more easily attain a nursing degree not only benefits the students but both institutions and our local region. One-Hart participants can interview for an RN position with Bassett Healthcare Network during their final semester, giving them early access to a job and helping to address the nursing shortage in our area.
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Enrollment Efforts See Positive Results
Karen Brown
Assistant Vice President of Enrollment
Enrollment remains an important focus and topic being discussed across campus. I am happy to report we were successful in our efforts to recruit and enroll new students for the Fall 2023 semester. Enrollment is finalized in mid-October in accordance with the SUNY census date, but we wanted to share preliminary data so that our entire campus community is informed and aware.
We experienced a 36% increase in total applications for Fall 2023 and an 18+% increase in deposits. We welcomed 1,325 first-year students and 325 transfer students to campus this semester, and they are a talented and diverse group of students.
- Average high school GPA: 90
- First-generation: 42%
- Racial diversity: 31.5%
- Out of State: 15 states and 7 countries
The incoming class included 120 new Educational Opportunity students, the largest EOP class in university history! Fall 2023 graduate new student enrollment increased by approximately 18%, following increases in both the Spring and Summer 2023 terms.
Everyone on campus contributed to our enrollment success. Students choose SUNY Oneonta for many reasons, but the most often cited is the feeling of community and support they received throughout the enrollment process. We will need to remain focused on these efforts moving forward to build this cycle's success. Thank you for all you do to support our students and our enrollment.
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Second Cohort of Faculty Academy Begins
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Earlier this month, a new group of faculty formed the second cohort of the Real Talk Pedagogy Faculty Academy. This initiative focuses on helping participants build an inclusive pedagogy strategy and more inclusive learning environments. Dr. Paul Hernandez, Author of “The Pedagogy of Real Talk: Engaging, Teaching and Connection With Students At-Promise,” led the group through a four-day workshop to kick off the year and encouraged the faculty to use what they learn in this program to build better connections with students and deliver course content in a way that relates to students' real-world experiences.
Assistant Professor of Media Studies Dr. Chelsea McCracken, Assistant Professor of Elementary Education & Reading Dr. Suriati Abas, and Associate Professor of Chemistry Dr. Trudy E. Thomas-Smith, who all participated in the Faculty Academy last year, will serve as leaders for this cohort. The group will continue to work together throughout the academic year.
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L to R back row: Dr. Paul Hernandez, Dr. Liyao Pan, Dr. Roberto Rincon, Dr. Jayleen Wangle, Dr. Greg Hummel, Dr. Kimberly Cossey, Dr. Jody Aultman.
L to R front row: Dr. Gina Solano, Dr. Xuexue Yang, Dr. Anita Levine, Dr. Arienne McCracken, Dr. Maria Chaves Daza.
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| Collaborative Effort Results in Expanded Efforts to Combat Food Insecurity on Campus
Olivia Avanzato, Office of Student Care
Over the summer, much work was completed to help make the vision of a full-service food pantry on campus a reality. On Sept. 15, we will unveil the new Red Dragon Food Pantry on the bottom floor of Hunt Union. This space will provide basic needs supplies to the entire university community as students, faculty and staff will all be welcome to utilize the resources inside. The food pantry will feature traditional non-perishable foods and provide access to fresh produce and perishable foods thanks to the expanded space and addition of a refrigerator and commercial freezer.
The Red Dragon Food Pantry is a prime example of the remarkable outcome collaboration with other campus units and local businesses can have. A partnership with Unadilla Community Farm, a non-profit that grows crops solely for donations to food pantries, will deliver fresh produce weekly. We will work with The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York to replenish the pantry's shelves on a regular basis. Sodexo donated the commercial freezer, which will allow frozen items to be available. Linda Drake's Fashion in Action organization donated retail shelving to help us organize inventory and make it more accessible. Facilities, Maintenance and Custodial worked hard to renovate and refresh the room for its new purpose. The Association of Food and Nutrition Club will provide programming and free recipe cards. The Red Dragon Food Pantry will also employ two federal work-study students.
All students and employees are invited to attend the grand opening Friday, Sept. 15, at 10 a.m. RSVP online.
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| MC Montoya Connects COIL & Fulbright Work
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Associate Professor of Spanish Dr. Maria Cristina Montoya published an article in the "Fulbright Chronicles" journal highlighting how her Fulbright work aligns with Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) efforts she has cultivated between students from SUNY-Oneonta and Colombia.
The article invites others to collaborate, including with others in various parts of the world, and work creatively to address the needs regarding SUNY Oneonta students' intercultural competencies. Dr. Montoya describes how her Fulbright missions in Colombia focus on COIL and promote structured international academic partnerships. COIL allows faculty and students to learn and practice cross-cultural critical thinking and solve problems with an authentic communicative interaction. This aligns with the Fulbright mission of supporting quality education, fostering service and advocacy for people's needs, valuing diversity and respect, and providing opportunities for global mutual understanding. Read the article online.
Dr. Montoya will be hosting a COIL Academy event on campus next month with support from a grant awarded by the Department of State Education and Cultural Affairs. This two-day conference, on Sept. 22 and 23, seeks to foster additional interest in COIL on our campus and with local K-12 school districts. For more information or to register, please email Dr. Montoya.
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Faculty Center: Next Iteration
Eileen Morgan-Zayachek
Senor Associate Provost, Academic Affairs
I am pleased to share this update on the evolution of the Faculty Center, which now officially carries the name of the Faculty Center for Teaching, Learning and Scholarship ("Faculty Center" for short). This iteration of the center is the result of a merger of two campus mainstays of faculty support: The Faculty Center and the Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center (TLTC). With this reorganization, Chilton Reynolds will serve as the director and will oversee the Pedagogy, Innovation and Technology Support team (Ed Beck, Rachael Fest, Diana Moseman and Tim Ploss), Research and Creative Activity Support (Audrey Porsche) and the Faculty Development Programming team (two Faculty Associates and the Faculty Center Advisory Council).
Last fall, the Provost’s Office shared a first draft of a proposal to merge The Faculty Center and the TLTC. The Faculty Center Advisory Council and the Committee on Administrative Review significantly revised and strengthened that first draft. Through their input—and that provided by other Senate committees—faculty and staff emphasized the need to retain the strong influence of the faculty on the Faculty Center’s programming. The outcome was the creation of the Faculty Associates program. Subsequently, through an application and interview process administered by the Faculty Center Advisory Council, two faculty members, Dr. Maurice Odago (Chemistry) and Dr. Brian Lowe (Sociology), were selected to serve as the Faculty Center’s first Faculty Associates. Drs. Odago and Lowe stepped into their new roles this summer as leaders of the planning and implementation of programs for faculty for the merged units, now under the mantle of “Faculty Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship" and the administrative direction of Chilton Reynolds. Congratulations and thanks to Drs. Odago and Lowe, and Director Chilton Reynolds!
The merger proposal review process and outcomes exemplify one way the iterative planning and shared governance processes have led to changes in the University. Thank you to the many faculty who engaged and revised the merger plan; the University Senate for the consideration that resulted in an endorsement to the Provost in late spring; Professor Rhea Nowak (M.F.A.), the Faculty Center Director who completed her term in June; and the professional staff of the newly merged unit for their commitment to providing ongoing and responsive support to faculty and, thus, to the evolution of an impactful learning environment for students. Please consult the Faculty Center's webpage for more information about the planned programs and support for the upcoming academic year.
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Business Receives AACSB Continuing Accreditation
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Izabella Lokshina, Chair of Business
Elizabeth Dunn, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts & Business
This summer, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International confirmed full accreditation of our degree programs in Accounting and Business. As part of a global network, we rely on our relationship with over 950 accredited institutions in 60 countries to stay up-to-date with the latest program trends and thinking. A key component of our AACSB effort supports campus values through participation in the United Nations "Principles of Responsible Management Education" frameworks as well as an emphasis on the Sustainable Development Goals recently adopted by the campus. Faculty and staff built excellent programs that enabled the successful confirmation effort.
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