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Looking back at 2024, I am so proud of all that SUNY Oneonta has accomplished. This year's editions of Notes from Netzer, like today's, highlight how our collective commitment to excellence is the cornerstone of our many achievements and improvements. Together, we have navigated challenges, embraced opportunities, and continued to elevate the university. Thank you for enhancing the educational experiences of students and strengthening our university community.
As we look ahead to 2025, many promising initiatives are on the horizon, and we will continue to make progress on the Forward Momentum Agenda. With everyone's continued passion for what SUNY Oneonta represents to our students and our community, I am confident that we will achieve even greater milestones.
Sincerely,
Alberto J.F. Cardelle
President
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College Fed Challenge Team Competes Nationally
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SUNY Oneonta's 2024 College Fed Challenge Team
L to R: Andrew Stremel, Aneudy Mota, Ashlee Sphabmixay, and Bridget Doherty. (not pictured: Jorge Lopez Rodriguez)
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| Babatunde Aiyemo
Associate Professor, Economics
Last month, SUNY Oneonta students placed as one of only 18 teams in the semifinals of the Federal Reserve's College Fed Challenge. This is a national competition for undergraduate students where teams conduct economic and financial analyses to create a monetary policy recommendation.
This is a rigorous competition, with our Red Dragons competing alongside 118 other schools, including Ivy League giants like Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. Schools are divided into six regions: New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, Atlanta, Chicago, and an At-Large region. SUNY Oneonta was one of only three colleges in the New York Region that qualified for the semifinals.
For the preliminary round of the competition, the students were required to submit a 15-minute video analyzing current economic conditions, construct a near-term risk assessment, and make a policy recommendation. Teams that advanced to the semifinals underwent a live question-and-answer session with representatives of the Federal Reserve Bank.
Thank you to the many faculty members in Economics, Political Science, and the School of Liberal Arts & Business who helped these outstanding Red Dragons prepare to represent SUNY Oneonta so well!
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University-Wide Collaboration on Display at City Hall
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L to R: Reference and Special Collections Librarian Heather Stalter, Museum Studies graduate student Lizzy Keukjian, and Director of Community and Government Relations Caroline Williams.
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Caroline Wiliams
Director, Community & Government Relations
The City of Oneonta invited SUNY Oneonta to create a display in the City Hall lobby to honor our 135th anniversary and long-standing relationship with the community. Over the years, countless students, families, and friends have visited Oneonta, drawn by its connection to the university. These visitors have supported local businesses, retailers, and restaurants in downtown Oneonta, fostering a strong bond between the university and the community that has endured for over a century.
The display showcases the university's rich history through an array of historical artifacts like pennants, yearbooks, and commemorative items. Many were donated to the Milne Library as part of the Evan C. Schiele Collection and curated by Heather Stalter, Head of University Archives & Special Collections, and Lizzy Keukjian, a student in Museum Studies at our Cooperstown Graduate Program.
The iconic Pillars from Old Main are front and center in the display, along with our current mission and values along with current statistics on enrollment, alumni, and student impact. The display also offers a glimpse into the future and highlights on-campus resources available to community members. These include the Science Discovery Center, the planetarium, sports matches, College Camp, and much more.
This project was made possible through the invaluable assistance and support of many on-campus collaborators, including the project committee, the President’s Office, Milne Library, Graduate Studies, the Center for Social Responsibility, Athletics, Advancement, and Alumni Engagement.
There is a special hidden detail within the display; you will have to visit it in person to find the special item. The display will be in the front lobby of City Hall, 258 Main Street, Oneonta, until the end of January.
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| Celebrating 50 Years of the Milne Library Building
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Milne Library circa 1972-1974
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Heather Stalter
Librarian, Reference and Special Collections
From a single classroom-sized space with several hundred books to the dynamic learning environment we know today, SUNY Oneonta's library has transformed dramatically over the last 135 years. As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the current library building, it's exciting to see how the library has evolved to serve generations of students and faculty.
Our library dates to the opening of Oneonta Normal School in 1889, where a second-floor library and reading room offered a small but growing collection. When the first building burned down in 1894, the library was lost. Within a year, a new building—now fondly called Old Main—arose, featuring an elegant library space framed by two alcoves formed from the building's towers. Under our first librarian, Jessica Alden (1913-1944), the library flourished, eventually expanding to five rooms and offering a Library Club for the students.
By 1960, the need for a dedicated library building led to a new facility on the new campus. In an impressive and characteristic display of community spirit, students, faculty, and staff, led by President Netzer, moved 50,000 books from Old Main up the hill to the new library—now Alumni Hall—in under six hours!
Seven years later, the ambitious vision for today's Milne Library took shape. Spanning 92,000 square feet to accommodate 500,000 volumes, this building revolutionized campus learning with modern amenities. The first floor featured a Listening Center with stereo turntables and cassette units, while the Media Center provided carrels equipped with video players and various projectors. On the second floor, in what is now the Student Learning Center, the Teaching Materials Center (later the Dewey Room) housed education-related materials and children's books. In addition to the Alden Room, the third floor offered the New York State Room and a gallery that looked very different from what it is today. Periodicals, government documents, microfilm, and a 10-room Honors Program Suite comprised the basement level.
Over five decades, the library has continuously adapted to changing needs. The 1980s introduced online database searching, though initially at $10 per search. In 1990, students could access the library catalog from their rooms via personal computers and modems. Educational initiatives expanded with credit-bearing courses, including INTD 125: Basic Library Skills and INTD 150: Library Resources and Research - a precursor to today’s INTD 1500: Library and Internet Research. The library also pioneered “term paper appointments” in 1978 – a service that evolved into today’s research consultation service.
The library has undergone quite a few comprehensive renovations since then. Today's Milne Library houses various academic support services, including Information Technology Services, Accessibility Resources, and the Student Learning Center—a testament to our ongoing commitment to student learning and success.
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Research Task Force & Plan Update
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The University Grants Team (UGT) is a cross-divisional group that supports faculty, staff, and student efforts to secure and manage external funding.
Research, scholarship, and creative activity are important components of the University’s strategic plan:
- to serve as a center of academic excellence and innovation
- to create opportunities for student experiential learning
- to be an engaged partner that contributes to the region’s vibrancy through applied scholarship
- to advance institutional core values such as climate stewardship & decarbonization
In recognition of the importance of research, scholarship, and creative activity at SUNY Oneonta, President Cardelle charged the UGT with facilitating the University Research Task Force, which will develop an implementation plan to elevate research at SUNY Oneonta. Task force membership, determined by the President and Provost, includes representation from each School, the deans, the Faculty Committee on Research, the Library, and Student Affairs.
To develop and implement the University’s Research Plan, the Task Force will prioritize goals and objectives, identify and prioritize action items, establish a timeline, and identify responsible parties. The plan will be presented to the University Senate in late Spring 2025. The Task Force met twice in the Fall semester and will convene in the Spring with additional small group and asynchronous collaboration. Broad goals have been identified that are aligned with the Forward Momentum Agenda Strategic Pillars.
The Task Force has created a list of prioritized action items and is now developing a timeline for implementation and a measurement plan to evaluate progress toward identified goals. The Task Force will present the plan at a University Senate meeting in the Spring.
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SUNY Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Attends SOHLI Opening
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SUNY Oneonta was honored to have Dr. Ricardo Nazario y Colón, SUNY Senior Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer, at the grand opening of the SUNY Oneonta Heritage Language Institute (SOHLI). SOHLI celebrates multilingualism and fosters a diverse campus community by supporting English language learners through its courses, programs, and physical space. Thank you, Dr. Nazario y Colón, for attending and supporting our new program.
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New Articulation Agreement for DPT with SUNY Upstate
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Tami LaPilusa
Director, Office of Health Careers
SUNY Oneonta has established a new articulation agreement with SUNY Upstate Medical University. Now, students in our Exercise Science major and Health Professions concentration can qualify to enroll in a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree at Upstate. We have had a popular 3+3 DPT agreement with Upstate for more than 20 years that requires students to be Biology majors. The new agreement enhances our collaboration with Upstate by offering a second option for a 4+3 timeline. Learn more about the program.
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Shining Bright at Oneonta's Festival of Lights
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Brian Murray
Director, Facilities Operations
SUNY Oneonta once again has a display in the annual Festival of Lights at Neahwa Park. This community tradition is free and open to the public. Hosted by Hill City Celebrations, the drive-through show runs through Jan. 1, 2025. Be sure to visit the park to catch SUNY Oneonta's display, which proudly showcases the creativity and spirit of our campus community.
A special thank you to staff from Grounds, the Electric Shop, and the Carpenter Shop for making this possible and to the Alumni Association for generously contributing their impressive dragon display.
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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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