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| A Message from Incoming President Cardelle
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When I first visited Oneonta during my on-campus interview I talked about how the mission of SUNY Oneonta - “We nurture a community where students grow intellectually, thrive socially and live purposefully.” - was a major reason for my interest in serving as president here. I plan to immediately get to work in realizing this mission and rebuilding the institution’s nurturing community by partnering with all of you. From my perspective, there are two critical areas in need of immediate attention.
First, we must build upon the shared realization that a nurturing community in the current context of the pandemic requires a focus on safety, health and wellness. We cannot maintain and foster a nurturing community without that community being safe and healthy. I ask that we all continue to work this coming year to loyally implement the pandemic response plans already in place so that we may complete the year without disruptions and, more importantly, with a genuine sense that we are a place that values the health and wellness of all.
Second, I firmly believe that a nurturing community allows all stakeholders’ voices to be heard so everyone can see how we collectively impact on the lives of our students and community. To that end, I plan to spend time visiting with and listening to all constituents in our college community. I want to hear everyone’s vision of what SUNY Oneonta should be and stand for. Blending and uniting these different visions will create a set of practices and a culture that is more powerful than any individual actions or separate goals.
I’m looking forward to working with all of you and joining the campus community in September. I'm also committed to a steadfast communication effort that will keep the entire SUNY Oneonta community informed on how we are doing and where we are going. I wish the students, staff, faculty and the Oneonta community a happy start to the Fall 2021 semester.
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| College at Oneonta Foundation Earns Tenth Consecutive Four-Star Rating
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Paul Adamo
Vice President for College Advancement
The College at Oneonta Foundation’s financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned i a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator.
This is the tenth consecutive year that the College Foundation has earned this top distinction.
“Attaining a four-star rating verifies that the State University College at Oneonta Foundation exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in their area of work,” according to Michael Thatcher, president and CEO of Charity Navigator. “Only 3 percent of the charities we evaluate have received at least 10 consecutive four-star evaluations, indicating that the College at Oneonta Foundation outperforms most other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets the College at Oneonta Foundation apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.”
Jim Doig ’75 is the president of the College at Oneonta Foundation Board of Directors. “The College at Oneonta Foundation supports affordable access to high-quality academic experiences for SUNY Oneonta students,” Jim said. “It’s important that our alumni and donors trust that we’re using their donations wisely and according to their wishes. Our four-star Charity Navigator rating demonstrates our efficient governance and financial accountability.”
The growth of our college’s endowment, combined with critical annual gifts, now provides more than $3.7 million annually to support student scholarships and campus programs.
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Gretchen Sorin and CGP Recognized by American Bar Association
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The Cooperstown Graduate Program (CGP) was recognized with a Silver Gavel Award by the American Bar Association for the documentary "Driving While Black," written and directed by Distinguished Service Professor Gretchen Sorin ‘75 and filmmaker Ric Burns. This award recognizes works in media and the arts that are exemplary in helping foster public understanding of the law and legal system. The film was specifically praised for exploring the deep background behind the phrase “driving while black” and putting information about segregationist laws, civil rights, and freedom into a context some may have not previously considered.
The documentary was based off of Dr. Sorin’s book under the same name, for which she was a finalist for a NAACP Image Award for literary excellence in non-fiction.
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| Introducing the Office of Global Education
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Richard Lee
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
The Office of International Education has been renamed the Office of Global Education (OGE), in order to reflect the broadened scope of the office's responsibilities, which now include the management of domestic faculty-led programs in addition to international faculty-led programs. The OGE also provides programs and services for international students, visiting scholars, and education abroad students, and offers programming that supports campus internationalization efforts. The OGE is located in the new Experiential Learning Center in Hunt Union, which serves as a hub for students to explore and pursue experiential learning opportunities.
Contact Kate Stanley, director of Global Education, for further guidance on leading a domestic or international faculty-led program, or for information on supporting international students or colleagues.
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| Strong Start for Sophomore Support Program
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Thank everyone who has been involved in the "Year 2 All About You" enrollment support initiative thus far. Our second-year students need as much support as our new students this year, and special programs were planned to reacquaint them with the college and their classmates before classes began. Throughout last weekend, sophomores met with faculty members and advisors, learned about support services, and participated in a special Pass Through the Pillars ceremony since they did not have the opportunity to do so last fall. Sixty faculty and staff have been assigned as mentors to help interested sophomores build a support network and knowledge of where to turn if they are struggling. Anyone who would like to sign up to be a sophomore mentor should contact Kate McMichael.
Special acknowledgement goes out to the enrollment support group and offices of Admissions, Residential Community Life, Student Activities, New Student Services, Alumni Engagement and Student Development for their efforts to plan and coordinate programming for not only the "Year 2 All About You" program, but also move-in and new student orientation.
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| Thank You to Opening Week Volunteers
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Thanks to the many staff, faculty and student volunteers who helped make the reopening of campus, move-in and orientation such great experiences. Our volunteers shine bright each year and continue to demonstrate their commitment to our students' success. Your efforts during move-in, at the HQ tent, and in orientation sessions made a significant impact on every student who joined or returned to the SUNY Oneonta community. We have received many positive comments from grateful students and families about the how helpful our volunteers were during the process. View photos and a video that highlight opening week activities.
Reminder, the Pass Through the Pillars for new students will be held this Friday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m. in the quad. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend and welcome the new students.
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| CGP Collaborates with Local Medical Practice on Inclusive Artwork
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Cynthia Falk
Professor, Cooperstown Graduate Program
Last spring, museum studies graduate students at the Cooperstown Graduate Program (CGP) collaborated with staff at the Gender Wellness Center at Susquehanna Family Practice in Oneonta on updating the artwork in the patient-facing areas of the practice. Recognizing the importance of equitable representation, students worked to identify artwork that would embody the diversity of patients seen in the practice and could be featured in the waiting room and exam rooms.
The students sought to replace the typical art reproductions seen in medical offices, which often depict cisgender, heterosexual, white subjects, with images that provide positive representations of LGBTQIA+ people and people of color. They aimed to visually expand upon traditional depictions of families at this trailblazing practice that has made it a point to provide comprehensive health services to transgender and gender non-conforming patients. The CGP students also chose to emphasize the work of lesser-known artists from the U.S. and beyond who are using online platforms to market their work.
Completing the project during the pandemic created some challenges, such as not being able to visit the practice in person, but it also helped the students focus on the importance of health care and the need for equitable medical treatment, regardless of race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity or ability. CGP plans to continue the partnership in the coming year, working with other Bassett Healthcare campuses to create more welcoming and inclusive spaces.
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| Middle States Self-Study Continues
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Preparation for writing our College’s Middles States Self-Study continued this summer. The planning grids created last spring by the working groups for each standard were reviewed by the co-chairs, who were impressed by the detail and broad institutional thinking evident in the grids. The next step for the working groups will be to research and gather the evidence used to respond to specific Middle States standards, and then start drafting their chapters in preparation for submission of the Self-Study in 2022-2023.
Thank you to all who have been involved in this process. We are well on our way.
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