|
|
| I've mentioned a few times recently that I believe that we are at a point in the university's history where we have an infrastructure of opportunity. As outlined in my end-of-year message, we have much to be proud of and look forward to.
I was inspired by the words of our 2023 Student Research and Creative Activity day keynote speaker, Dr. Gladstone 'Fluney' Hutchinson '83. He said that the rarest but most necessary item for collective success is collaboration on the aspirations of the community. He also summarized how recalling our individual goals and values can allow us to be inventive when developing and improving as a community.
After looking back at the many celebrations of the past month and achievements of the past year, I hope we can all take a moment to appreciate the cooperative nature of our work and its impact on our community's success. I hope we can also keep Dr. Hutchinson's words in mind as we continue to work together in the months and year ahead.
We can only expect to maintain this caliber of excellence if we take time to rest and refuel. I hope you take some time to enjoy things that rejuvenate you this summer.
Sincerely,
Alberto J.F. Cardelle
President
| |
Student Affairs Equity Institute Begins
Tracy P. Johnson
Vice President for Student Affairs
The Student Affairs Equity Institute's purpose is to provide leadership development training and coaching to support the university's goals for student success and community building tied to the institutional agenda, Regaining Momentum. The Institute trains trainers on inclusive pedagogies, teaching, and programming. The goal is for participants to foster retention and persistence and broaden opportunities for student/faculty/staff interactions that engender a sense of belonging and purpose for all. Nine members of the Division of Student Affairs participated in the inaugural Student Affairs Equity Institute this spring. Led by Dr. Paul Hernandez, author of The Pedagogy of Real Talk, the objectives for the Institute include:
Objectives:
- Consider how their social identity impacts their leadership and student engagement
- Identify their own biases and barriers to intergroup engagement
- Apply trust-building strategies to student engagement contexts
- Design active & collaborative student engagement sessions
- Understand barriers to student success and persistence
- Develop inclusive mindsets, spaces, and programs
- Assess student engagement and sense of belonging
- Apply inclusive principles and strategies to case studies
Inaugural Group:
- Sara Curran-Headley, Coach in Athletics
- Kate McMichael, Director of Student Experience
- Tammy Jones, Administrative Assistant in Counseling Services
- Robb Thibault, Director of Hunt Union and Student Life/Leadership
- Olivia Avanzato, Outreach Counselor for Student Care Office
- Bill Harcleroad, Director of Student Life and Leadership
- Nora Mendez, CAMP Counselor
- Miriam Koroma-Anna, ACE Counselor
- Bryce Wooden, EOP Counselor
Moving forward, the group will continue defining “a sense of belonging” for SUNY Oneonta and focus on policies and practices that remove barriers for students outside of the classroom to enhance the student experience. Infusing an equity mindset and belonging into onboarding for students and Student Affairs employees and collaborating with colleagues across the university community will also be future efforts.
| |
Bloomberg Philanthropies Recognizes SUNY Oneonta as ATI High Flier
| |
SUNY Oneonta is among a small group of American Talent Initiative (ATI) member institutions to attain the High-Flier designation. Out of more than 130 four-year colleges and universities that are ATI members, SUNY Oneonta is one of just 28 recognized for maintaining or increasing enrollment and success among low-income (Pell-eligible) students amid significant demographic, academic, and economic headwinds. Read more about our High-Flier recognition.
SUNY Oneonta joined the ATI in January with a commitment to increasing access to higher education, retention and graduation rates for lower-income students.
| |
$203,000+ Raised in Three Days. Thank You!
| |
Ben Wendrow
Director of Development
SUNY Oneonta’s 2023 spring giving celebration, POWERED BY YOU, raised over $203,000 to increase funding for student scholarships, campus programs, and the Student Emergency Fund. Over 1,150 members of the SUNY Oneonta family showed their unwavering support for current and future students by making gifts, unlocking matching challenges, and encouraging their friends and family to do the same.
Every corner of campus will benefit from gifts made during POWERED BY YOU. Some of the individual funds with the highest gift totals include the following:
- Fund for Oneonta: $77,664
- SUNY Oneonta Student Athlete Travel Fund: $29,323
- AOP Student Fund: $15,440
- Student Emergency Fund: $10,920
- WONY 90.9FM Endowment Fund: $7,490
I especially want to thank the 160 faculty and staff members and 213 current students who participated in POWERED BY YOU. Many students made their first charitable gift to the Fund for Oneonta, paying it forward to support students next year. Additionally, congratulations to the Cross Country/Track and Field team for winning the Red Dragon Athletics Giving competition and Iota Tau Kappa for winning the Greeks Give Back competition.
A SUNY Oneonta education has a transformative impact on our students, communities, and society. It empowers personal and professional success and promotes equity and social progress. Your charitable gifts are a vital investment that shapes a brighter future. We would not be able to sustain our level of financial support for our students without you. Thank you again.
| |
Partnership with Springbrook Increases Access to Higher Education, Strengthens Workforce
| |
A new partnership between SUNY Oneonta and Springbrook will support workforce development for one of the region’s largest employers. The Springbrook Training and Education Program (STEP) is a curriculum of five SUNY Oneonta courses and is designed to provide educational opportunities to Springbrook employees who have faced obstacles when it comes to pursuing a degree. Special thanks go to Dr. Brenda Seery, assistant professor for Human Development and Family Studies, Dr. Mark Davies, dean of the School of Education, Human Ecology and Sports Studies, Michelle Thibault, senior director of career & academic planning and Danielle McMullen, chief of staff, for their coordination in developing the program and partnership.
Through STEP, direct support professionals at Springbrook can enroll in a tuition-free Human Services Education Program designed to develop further their knowledge of working with families and individuals with developmental disabilities. Classes are taught by SUNY Oneonta faculty on one of Springbrook’s two campuses. The credits earned can be applied toward a degree program, and those who complete the program will receive an increase in their hourly wages.
The first cohort of 25 scholars began classes on May 22. They will meet twice weekly for the first 15-week session and receive paid release time from regular work responsibilities. The first group of STEP participants includes staff from across Springbrook’s departments and programs, including Community Homes, Capstone Day Habilitation, employment services, dietary services, and The School at Springbrook.
| |
| NYC School Counselors Explore SUNY Oneonta
Karen Brown
Senior Enrollment Management Officer & Executive Director of Admissions
From Tuesday, May 23 - Wednesday, May 24, the Admissions Office hosted 30 school counselors from New York City for the Explore SUNY Oneonta overnight experience. This new program is funded by a Regaining Momentum Strategic Opportunities Funding Grant.
The goal of the event was to introduce new counselors to SUNY Oneonta and provide them with a deeper understanding of the benefits and opportunities here to share with students, families and colleagues. The agenda included presentations about academic opportunities and support, financial aid, access programs, DEISJ activities, experiential learning, leadership and other engagement opportunities, and much more. Counselors had the opportunity to listen and learn from many campus partners and tour campus facilities, including the Science Discovery Center, the recently renovated Alumni Hall, the Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence, and College Camp.
We would like to thank all of the presenters for participating in this important event. We would also like to thank our colleagues in Facilities, Maintenance, Custodial and Grounds for the many hours spent preparing for our guests and the Sodexo catering team for the delicious meals prepared and provided.
| |
2023 Tapestry of Diversity & Inclusion Award Honors Dr. Maria Chaves Daza
| |
 |
L to R: Dr. Bernadette Tiapo, Dr. Maria Chaves Daza, & Dr. Alberto Cardelle
|
| Bernadette Tiapo
Vice President for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer
The SUNY Oneonta community came together on Wednesday, May 17, to honor the recipient of the 2023 Tapestry of Diversity and Inclusion Award (TDIA). The TDIA honors an employee's outstanding contributions to fostering our institution’s mission as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
This year's recipient, Dr. Maria Chaves Daza, assistant professor of Africana and Latinx Studies, was recognized with a plaque and a $500 award. The addition of the $500 prize to the TDIA was made possible by the Capek Family Fund for Inclusive Excellence, which aims to assist with DEI initiatives that advance inclusive excellence.
During the ceremony, President Cardelle reiterated the university’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice. He acknowledged the important contributions and advocacy of members of the campus community. Other speakers included: Dr. Chloe Diamond-Lenow, assistant professor of Women and Gender Studies; Dr. Tracy Betsinger, professor of Anthropology; Pathy Leiva, director of Access & Opportunity Programs; and Aolat Salami, president of the Student Association. In accepting the award, Dr. Chaves Daza thanked all present and shared her thoughts on advocacy in DEI-related work and the significance of the TDIA award:
“This award, for me, is really about my ability to build community with people dedicated to education, to make spaces that are transformative, to decenter normative euro-centric ideas and make space for the periphery, for the disposed, for the forgotten for the atravesados, the queer, trans community of my heart; my communities of sustenance. I am grateful for the indigenous elders who took care of the land that we have the privilege to teach, learn and live on every day. The Haudenosaunee – the English/ French called them the Iroquois or the five nations, consisting of the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida and Mohawk – the stewards of this land are also an important part of the community that I want to recognize today in making possible for all of us to gather together. I also want to recognize the many immigrants, service workers, healthcare workers, and artists responsible for providing life-giving and sustaining work to all of us. It is in this way that I weave my tapestry, what this award means to me."
In line with the TDIA’s tradition for all awardees, Dr. Chaves Daza will create a personalized ceramic tile symbolizing diversity and inclusion to be included on the Tapestry of Diversity Sculpture on the quad. A picture with a narrative of Dr. Chaves Daza’s attributes will also be framed and placed in the Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence's Freedom Room. Read more about the TDIA and view past recipients.
| |
Alumni, Students, and Employees to be Recognized During Alumni Weekend
Laura Lincoln
Director of Alumni Engagement
The SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association’s Annual Alumni Awards program allows us to recognize alumni, students and employees who have displayed outstanding service, leadership, humanitarian efforts, military service, commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, school spirit and more. Ten individuals and one student group will be honored at the Alumni Celebration Breakfast on Saturday, June 10, during Alumni Weekend.
Later that day, seven alumni will be inducted into the SUNY Oneonta Athletic Hall of Fame to acknowledge their outstanding accomplishments as student-athletes while enrolled at the university.
Alumni Weekend is the largest alumni event of the year, annually drawing almost a thousand alumni, faculty, staff, and friends to campus for a weekend of reconnection and reminiscing. Faculty and staff members are encouraged to alumni who return to campus to participate in Alumni Weekend.
For more information about Alumni Weekend, our award winners or to register to join us for any of the events, visit the Alumni Weekend website.
| |
|
|
|
|
