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A recent Chronicle of Higher Education report titled, "Higher Education in 2035," highlights the need for a mindset shift within our sector. According to the Chronicle, future success for colleges and universities will require that institutions shift their mindsets from competition to collaboration. It also notes that the spirit of collaboration has not always been "in the DNA of higher ed."
The articles in this month’s Notes from Netzer demonstrate how SUNY Oneonta continues to embrace collaboration as a vehicle for success. We have embraced collaboration through regional education partnerships with Hartwick College, Utica University and SUNY Cobleskill. We have worked internationally with partners to provide students with broadened educational experiences. We have collaborated with local employers like Bassett, Springbrook and BOCES to launch workforce development programming. Finally, collaboration with business partners like architectural, construction and engineering firms results in the creation of wonderful, award-winning learning spaces.
Our commitment to collaboration helps us maintain an environment that nurtures professional accomplishments, student success and innovation. The stories in this edition about expanding learning opportunities, highlighting partnerships and new program development, and celebrating successes are proof that a commitment to cooperation and excellence is key for SUNY Oneonta to continue to thrive for years to come.
Sincerely,
Alberto J.F. Cardelle
President
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Red Dragons Named NCAA All Americans
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Ejim Nnate '24 and Isabella Fabrizio '24 were named NCAA Division III All-Americans at the women's track & field national championship meet on Mar. 8-9. Nnate earned First Team All-American after placing 7th in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.70. Nnate is the first hurdler in SUNY Oneonta history to be named an All-American! Fabrizio, competing in her second NCAA appearance, took 16th in the shot put competition with a throw of 13.16 meters to earn a Second Team All-American selection.
Jack Ryan '25 was named an All-American at the men's wrestling NCAA Division III national championships on Mar. 16. Ryan entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed and finished 3-2 with two major decisions for a seventh-place finish at 184 pounds. He is the 15th Red Dragon in program history to be named All-American.
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Extended Learning Programs Fill Gaps for Training in High-Demand Fields
Through SUNY transformational funding, the Extended and Community Learning (ExCL) Center is now offering flexible online training for in-demand healthcare fields to residents of our local communities. These courses are offered in partnership with the well-known online training provider CareerStep. Thanks to the SUNY grant funding, the courses are offered at no cost to participants, supporting our goal of improving regional economic development and living standards.
After discussions with area healthcare and education leaders, the ExCL Center team identified local gaps in professional and vocational training for roles like Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Phlebotomy Technician and others. Job openings at regional organizations and labor statistics highlight the demand for workers in these occupations in our area and show significant potential for growth. The CareerStep courses in these fields are aligned with industry requirements and prepare participants for certification exams.
We have two years to utilize the SUNY funds, after which we'll evaluate the program's future. The goal is to assist regional adult learners in gaining in-demand skills and, eventually, employment in these crucial fields. While this initiative does not replace existing programs offered at the university, it adds to our workforce development efforts, filling a gap in our community's educational landscape.
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An Introduction to the School of Graduate Studies
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Gabriel Aquino
Dean, School of Graduate Studies
Just last week, I realized I had only been here at SUNY Oneonta for just over two months. Everyone I have met has been so friendly and welcoming that time has blurred my perspective, and I already feel a part of the community. As a first-generation college student with parents who only had an elementary education, I am incredibly humbled by the opportunities to serve in an institution dedicated to public service. I was never a traditional student, as I joined the Army Reserves to pay for college. However, I was activated into active service for Desert Storm/Desert Shield and did not begin college until I was 22. Although the difference in age was small, the life experience packed in that space created a gap that has influenced how I engage in my roles in academia.
My role as Dean of the School of Graduate Studies will be to invigorate and bolster our already successful and established graduate programs and build up new areas that will support our current undergraduate students, our community, the state, and of course SUNY Oneonta. But I cannot do this alone. The School of Graduate Studies includes myself, Dr. Cynthia (Cindy) Falk, the Assistant Dean, and Kelly Spettel, the Administrative Assistant. Cindy has been involved in graduate studies at SUNY Oneonta since 2000, when she joined the faculty of the Cooperstown Graduate Program. She teaches courses in material culture, historic preservation, and accessibility, including many service-learning classes. The experience she brings to the Assistant Dean role was gained through her time as chair of SUNY Oneonta's Graduate Committee and in municipal and non-profit leadership, which included strategic planning, sustainability initiatives, budgeting, and grant writing. Kelly has worked at SUNY Oneonta for 23 years in various administrative positions. She has been an invaluable support as we get this new unit off the ground and says she is excited about working with the School of Graduate Studies and the graduate programs on campus. Cindy and Kelly's experience and skills will be integral to the School of Graduate Studies' success as we work to provide a new level of support for graduate faculty and students.
This work, of course, involves a lot of other people all across campus. We are also very dependent on and thankful for Travis Moyer, Associate Director of Graduate Admissions, the Graduate Committee, program directors, graduate faculty, school deans, Senate, university leaders, dedicated employees from all divisions, the Foundation and many others. I want to mention my appreciation and admiration for the graduate students separately as their dedication to their pursuit of an advanced degree while managing ever-growing obligations should be acknowledged independently. It is my belief and goal that the School of Graduate Studies will strengthen our relationships and make our university stronger, and I look forward to the many opportunities we will have to work together in the future.
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Tokyo Metropolitan University Partners Visit Campus
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Kiyoko Yokota
Associate Professor, Biology
I'd like to wholeheartedly thank the SUNY Oneonta community for warmly hosting the ten undergraduate researchers and two faculty members from the Biology program at Tokyo Metropolitan University (TMU) from Feb.18 - 25. TMU, a public comprehensive university in Tokyo, Japan, has been one of SUNY Oneonta's exchange partners since 2015. Some students may have interacted with TMU students and faculty through Collaborative Online Interactive Learning (COIL) activities in biology courses in the past. This is the third visit of the TMU group to our campus, supported by TMU’s internal grant program to help their undergraduate researchers gain the necessary skills to effectively communicate about science in English with fellow researchers in global settings.
TMU students’ research posters were displayed outside Perna Auditorium throughout the week; the presenters attended their posters for an hour or two, every day, to give an overview of their research, answer questions and get to know SUNY Oneonta students, faculty, and staff. On Friday, the TMU students and four SUNY Oneonta students orally presented their research in Craven Lounge, Morris Hall. Dr. Akiko Asada and Dr. Adam Weitemier from TMU presented on the biology programs at TMU and their neuroscience research in the Biology Department Seminar Series in Perna Auditorium. The next day, with all the pressure of presenting their research in a second language now behind them, the TMU students enjoyed an introductory SCUBA Diving experience in Chase Gym in the morning and a nature hike at the Thayer Farm of Biological Field Station in the afternoon, followed by a visit to a local farm where they observed how raw maple sap is turned into maple sugar.
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Dr. Valerie Rapson narrating a planetarium show for the TMU group.
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| Special thanks go to the Office of Global Education for overall logistics and support, Dr. Maria Montoya and her Multicultural Community Center student volunteers, School of Sciences, Biology Department, Science Discovery Center and Dr. Valerie Rapson, Graig Eichler and Morris/Denison Halls staff, Chase Gym staff, Office of Scholarly Activities, Biological Field Station and faculty members from across the campus who kindly allowed the TMU students to audit their classes.
Group visits like this bring in-person international exchange right here on our campus, even to those not particularly interested in traveling or studying abroad. The TMU students were very impressed by the way the SUNY Oneonta instructors guided student learning in their classrooms, which is quite different from the traditional lectures at Japanese universities. There were a lot of Oneonta students who were interested in studying abroad in East Asia, and I was very happy to see them actively engaging with the visitors from TMU as well as our international students from the region at the Study Abroad Discovery Night. These grass-roots interactions build the reputation of an institution as a preferred study abroad destination, whether as an exchange or a degree-seeking student – families abroad are more likely to send their students to an institution where their siblings, cousins, or friends had a positive experience in person.
We look forward to welcoming a TMU group again in 2025! If you are interested in the various international exchange activities in the Biology Department, please visit our webpage.
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Alumni Hall Partner Wins Engineering Award
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Erdman Anthony, the engineering firm that provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design and energy modeling for the Alumni Hall rehabilitation, has received an award for its building/technology systems work on the project. Their efforts have been recognized with a Platinum Engineering Excellence Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York. This award recognizes the project's complexity, innovative strategies used, and value to society. Read more about the award.
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Curricular Innovation & New Program Development Help Us Sustain Success
Enrique Morales-Diaz
Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs
To help our students meet their goals and aspirations and address the demands of the post-graduation job market, faculty across campus are actively engaging in curricular changes and forming partnerships. These efforts not only aim to enhance our academic offerings but also support our institution's objectives for student recruitment and retention.
In support of these critical faculty initiatives, the Provost’s Office hosted a workshop on February 23. This session brought together faculty members to explore various academic structures, such as minors, microcredentials, certificate programs, degree options, and accelerated program formats like 3+2 and 4+1 structures. The workshop also highlighted the guidelines and regulations set by SUNY, the NY State Education Department and Middle States regarding academic program frameworks and outcomes. Moreover, it addressed the registration forms and campus approval processes necessary for implementing these changes.
Building on this foundation, a subsequent workshop on March 1 offered faculty the opportunity to discuss the creation of new interdisciplinary majors, minors, and microcredentials related to healthcare. This Healthcare Programs Summit focused on fields such as Arts Therapy, Global and/or Environmental Health, Medical Humanities, Health Data Analytics, Social Work (MSW), Applied Behavioral Analysis, Pre-Health Advising Tracks, and End of Life Studies. This marked a significant step towards expanding our academic landscape to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare industry and our region, further enhancing our efforts to align academic offerings with student interests and contribute to our enrollment and retention goals.
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| DSP Microcredential Supports Workforce Training
This month, Governor Hochul announced that $32 million will be invested in the Direct Support Professional Microcredential Program offered by SUNY and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. SUNY Oneonta received $706,455 from this funding to help expand the program and provide training locally. We will develop coursework and partner with ARC Otsego, Pathfinder Village and Springbrook to fill a growing need for specially trained support professionals in our region. Read more about the grant funding and DSP MicroCredntial Program.
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| Basset Career Advancement and Retention Experience for Students (CARES), our workforce development partnership with Bassett Healthcare Network, is ready to bring in the first cohort of participants. In this program, Bassett has agreed to hire up to 50 recent graduates from SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College to work in a variety of roles across their network and healthcare facilities. As an incentive, employees hired through this program can qualify for up to $25,000 in student loan repayment in two and a half years.
Bassett is actively recruiting graduating seniors to spread the news and generate future employees. Graduates in all majors are encouraged to explore bassett.org/careers to explore opportunities. Bassett welcomes applicants for healthcare-related positions as well as for administrative roles in the business office, budget, social work, community health, human resources and more.
Bassett CARES is also looking for current students who may be interested in part-time work at a Bassett facility and would serve as ambassadors. The ambassadors will help spread the word about the Bassett CARES program on campus and inform fellow students about opportunities to work in the Bassett system.
Any students interested in the Bassett CARES program or becoming student ambassadors should reach out to the Career Development Center for more information. Faculty and staff are encouraged to spread the word about these opportunities to students!
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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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