[Academic-Affairs] AA Newsletter–Sept/October 2024
Office of the Provost/SVPAA
provost-office at plattsburgh.edu
Fri Sep 27 17:19:39 UTC 2024
27 September 2024
TO: Academic Affairs Faculty and Staff
From: Marcus Tye, Provost & SVPAA
Re: AA Newsletter–Sept/October 2024
Please remember mandatory Title VI training
<https://plattsburgh-ny.safecolleges.com/saml/login> is due 9/30. After
watching the video, the training requires several additional steps,
scrolling to the bottom of each step’s screen after completing in order to
click “complete” and or “finish” for each step. This includes clicking on
the final attestation, to be recorded as fully complete. After completing
the course, if you’d please login to ensure it’s recorded, as it may be
easy to have completed all course content yet have missed a confirmation
step. SUNY required we design this training on a rapid timeline.
I’ve now reached the two month mark (almost) and have been through at least
one if not two “regular” meetings with most of our shared governance
committees and leaders, and many more meetings with staff and faculty who
have reached out to share insights individually (Thank you! including
chairs, other active faculty, staff, and retired faculty). I’m grateful for
these meetings and impressed with the dedication of our faculty and staff,
quality of our programs, and the many new programs under development. I
look forward to supporting the faculty and deans as all three Schools work
for innovation that will help boost enrollment. I’ve also had the pleasure
of meeting with many students formally and informally including SA, club
leaders, and students at events and around on campus, and without exception
the students are enthusiastic about their classes and experience.
Based on my first two months of conversations, I’ve outlined a tentative
set of priorities for myself and our AA team for the next 10 months and
welcome input either directly to me or via the deans and other members of
the provost’s cabinet. These are:
1.
Visioning CTE and TEL for supporting online learning and new program
development: After conversations with Faculty Senate leadership, CTE and
TEL, I’m forming a small committee to recommend how CTE and TEL might
better support online learning, new online program development and
improvement once a program is up and running, as well as teaching and
learning excellence for in-person courses. The committee will be chaired by
Joshua Beatty, and have one faculty person from each School familiar with
CTE, as well as representation from TEL and ITS. The committee will
consider how we conceptualize the relationship between CTE and TEL, whether
a new structure is optimal, especially in support of interdisciplinary work
rather than a focus on individual courses. The committee will also be
charged with helping craft the position description and responsibilities
for a full time hire to support teaching excellence across programs of all
modalities. Dr. Theisen completes her excellent and most appreciated
service as interim CTE director in May 2025, so my hopes are that the
visioning will be completed in the next couple of months, so we can
commence a search in December, with the successful finalist to start in May
or June.
2.
Prior Learning Assessment Policy: In March SUNY announced that all
provosts are required to develop a Prior Learning Assessment policy by
December 31, 2024, with details from the system shared in July. Working
with Faculty Senate leadership I’ve convened a taskforce that will begin
work with the Academic Policies Committee to develop a policy that is
approved through shared governance before this semester ends, and also
meets with the approval of the Deans, Registrar and myself. I am hopeful
this policy can be future-facing and permit prior learning credit for
future extended learning and microcredentials (which may be noncredit but
could have sufficient content for retroactive crediting towards a degree).
While the SUNY policy will be submitted this semester, I hope the committee
might continue in spring looking at a framework supporting enhanced
extended learning and workforce development (WD-EL). Many SUNY
comprehensives have robust WD-EL offerings, and I gather SUNY Plattsburgh
also had this in the 1990s. Those I’ve spoken with agree this is an area of
opportunity to generate revenue to support programs, attract new students
who may later enter degree programs who otherwise might never enroll, and
serve our local communities.
3.
Graduate Studies Council: Later this semester I hope to reconstitute the
Graduate Studies Council, with a focus on identifying supports that are
needed from the Provost to accelerate graduate program development,
especially multidisciplinary programs, 4+1 and 3+2 programs.
4.
Developing a Guiding Academic Plan: In late Fall (Nov-Dec) I hope to
constitute a task force for shaping an Academic Plan that will guide areas
of growth, and identify structures and processes to ensure stability for
faculty in planning. The intention is to build a shared vision for the next
few years to support our talented faculty in sustaining our existing
strengths, and to guide new efforts by faculty and deans, mindful of
demographic changes, so we all have the resources to thrive. I hope this
plan will be completed by the end of Spring 2025. Program development does
not need to wait for this project to be completed, of course!
Other projects our team in AA has been working on:
-
Enhancing supports for transfer students and non-residential students,
utilizing one-time transformation funds from SUNY for help attracting more
transfer students.
-
Co-teaching is an area of interest for faculty and I hope to work on a
policy to support this.
-
We are continuing interim Provost Cabrajal’s work on a 3-year hiring
plan and working to develop a 3-year budget forecast so we can support the
great faculty hiring plans the deans and chairs developed.
-
I am newly adding in a request for Provost cabinet members to develop a
3-year hiring plan for CSEA and UUP non-teaching hiring needs, recognizing
that these areas are also of importance to serve our students and mission.
-
Plattsburgh Next ends in December 2025 and we will work to have a new
strategic plan ready January 2026. Calendar year 2025 will be a year for
assessing Plattsburgh Next, and developing a new institutional Strategic
Plan. I’ve met with Faculty Senate Chair Bridget Haina and President Alex
Enyedi multiple times on this, as well as with OIE Director Kylie King.
More to come!
-
ReadSpeaker has been added to Brightspace to permit reading of any text
content in the LMS, facilitating accessibility for all students.
-
SUNY is hosting a conference in Albany February 7-9 on the role and
future of public higher education, presentation proposals can come from
faculty and staff, and are due Oct. 27, more at
http://www.suny.edu/PublicGoodU.
-
The Campus is hosting the University Faculty Senate Plenary Meeting from
October 24-26, 2024. This event requires significant support from ITS and
many other areas of campus.
-
AA is seeking input via chairs and deans / Provost’s Cabinet if you have
any desired improvements for Watermark. Our 3-year contract is in its third
year, and we are about to enter the procurement phase for our evaluation
platform.
-
I’m working via President’s cabinet members and Provost’s cabinet
members, to consider all affected employees in AA (CSEA, UUP) on Clinton
Community College’s co-location to ensure a smooth transition. The latest
updates are publicly available at:
https://www.plattsburgh.edu/about/clinton/index.html. If you have
individual concerns and no one has reached out to you nor addressed these,
please contact me directly, by email or reach out to Sue and set up a
meeting as you prefer.
In conclusion - as we rush to the mid-point of the fall semester, I hope
you and our students will have time to enjoy the magnificent autumnal
colors and the stunning beauty of the Adirondacks! Below please find
contributions from AA and other divisions—a small selection of highlights
of many recent accomplishments, and upcoming events. Kind regards – Marcus
STUDENT AND RECENT ALUMNI RECOGNITION, ACCOMPLISHMENTS (a small subset)
Jessica Contompasis, final-semester senior at the Queensbury Campus,
received a Cardinal Career Grant for a for-credit internship she will start
in the coming weeks. Last week she also accepted a part-time position
as a psychosocial
rehabilitation specialist position at BHSN, which is expected to transition
to full-time upon her graduation. Jessica is a student leader at the
Queensbury Campus and will lead a Plattsburgh table at SUNY Adirondack’s
inaugural Fresh Check Day, which is designed to empower students to
check-in with other students on their mental health through interactive
activities that focus on gratitude, mindfulness, etc. Jess chose a
gratitude-themed activity called Lemon-AID: Making Lemonade out of Lemons
whereby students will write about a hardship and what they learned or what
positive came from the experience.
FACULTY & PROGRAM / DEPT. RECOGNITION, GRANTS AWARDED (a small subset)
Dr. Xi Shan published a paper titled, “Note on Optimal Procurement
Mechanisms for Assembly”, in the Manufacturing & Service Operations
Management journal.
https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/msom.2024.0907 The Australian
Business Deans Council lists the Manufacturing and Service Operations
Management Journal as an A*. An A* rating represents the top 5–7% of the
journals assigned to an individual Field of Research, the highest possible
quality in the business disciplines. Dr. Xi Shan is an Assistant Professor
of Supply Chain Management in the Supply Chain and International Business
Department of the School of Business and Economics.
Dr. John McMahon of Political Science has been elected Co-Director of
Communications and a Member of the Governance Committee for the Association
for Political Theory.
<https://associationforpoliticaltheory.org/content.aspx?page_id=0&club_id=257705>
Dr. Daniel Lake, Associate Professor in Political Science, and Dr. Benjamin
Medeiros, Assistant Professor in Communication Studies, received a “Nonpartisan
Voter Engagement Mini-Grant” for $3000, funded by Ibis Group, awarded
through SUNY. SUNY Plattsburgh was one of 23 campuses awarded these grants
as Part of “SUNY’s Ongoing Commitment to Increase Civil Discourse, Civic
Awareness, and Civic Participation.”
<https://www.suny.edu/suny-news/press-releases/9-24/9-17-24/civics.html>
Most of the grant will be used on our campus to fund 1-credit paid
internships for students to create and lead a voter engagement program on
campus, under the supervision of Dr. Lake and Dr. Medeiros, with activities
including tabling, class visits, voting help "office hours," and website
development.
STAFF RECOGNITION / ACCOMPLISHMENTS (a small subset)
Lumen Circles Fellows for fall 2024: Teri Deyo (Lecturer, Childhood
Education/Educational Leadership) and Janet Acker (Professor and Associate
Dean for Innovation and Academic Success). Lumen Circles are faculty
professional development experiences that use virtual learning communities
to connect faculty members with peers.
Institute on Québec Studies Director Christopher Kirkey and Assistant
Director Amy Sotherden organized the Québec Summer Seminar in Montréal,
from August 6 to 9, as a professional development program for faculty with
interest in the teaching, research, and study of topics related to Canada
and Quebec. Participants included SUNY Plattsburgh professors, Marie
Cusson, Curt Gervich, Daniel Lake, Sut Sakchutchawarn, and Matthew Smith,
in addition to fifteen faculty colleagues from other New York state public
institutions of higher education including community colleges, CUNY and
other SUNY campuses. The program (https://tinyurl.com/QSSprogram2024)
included meetings with leading academic specialists, as well as cultural
activities, networking and presentations designed to support greater
inclusion of Canada and Quebec in teaching and research in New York state.
Changes in the Registrar’s Office
We are pleased to announce the promotion of Jessica Lashway to Registrar,
replacing Pam Munson upon her retirement. Eli Remillard has been promoted
to Associate Registrar. And we will be welcoming Elizabeth Meraz de
Santiago (‘23) to the team as a new Staff Assistant. We look forward to the
same great service always provided by that office!
ANNOUNCEMENTS / POLICY UPDATES FROM AA TEAM
Highlighting the SBE Fall 2024 Career and Internship Fair: A Gateway to
Student Success
Open to all students, all majors, all classes. The School of Business and
Economics is excited to host the Fall 2024 Career and Internship Fair on
October 17, 2024, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Warren Ballroom at
Angell College Center. This event is more than just a networking
opportunity; it is a direct pipeline to career success for our students.
At the fair, students will have the unique chance to meet with recruiters
from top companies actively seeking talent for internships and full-time
positions. Many employers are prepared to schedule interview appointments
on the spot, giving students a significant advantage in securing future
opportunities. This direct access to potential employers can be a pivotal
moment in a student’s career journey, providing a crucial step toward their
professional aspirations.
Beyond the immediate interview opportunities, the fair also serves as an
invaluable resource for career exploration. Students can engage with
representatives from various industries, gaining insights into different
career paths and expanding their professional networks. Whether students
are certain about their career direction or still exploring options, the
fair is designed to support their growth and help them navigate the
transition from academic life to the professional world.
To further support our students’ professional development, the Career
Development Center will be offering free professional headshot sessions,
ensuring that students can make a strong first impression online.
The SBE Fall 2024 Career and Internship Fair is an essential event for
students aiming to advance their careers, and we encourage all faculty to
promote this opportunity within their classes. The fair exemplifies our
commitment to student success, aligning with our broader mission to equip
students with the tools and connections they need to thrive in today’s
competitive job market.
Upcoming fall 2024 cultural events
Chris Chamars, Coordinator for Multicultural Initiatives, is asking for
your possible participation and engagement with upcoming fall 2024 cultural
events. Please contact Chris (ccham011 at plattsburgh.edu) if you are
interested in learning more about:
-
Hispanic Heritage Month (Cultural Programming Committee) from Monday,
September 16 - Tuesday, October 15. We will be ending Hispanic Heritage
Month with a gathering for Dia de los Muertos on Friday, November 1.
-
Indigenous Peoples' Day (Cultural Programming Committee) on Thursday,
October 10
-
National Coming Out Day (LGBTQIA+ Resource Committee) on Friday, October
11
-
Transgender Day of Visibility (LGBTQIA+ Resource Committee) on
Wednesday, November 20
-
Winter Celebrations of the World (Cultural Programming Committee) from
Monday, December 2 - Wednesday, December 4. Celebrations include Las
Posadas, Yule, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa
-
Human Rights Day on Thursday, December 5
>From the Office of Institutional Effectiveness
Student Success Dashboards
Our first Student Success Equity Gaps dashboard page
<https://plattsburgh.successdashboard.org/equity-gaps/earning-junior-status>
is now available! The visualizations on this page provide information about
a potentially useful early milestone for tracking progress toward closing
equity gaps in graduation rates. Both national research and SUNY
Plattsburgh data suggest that students attempting a full load (15+ units
per term) early in their academic career have a better chance of graduating
within 6 years. You can click here
<https://plattsburgh.successdashboard.org/> to access the eight Faculty
Dashboard pages in addition to the new Equity Gaps dashboard page. Contact
OIE with questions about the dashboards or to request 1:1 or group training
(OIE at plattsburgh.edu).
Survey Support
If you are interested in creating a questionnaire or another type of survey
to gather information from students, faculty, or staff, please review
the Survey
Policy
<https://www.plattsburgh.edu/about/offices-divisions/administration-finance/management-services/campus-handbook/section-iv-employment-benefits/college-survey-policy.html>
or contact a member of University Survey Support
<https://www.plattsburgh.edu/about/offices-divisions/academic-affairs/institutional-effectiveness/university-survey-support.html>
(USS). OIE and USS are happy to assist with drafting, reviewing, and
scheduling the distribution of surveys as well as analyzing survey results.
Assessment Support
OIE is happy to work with academic departments, student support offices,
and all campus units to design assessment processes or evaluate existing
assessment efforts. Please contact OIE at plattsburgh.edu to set up a meeting.
Got Data?
OIE is excited to begin a monthly Got Data? series where campus
constituents will share interesting and / or actionable data about our
campus with our campus! The next talk is scheduled for Thursday, October
10th at 1pm in the Alumni Conference Room. Light refreshments will be
available. If you are interested in presenting at a future event, please
email OIE at plattsburgh.edu.
>From Information Technology Services:
Banner Upgrade and Zoom Transition
ITS is actively working on the Banner OL7 to OL8 upgrade, and is currently
in the 30 day test window, focus has been on testing all Banner
functionality in the new system and addressing issues as they arise.
Issues with printing to PDF are being addressed as the current tool is no
longer supported. Additionally, the team is also compiling a list of SQRs
that will not be converted (25-30) and configuring a local Hyperion server
that will allow a temporary way to run those programs so business of the
college can continue. Testing with the Registrar's Office has begun, and
ITS is working with other offices to finalize testing scripts. All Banner
testing needs to be completed by 10/22/24, with cutover to the new system
happening just a few days later. Meanwhile, ITS is excited to announce a
new expanded contract with Zoom, enabling the transition of campus phone
services to a unified communications platform. Migration plans are underway
with 4 offices moving over to Zoom phone in the last few weeks.
Security and System Updates
SUNY’s new Information Security policy will be effective on September 1st,
2025, providing a framework for protecting digital assets and IT
infrastructure. ITS is working on a gap analysis to identify areas of need
that will be necessary to address to ensure compliance. Windows 11 upgrades
are also ongoing, with about 40% of campus computers updated so far, aiming
for completion by the Windows 10 EOL date in October 2025. Additionally,
ITS is testing encrypted email solutions and has implemented Sassafras for
real-time hardware and software inventory management. Ongoing
collaborations include expanding digital signage in academic areas,
exploring shared IT services with Clinton Community College, IT
needs/support for campus department relocations and several other ongoing
capital projects.
The Au Sable Cafe at the School of Business and Economics is officially up
and running! This launch is the result of a two-year journey led by faculty
members Wanda Carroll from the Supply Chain Management & International
Business Department and John Parmelee from Hospitality Management, who also
serves as Associate to the Dean. Their dedication and collaboration have
brought this vision to life!
The cafe offers a range of beverages, including coffee, tea, and hot
chocolate, along with a selection of delicious baked goods and fresh salads
and sandwiches. All menu items are sourced from off-campus businesses and
partnerships, aligning with our commitment to "Engaging the North Country
Region."
This initiative also fulfills the foundational pillar of "Strengthening
Student Success" by providing an experiential course where students manage
and run the Au Sable Cafe.
Visit the Au Sable Cafe and show your support to help our community thrive.
See you soon!
Feinberg Library
Feinberg + Learning Center
Alert your students to two upcoming collaborations between Feinberg Library
and the Learning Center! We’re working together to help students be
successful on their midterm assignments and beyond.
On October 17 we’ll hold the second Long Night Against Procrastination, a
fun event to encourage students to make a good start on writing and
research. Learning Center peer tutors and Feinberg librarians will be
available to work with students from 7 to 11 PM. There will be food and
prizes. Thanks to the Center for Student Involvement for their support.
And from September 30 through November 1st any student who meets with both
a librarian and a writing tutor will be entered into a drawing for $100 in
Cardinal Cash. They can visit either office for more details.
Cardinal Cupboard
We are fortunate to have such a critical resource on our campus and its
evolution is admirable. Below is how students can access the resource. It
is open to walk-ins, but the form provides a level of flexibility. With the
new lockers students can now reserve and pick up with minimal disruption to
their schedule.
Access to the resource
1. Order: View options and instructions Cardinal Cupboard Order Form
<https://app.pantrysoft.com/login/Plattsburgh>
2. Pickup Location: Angell College Center, Room 112 (back of Burghy’s Den)
3. Hours: Orders may be placed any time. After an order has been filled you
will receive an email detailing your pick-up instructions.
4. Supply: We have non-perishable food items and toiletries available free
of charge
Donations can be delivered to the cupboard and below are the most popular
items per the coordinator.
-
Corn, tomato paste, potatoes, mixed vegetables and carrots are the top
canned vegetables
-
Ketchup, marinara and alfredo sauce
-
Laundry detergent, toilet paper and soap most requested toiletries and
self-care items
-
Vegetarian items are the most requested dietary need
-
Peanut butter, tuna fish, Spam and chickpeas are the top requested
proteins
The Center for the Study of Canada
The Canada-U.S. Fulbright Program provides the opportunity for American
scholars and experienced professionals to lecture and/or conduct research
in Canada. Awards vary in terms of length of time and financial incentive,
but require U.S. citizenship. Several competitions for the 2025-2026
academic year recently closed for American scholars on September 16, 2024.
The competition for 2026-2027 awards, such as the Research Chair and
Traditional Scholar Awards, is expected to open in winter 2025. More
information available at:
https://www.fulbright.ca/programs/american-scholars
SUNY Plattsburgh students have the opportunity through the Killam
Fellowship Program to study at one of several prestigious Canadian
universities for either a semester or academic year. Accepted students are
provided a cash award of up to $12,000 per academic year ($6,000 per
semester) to offset costs. Student eligibility requires U.S. citizenship
and 3.0 minimum GPA. The application deadline for 2025-2026 consideration
is: December 1, 2024. More information available at:
https://www.plattsburgh.edu/academics/study-abroad-exchanges/programs/canada.html
The Center for the Study of Canada is collaborating with Diversity, Equity
and Inclusion in partnership with the organizing committee of the Black
Solidarity Day Social Justice Teach-In to organize keynote speaker, Dr.
Debra Thompson (Associate Professor of Political Science and Canada
Research Chair in Racial Inequality in Democratic Societies at McGill
University), who will deliver the Distinguished Canadian Address, “Race,
Democracy, and Politics without Guarantees” at SUNY Plattsburgh on November
4.
The Water Station by Ōta Shōgo
Directed by Julia Devine* in collaboration with the Plattsburgh State Art
Museum’s fall exhibition
-
Dates: Thursday, Oct. 3; Friday, Oct. 4; Saturday, Oct. 5; Sunday, Oct. 6
-
Times: October 3 to 6 at 7 p.m.
-
Location: Nina Winkel Sculpture Court, John Myers Building
-
Cost: $8 general admission, $3 SA members
The Water Station is a play without words about migrants on a journey in
search of sustenance, safety, stability, love, or meaning. They all
encounter a broken tap of running water, and sometimes each other, in the
course of their travels. Where they are coming from and where they are
going is unknown. Each traveler or group of travelers has a reason for
their journey.
Ōta Shōgo was one of the leading contemporary playwrights and directors of
Japanese theatre. He pioneered the “Theatre of Silence.” Our piece will be
in conversation with the Plattsburgh State Art Museum’s fall exhibition:
Climate's Shipwreck Ballad by Robin Lasser and Transmutation Traces by
Marguerite Perret.
*This directing project is made possible with funds from the Statewide
Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council
on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York
State Legislature and administered by the Adirondack Lakes Center for the
Arts.
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