[Important Information for Employees] Welcome Back for the Fall Semester

[Office of the President]

Dear Cardinal Community,

I appreciate all those who were able to attend this morning's special
welcome back event in the Warren Ballrooms. It was wonderful to see so many
of you and share a campus update as we transition to the Fall 2023 semester.

I believe the times where we can collectively celebrate the great work we
do together are incredibly special -- and today was no exception. As we see
students moving in this week, and as that continues over the weekend,
please know how much of a difference each of you make in each student's
life. Our students are changed here, with their future goals formed through
your efforts and guidance.

Today's celebration wrapped together highlights of the past year, a focus
on the future and a range of special award presentations. The broad points
I emphasized centered on the elements of commitment, capacity and care that
will drive us forward. These three elements -- commitment, capacity, and
care -- are what sets SUNY Plattsburgh apart from others and are our keys
for success.

Collectively, we are committed to making a difference and changing lives.
We have the capacity to deliver this – now and in the future – through our
resources, our collective management and decision making, and being clear
about our priorities. And, above all, we care deeply about what we do. We
care about our students and must continue to evolve how and where we
deliver that guidance and service. And we care about each other and serving
the community. Each of these components are in place. Each gives us
confidence ahead, not only for this coming semester but beyond.

For those unable to attend, here are some highlights


*Commitment*Within each division stand testimonies to dedication, focus,
and drive to achieve on behalf of our students and our community. Some
numbers from the past year include:

   - The Accessibility Resources Office served more than 1,000 students,
   with assistance ranging from housing accommodations and peer mentoring to
   note taking and testing assistance.
   - Admissions processed more than 10,500 undergraduate applications and
   made more than 91,000 outreach contacts to prospective students via
   telephone, text, and email.
   - The campus hosted more than 12,000 prospective students and family
   members at open houses and other events.
   - The Career Development Center managed nearly 9,000 employer job
   postings of more than 43,000 positions, with more than 3,400 students using
   the system.
   - $1.7 million in Plattsburgh College Foundation funded scholarships
   awarded in 2022-23, and another $1.2 million was given to support academic,
   student life and other projects across the university.
   - The Alumni in the Classroom program connected 37 alumni with more than
   2,500 students in classes across the three schools.

The Equity Advocate Program continues to advance and grow. This past year
alone saw 75 new advocates trained, with the next sessions in October.
Equity Advocates serve as consultants, resources, and advisors as full
search committee members to ensure equal access and opportunities for
candidates from marginalized identities. The DEI division has a new bold
goal to have everyone on campus trained as Equity Advocates by fall 2026.

Know this, too: The summer Supreme Court decision on admissions was not all
of what the headlines said and it will not alter how we operate and value
our efforts at serving diverse populations. We will continue to embrace
appropriate considerations of how race and other factors may affect
applicants and use a holistic application review process. We will also
continue to serve and advance goals tied to our diverse student body and
principles of equity and inclusion. In short, we are not going to change
our approach and our focus. We serve all students.

*Capacity*
The capacity to serve starts with the university's financial strength,
which was honed through the pandemic with reduced spending and forges ahead
today with increased investment by SUNY and the state of New York. The
university's operating reserve balance, the dollars considered "state side
surplus," are $14 million entering this year, about the same as a year ago.

This is a solid financial foundation from which to go forward. Coupled with
the increased state allocation, we are positioned well for the years ahead,
with the focus next on meeting our enrollment target of 4,800 students.
This target is achievable because it is reasonable and recognizes the
challenges we face with demographics and out-migration in New York state.

Entering the fall, the university is on pace to exceed its new student
enrollment targets. Specifically, deposits as of one week before the start
of classes were 1,761, or 61 over goal. Graduate admissions is exceeding
their goal by 23 percent and the undergraduate goal was just eight students
below.

However, enrollment is more than new students, it is also retention. And it
is here where the collective work must be re-doubled. We currently project
the fall class at about 4,400 students. This would represent a decline of
about 2 percent over a year earlier. The good news embedded in that number
is it begins to flatten the enrollment decline we have seen in the past
several years, which were steeper and more dramatic. It also gives us a
foundation on which to build.

*Care*
Commitment and our capacity, however, must be tethered to the final “C”:
Care. We have long been known as a campus that cares for students. It is
among our distinctives. However, exactly what care entails is rapidly
evolving as our students change.

A recent report from the Education Advisory Board that explored the needs
and challenges of Generation P, the cohort of students whose lives and
college-going behaviors have been influenced by the pandemic. Key points
included:

   - Mental health concerns shape their college search, which occurs later
   than ever;
   - They are more academically unprepared than their predecessors, affected
   by learning loss and nervousness about success;
   - They are eager for in-person events and experiences yet have higher
   standards for digital experiences;
   - They question the overall value of a college education, as do their
   parents, with a clear focus on potential career outcomes.

We know much of this already, by our experiences in the classroom, in the
ACC, and in one-on-one conversations. Anxiety, depression, and fear are
part of the culture. To meet this need, we must first be aware and open to
better understanding. We must also collectively look for ways to solidify
student success and the wrap-around services this will require.

The university will meet this, in part, by targeted new, ongoing funding
provided by SUNY. These dollars will be directed to several areas,
including food insecurity, mental health support, accessibility resources,
and internships. Specifically, more and wider products will be made
available in the Cardinal Cupboard, expanded in-person and online mental
health counseling options will be added, and more people and resources will
expand accessibility services, sensory spaces, and campus programming.

*New Leaders*
Joining us this morning were two campus leaders who have arrived since our
May 2023 commencement.

   - *Karen McGrath*, our new vice president for Enrollment and Student
   Success, brings more than 35 years of experience in higher education
   administration, most recently at Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y. Karen
   hit the ground running and is already leading the division well, focusing
   on systems and approaches to recruiting the next class of Cardinals. She
   has also provided leadership guidance to develop proposals to SUNY to use
   new state funds to increase our support of basic needs for students.

   - *Dr. Brent Carbajal *began work this month as our interim provost and
   senior vice president for Academic Affairs. Brent last served at Western
   Washington University in Bellingham, Wash., where he was provost for nine
   years among his more than 25 years at the university. He will focus his
   year on academic program development, student retention, shared governance,
   budget and spending priorities, and an examination of the structure and
   organization of academic affairs.

*Recognitions*
Special attention today was focused on several faculty and staff, including
those who completed the spring 2023 Center for Teaching Excellence delegate
program. The program gives participants a strong grounding in selected
pedagogical best practices. After completing the program, delegates share
the most important discipline-specific applications with their department
colleagues. Engaging with this program is an important contribution to
campus and departmental service, and toward advancing on the Plattsburgh
Next goals and action steps. These included:

   - *Dr. Amy Ryan *(Biology)
   - *Dr. Megan Valentine* (Biology)
   - *Dr. Nancy Price *(Center for Earth and Environmental Science)
   - *Bridget Haina* (Communications)
   - *Dr. Kameliia Petrova* (Economics and Finance)
   - *Kathryn Alton* (Education, Undergraduate Teacher Education)
   - *Dr. Connie Oxford* (Gender and Women’s Studies)
   - *Dr. Karen Becker* (Music)
   - *Dr. Ken Podolak *(Physics)
   - *Dr. Jen Bremser* (Psychology, Branch Campus)
   - *Dr. Inma Ibanez-Casas* (Psychology, Main Campus)
   - *Dr. Elizabeth Onasch* (Sociology)

Two awards were presented on behalf of the Plattsburgh Alumni Association.
The Faculty and Staff Impact Awards annually recognize faculty and staff,
current or retired, who have a major and lasting positive impact on the
life of alumni.

   - The Staff Impact Award was given to *Cori Jackson*, who last served as
   interim vice president for enrollment and student success before her
   retirement this month. Over 31 years, Cori held key and successively
   responsible roles here. These include associate vice president, director of
   Center for Student Involvement, director of the Center for Service Learning
   and Volunteerism, director of the Wellness Center and more.

   - The faculty Impact Award was presented to *Gordon Muir*, who has
   served as associate librarian at SUNY Plattsburgh for 41 years. In addition
   to Gordon’s professional obligations, he has served the university and our
   students in various volunteer roles. He’s served on the College Auxiliary
   Services and Plattsburgh College Foundation boards, worked with the Student
   Association, Alpha Sigma Phi, the Student Conduct Board, and many other
   enterprises associated with campus.

Six people were honored for receiving the SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for
Excellence, who were also congratulated by members of the University
Council. These include:

   - *Laura Cronk*, the university’s extended time testing coordinator in
   the Accessibility Resources Office, is the recipient of the Chancellor’s
   Award for Professional Service. She joined our campus in 2015 as an
   instructional support assistant. Her office works with all students on
   campus who identify as having an accessibility need, providing equal access
   for students to have equitable opportunities during their time at college.

   - *Dr. Mustafa Demir*, assistant professor of Criminal Justice, is a
   recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Scholarship and Creative
   Activities. He joined the faculty as an assistant professor of criminal
   justice in 2016 and was promoted to associate professor in 2021. Along with
   prior teaching experience at Rutgers University, he brought about 20 years
   of policing experience as an administrator and with international
   organizations, including the United Nations.

   - *Dr. Alyssa Gleichsner*, assistant professor of Biological Sciences,
   is a recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. She
   joined the campus in 2017. Her teaching evaluations from students have
   indicated one measure of her success in advancing critical thinking
   learning activities, engaging lectures, and authentic experiential learning
   activities.

   - *Shannon Nephew*, who serves in science programs and facilities
   support and as the university's chemical hygiene officer, is a recipient of
   the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service. A part of
   the campus community since 2002, she has demonstrated initiative and
   creativity, developing online training and chemical inventory systems. She
   engages with students to strengthen knowledge of chemical hygiene training
   through “monthly safety challenges.”

   - *Dr. Kenneth Podolak*, associate professor of Physics, is a recipient
   of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service. He joined the
   campus in 2008, providing deep experience to the physics department, the
   School of Arts and Sciences and the university itself. His efforts in the
   classroom are significant and distinguished.

   - *Dr. Nithya Shankar*, assistant professor of Marketing and
   Entrepreneurship, is the recipient of Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in
   Teaching. He joined the faculty in 2016. With nine courses in the past six
   years, Shankar demonstrates a breadth of teaching, including developing a
   new cutting-edge course — marketing analytics.

The final recognition was the Dr. Michele Carpentier Award, which annually
honors an employee whose investment in the lives of students, over a period
of many years, demonstrates an exemplary level of care, compassion, and
selflessness. Recipients model the truest spirit of what we aspire to as
members of the Cardinal family and reflect our commitment to student
success. The 2023 recipient was *Dr. Katherine Dunham*, former associate
professor, and chair of psychology. Katy began her service with SUNY
Plattsburgh in 1998, with an investment in students, their success and
their growth always at the forefront.

Upon leaving the classroom this year, her department presented her with a
plaque. It reads, in part, "to Katy, an enthusiastic and devoted faculty
member for 25 years. She advanced the undergraduate field placement program
to provide diverse applied experiences for students. In her role as a
leader and colleague, she mentored numerous junior faculty, undergraduate
and graduate students, encouraging and championing them to success."

Beginning September 1, Katy will be a staff assistant in the Registrar’s
Office, continuing to give and serve students. *Laci Charette*, associate
professor of Psychology; director, School Psychology Graduate Program; and
project co-director, Autism Intervention Program, gave a testimonial on
Dunham at the morning event.

Once again, thank you for everything you do and for all your efforts toward
a great fall semester.

Alexander Enyedi
President
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