[Important Information for Employees] Campus Update | July 2024

[Office of the President]

Dear Cardinal Community,

Greetings from Hawkins Hall! A quick look at the calendar reveals we are
only seven weeks away from the start of the Fall 2024 semester. This
month’s message is a bit longer than usual, but there is much to share and
celebrate. July 01 brings with it a moment to reflect on our achievements
and look forward to the exciting developments ahead for SUNY Plattsburgh.

Strategic Enrollment Initiatives and Admissions Progress

Our admissions team remains dedicated to welcoming the next class of
Cardinals this fall. As of today, undergraduate admissions has already
achieved 100% of the goal of 1,365 new student deposits while graduate
admissions has exceeded the goal of 335 graduate deposits by 12% (377 new
graduate students). Between now and the first day of classes, we will
continue to work to yield additional students and decrease summer melt as
much as possible.

Despite nation-wide challenges posed by the delayed rollout of the new Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), our efforts to workaround this
issue have been exemplary. The application deadline adjustments and
enhanced outreach efforts to students and families have proven effective,
putting us on track to meet our fall enrollment goals despite the initial
setback.

Finally, our new Fall ‘24 student orientation, “Welcome Week”, will be
delivered with the help of colleagues across the university with a focus on
building a sense of belonging, having a positive academic transition and
getting acclimated to campus, services, and resources.  There are still
opportunities to participate if you are not already connected to this key
student retention initiative.  If you are interested please contact Larry
Allen at lalle001 at plattsburgh.edu <lalle001 at plattsburgh.edu>.

State Budget and Funding Updates

SUNY Plattsburgh continues to be an investment center and beneficiary of
significant state support. The recently concluded budget season yielded an
additional $1.3 million in unrestricted funds for our campus for the
2024-2025 fiscal year. This represents the best two-year budget period for
SUNY Plattsburgh in five decades. An additional $100K was provided to
campus to support student-faculty research activities ($14,000) and student
internships ($86,000).

I am pleased to report that the new budget ensures continued investments
from last year such as $39,000 for food insecurity initiatives through the
Cardinal Cupboard, $250,000 for mental health resources at our Wellness
Center, $539,000 for the Accessibility Resources Office, $232,000 to expand
internship opportunities, and $50,000 for research activities.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We continue to prioritize and foster a culture of diversity, equity, and
inclusion. Most recently, our campus honored Juneteenth by raising the
Juneteenth flag in front of Hawkins Hall on June 19. We also supported
community partners at the North Country Underground Railroad Museum and
John Brown Lives! who held their annual celebration on June 22 beginning
with a welcome and tours at the museum, performances by the Plattsburgh
State Gospel Choir and a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center
(TRHT) healing circle at the John Brown Farm in Lake Placid.

We also recognized Pride Month in June with rainbow lights illuminating
Hawkins Hall to show our allyship and support of the LGBTQIA+ community,
not only here on campus, but in the North Country. We also displayed the
Pride flag on the front of the Olive Mason Flynt House, where it flew
throughout the month. I want to thank our Maintenance & Operations staff
for ensuring that the building lighting and flags were visible at the
appropriate times/dates; their efforts are very much appreciated.

I am pleased to report that planning has already started for Black
Solidarity Day to be hosted on SUNY Plattsburgh’s campus on Monday,
November 4, 2024. We look forward to growing the program this year as well
as providing more access to programs and participation by our Queensbury
Campus colleagues. Stay tuned for more information and updates about the
day, how to submit a proposal, and how to attend a workshop, or just get
more information about the day.

I also want to remind campus of our bold goal to have every full-time
employee receive Equity Advocate Training by Fall 2026. If you have not yet
participated in a training, I encourage you to check the Digest for
information about upcoming sessions throughout the next 12 months. The
Equity Advocate effort provides valuable opportunity for employee learning,
dialogue, and community building, further strengthening our commitment to
inclusivity and equity.

Academic Affairs

Dr. Marcus Tye will be joining us as the new Provost and Senior Vice
President of Academic Affairs on August 1. Dr. Tye’s arrival comes at a
pivotal time as we seek ways to future-proof our university, enhance our
curriculum, and support innovative teaching and research initiatives. I am
looking forward to Dr. Tye’s contributions and the positive impact he will
have on our community.

As we welcome Dr. Tye, we also prepare to say goodbye and thank-you to Dr.
Brent Carbajal, who has served as interim provost the past year. The campus
community is invited to a gathering in the Employee Lounge in the Fineberg
Library on August 16 from 4:00pm - 5:30pm to thank Dr. Carbajal for his
many contributions, his leadership and his commitment to SUNY Plattsburgh.

Accolades and Recognition

Seven members of our campus community who were recognized by SUNY with the
prestigious 2024 Chancellor's Awards for Excellence:

   -

   Dr. Margarita Garcia-Notario

Adjunct Lecturer of Spanish

SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching

   -

   Dr. JoAnn Gleeson-Kreig

Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service

   -

   Michelle Ouellette

Associate Professor of Public Relations

SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service

   -

   Dr. Heidi Schnackenberg

Professor of Education

SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative
Activities

   -

   Beth Shaughnessy

Administrative Assistant 1
SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service

   -

   Dr. Michael Walters

Chair of Physics/Associate Professor of Physics

SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching

   -

   Dr. Yong Yu

Associate Professor of Education

SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching


I appreciate the significant contributions and dedication of these
exceptional professionals - their individual and collective work enhances
the success of our students and the life of our campus.


I would also like to congratulate several other individuals for their
recent honors and achievements.


Dr. Kolleen Duley, Assistant Professor of Gender & Women’s Studies, has
been appointed to the New York State Commission on Prison Education
<https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/A2530>. This prestigious
appointment recognizes Dr. Duley's extensive research and dedication to
advocating for educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals. Dr.
Duley’s work contributes to the understanding of gender dynamics within the
prison system and the importance of providing equitable education to all.



Dr. Kylie King, Director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, was
featured in The Academic Minute <https://academicminute.org/>, a
well-regarded podcast within the academic community that promotes scholarly
work and its impact to a broader audience.The segment highlights Dr. King’s
research about the impact of social and informal networks on aspirations
and outcomes of business owners and entrepreneur support organizations. The
research is part of a three-year grant awarded to Dr. King by the Ewing
Marion Kauffman Foundation.


Lauren Zito, Assistant Professor in the Communications Department, has been
awarded a prestigious artist residency with the Landfall Trust
<https://landfalltrustnl.org/> in Newfoundland, Canada. This competitive
residency is a significant recognition of Professor Zito’s outstanding work
and dedication to the arts. During the residency, Professor Zito will share
a new script she is currently developing, which delves into the fascinating
life of Kathleen Kent, the first wife of renowned artist Rockwell Kent.

Community Engagement & Philanthropy

I am delighted to highlight the inaugural North Country Impact Award
Celebration, where we honored three outstanding alumni who have made
significant contributions to our local community. During the same evening,
we recognized the generous donors who support the North Country Scholarship
program and the impact it has for local students.

I am also pleased to report the incredible success of the Thrive Campaign
<https://alumni.plattsburgh.edu/s/1603/bp19/interior.aspx?sid=1603&gid=1&pgid=2966&cid=6921&ecid=6921#gsc.tab=0>,
which was created to support the financial, physical, emotional, social,
intellectual, spiritual, occupational, and environmental needs of our
students. The campaign concluded on June 30 and raised over $1 million in
support of student success to match the earlier $1 million challenge gift
from alumnus Cindy Kahn Kansky ‘75.

Other Campus News and Updates

Recently, University Police partnered with the Plattsburgh Police
Department Academy to provide a series of multi-agency training sessions -
Investigator Facteau, Inspector Dube, Officer LaVarnway, and Lieutenant
Zielinski all contributed to this effort. This training includes
scenario-based instruction with contributions from Kim Irland, our Title IX
Coordinator, and Fran Francis, Counselor in our Counseling Center, and
featured a four-day Field Training Officer (FTO) school in early June,
attended by officers from multiple agencies. These collaborative efforts
enhance our officers' skills and knowledge, and strengthen our partnerships
with local law enforcement, reflecting our campus's commitment to community
safety and security.

And speaking of our community … I look forward to welcoming this year’s
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Summer Academy First-Year Experience
students. They will be on campus from July 7 through July 31. Throughout
their time here, these students will engage in a variety of academic
workshops, leadership training sessions, and community-building activities.
They will also have the chance to familiarize themselves with our campus
facilities and services, ensuring they are well-prepared for the start of
the academic year. Please extend a warm welcome to the EOP Summer Academy
students - your support and encouragement makes a significant difference in
their transition to university life.

Closing Thoughts

As we navigate through the two summer months, I am already looking forward
to welcoming the next cohort of Cardinals in August. I know that, together,
we will continue building upon our successes and embrace the opportunities
that lie ahead.

I thank you for your dedication and contributions that make SUNY
Plattsburgh a place of excellence and opportunity for all.

Warm regards,

Alex Enyedi
President
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ls.plattsburgh.edu/pipermail/critical-employees/attachments/20240701/43beea5d/attachment.htm>