Update from Farmingdale State College President John Nader, PhD |
January, 2017 |
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PRESIDENT'S UPDATE January 2017 Welcome back. In the few weeks between semesters a number of things have taken place. Student Scholarships - Thanks to Academic Affairs and the College Foundation, we are identifying ways to make better use of the scholarship dollars available to our students. Often, deserving students only learn of their scholarship awards after the beginning of a semester. This means that they did not have complete information about the true costs of attending FSC. As a result, a deserving student may have selected another college. In addition, the award cycle prevented us from effectively using scholarship funds to recruit and retain some of our most outstanding applicants. As we move toward the fall 2017 semester, these changes will help us better recruit and retain the most promising and deserving students. Retirements and Searches - Since my last Update, two members of the College cabinet have announced their retirements. Senior Vice President George LaRosa and Foundation Director Dr. Henry Sikorski will be departing after many decades of devoted service. They will be sorely missed, and not easily replaced. Shortly I will be forming search committees to fill these significant vacancies. As the searches progress, we will review the College's organizational structure. Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) - Prior to the December break, a few members of the campus community contacted me about the potential impact on some students if DACA is revoked. As you may know, DACA provides an opportunity for children who were brought by others to this country to apply for and receive relief from deportation. Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals is the result of an executive order that can be reversed or modified. It is neither a law nor a formal regulation. This uncertainty is prompting some concern. SUNY and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) favor retaining the executive order. AASCU has written the president-elect about this. To date, no specific plans to revoke DACA have come from the President-elect. There has been bi-partisan legislation introduced to continue the current approach of DACA. We do not know if, or how many, of our students may be childhood arrivals covered under DACA as those approved need not share their DACA status with their colleges. We are in touch with SUNY and its counsel on this. Substantive Change Proposals - Thanks to the Academic Affairs team and the School of Health Sciences for successfully completing the substantive change proposals needed to allow us to offer online bachelor degrees in Nursing and Dental Hygiene. Drafting and receiving all the required approvals for any new academic program is laborious. Thanks! Enrollment Trends - Our full and part-time enrollment for the second semester is trending upward, which is very positive. I know this taxes facilities, staff, parking and many offices. However, I call your attention to a recent report that SUNY Potsdam fell appreciably short of its enrollment target and is now facing a hiring freeze as well as about $1 million in mid-year cuts. Colleges that have experienced growth have been able to reinvest in needed faculty and projects that improve the campus. January Commencement - I am very pleased that the attendance for the January Commencement in the newly refurbished Nold Athletic Complex is expected to be quite high. To date, 425 students have picked up their caps and gowns and significantly more faculty and professional staff are attending than in recent years. I know the students who are graduating really appreciate your engagement. Shuttle Bus - There is good news about the shuttle bus service that began in August. The service attracted over 10,000 riders in the first semester. That's pretty impressive. It serves students—and a number of faculty and staff—at low cost and helps contain the demand on campus parking. A Big Thanks - Thank you to the many, many people and offices that assisted with our big events on January 10: the Melville Chamber of Commerce Breakfast and the Governor's State of the State Address. Both events raised the profile of the College and helped us call attention to the many great things that are happening here. Have a great semester. John |
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