Update from Farmingdale State College President John Nader, PhD |
February, 2018 |
|
February, 2018 Welcome back. The spring semester is underway and there is much to report. President's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award - Congratulations to Dr. Veronica Henry, the initial recipient of the President's Award for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The creation of such an award was recommended by our DEI Working Group. Thanks to Andrea Thomas for working with me on this. It seems fitting that we present the very first such award to Veronica for her remarkably effective and longstanding contributions to inclusiveness and equity on campus. Winter Commencement - Thanks to all of you who participated in this recent event. The turnout of students, families, faculty, and staff was the largest in the history of our winter commencements. Nold Athletic Complex looked great, and the entire campus community was engaged in making this a very nice event. We received many, many favorable comments. I enjoy commencement activities since they serve to remind us why we pursued collegiate jobs. Administrative Council - Thanks to Andrea Thomas and Marvin Fischer for leading the recent Administrative Council meeting focused on campus safety, emergency response, and Title IX. Chief Fischer arranged for the publication and distribution of the College's Emergency Response Guidelines. This is a compact, glossy, spiral-bound guide that will allow you to easily reference emergency related information and recommended actions. Andrea Thomas discussed Title IX responsibilities and the resources available to assure understanding and compliance. Tobacco Policy - Thanks to the working group that drafted a new tobacco use policy. We will present this to the College Council for implementation in fall 2018. The proposed policy does not make the campus entirely smoke free. It does, however, substantially limit the places where smoking is permissible. Tobacco use is to be permitted on campus only as follows:
Once a policy is formally adopted, we will begin an educational effort to prepare the campus for the change. Some have asked about earlier implementation of the policy. Keep in mind that such a change requires the approval of the College Council which meets on February 7. Recycling - I've asked for a proposal regarding our recycling efforts. This is an area in which there is room for improvement. We anticipate revising our solid waste contract to include a provision for handling recycling. We are also pricing the installation of quality recycling containers across campus. I am hoping to have a shift toward recycling in place for fall 2018. As with a more restrictive campus tobacco policy, much will depend on self-enforcement, positive reminders, and a desire to do better. Nexus Center - We will formally launch the Nexus Center for Applied Learning and Career Development on February 27. This is a project in which many people have been involved, including the Applied Learning Committee. The College has made a significant investment in the Nexus Center and an award was received from the SUNY Performance Improvement Fund to support the Center. Foundation News - The Farmingdale College Foundation recently received a generous contribution from D3 in Melville to create The D3 Scholars Program which will award five annual scholarships to cover tuition, fees, books and related expenses for sophomore, junior and senior students in Computer Programming and Information Systems, Business Management, Visual Communication or various Engineering Technology programs. Applicants need a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a strong work ethic. D3 Scholars will also be invited to apply for a paid internship at D3 while attending Farmingdale State College. The Campus Campaign is off to a successful start thanks to the generosity of our faculty and staff. Gifts to The Farmingdale Fund provide much needed unrestricted dollars for student scholarships, faculty and staff development, and campus enhancements. The Campus Campaign will continue until June 30, 2018. Please make your contribution online or contact Nancy Connors at 934-420-2142 for additional information. SUNY Budget Proposal - The governor's budget proposal for SUNY is not a particularly good one. For example, there is no real increase in support to campus operations and the amount of money for critical maintenance and capital construction are less than was previously appropriated. We retain the rational tuition policy that has been helpful to our financial stability. The proposed budget is likely to be changed by the state legislature—that usually helps SUNY. In the meantime, our robust enrollment provides the revenues that allow us to take on a number of campus projects. Ward Hall Great Room - One of the projects we are undertaking is the upgrading of the Ward Hall Great Room. The improvements will be completed by the end of February with the intention that the room will achieve its potential as an historic, attractive, multi-purpose space. FSCNOW - For many years, Farmingdale has not had a campus publication/magazine. By the end of February or early March, we will be rolling out a campus magazine, FSCNOW. It will have features on two faculty members, two alums and a few others. We will print copies, but the magazine—and links to videos and other features will be available through the web site. Space Task Force - Our biggest institutional challenge may be how to keep pace with the growth we are experiencing. We have hired 98 faculty members since 2014. We have also opened new buildings and renovated others. The work will continue. In order to deal with the growing pains, I have appointed a Space Task Force that is looking closely at ways that we may be more efficient in building usage and in scheduling. We continue to pursue plans for upgrading Knapp, Lupton, and Roosevelt Halls and repurposing other spaces. John Nader |
|
|
|
