Message to Staff and Faculty

May, 2018

Thank you - As the semester concludes I want to thank you for the work that you do on behalf of our College and the students. I appreciate it, and I know that many students do as well. Very often I am stopped by students or parents at an event or function off campus (it is amazing how often this happens). Invariably they speak enthusiastically about their experience at FSC.

Some Sad News - As you know, highly regarded faculty member Margery Brown passed away unexpectedly earlier this month. Margery was a Chancellor's Award winner for Excellence in Teaching and an outstanding department chair. Some of her colleagues are establishing a scholarship fund in her honor. Those who wish to make a contribution can do so directly through the Foundation. Checks may be made out to Farmingdale College Foundation adding: "for Dr. Margery Brown award" in the memo line. This will be an award for a student with a strong interest in classics and mythology.

Congratulations - to Dr. Veronica Henry and Dr. Beverly Kahn who are retiring. Veronica and Bev are among our most widely respected colleagues. Space would not permit me to summarize all that they have done for the College and our students. Farmingdale is certainly a better college due to their efforts.

Enrollment - You may recall that we chose to limit enrollment growth for 2018-19 to about 1.5%. This will allow us to better manage growth. As of May 1, we seem to be tracking close to that number. While applications are up by just over 3%, our number of deposits is down slightly. Selectivity remains steady. Just about 45% of applicants are accepted.

Campus Projects - As you can tell, we are in the midst of numerous campus projects. These include work to be done at Knapp, Nold, Whitman Halls, and Greenley Library. We also expect to install a sprinkler system in Alumni Hall. I am particularly happy that work will be done on the Melville Road access to campus. A much needed traffic device and walkway will be installed. We will provide more information prior to the start of the project. It may require some change in access to and egress from campus. As you can see, we are also in the process of completing an amphitheater outside the Campus Center.

SUNY 360 Leadership Skills Inventory - This semester each cabinet member, including me, participated in a leadership skills survey lead by the SUNY SAIL Institute. A number of peers and direct reports provided responses about each cabinet member. The process provided helpful, honest feedback. The inventory provided some important suggestions and observations. These include directly engaging in discussion on topics that are faculty and staff priorities and a suggestion to bring together groups of staff, faculty and administrators to discuss such issues and concerns. I plan to do precisely that in the fall. I hope that people will participate openly in the interest of improving the College. The format has yet to be determined. Suggestions are welcome.

FEC Survey - About 120 faculty and professional staff completed a recent survey distributed through the FEC on topics related to administration, communication, and shared governance. Overall, the results speak well of the College. It is clear, however, that there is need for more complete information and better communication regarding some issues. There were several important questions to which the most common response was "Do Not Know." That reinforces the need for more direct outreach. The results of the survey are available at the Governance website. Please click on Assessment of Governance April 2018.

Faculty Searches - Recently I was asked how many faculty searches have been conducted over the past two years. So, here's the answer. In 2016-17 the College completed 38 faculty searches; 10 were for new positions and 28 for replacements. In 2017-18 there were 22 completed faculty searches; 7 for new positions and 15 for replacements. We will continue to prioritize faculty hiring in 2018-19.

Commencement - The College holds its 99th commencement exercises next Monday and Tuesday. I very much hope you will consider joining us for the event either by participating in the processional or by volunteering at the event. I enjoy commencement because it is so important to our students. Their energy and enthusiasm at the event reminds me of why so many of us chose to work at a college. Given the importance of the event, you may choose to take time away from your office or other duties to assist with one or both of the ceremonies.

Next May the College will hold its 100th commencement. We will soon begin planning a celebratory event.

Given the many projects and initiatives that are underway, I will try to update the campus periodically during the summer.

John Nader
President

Last Modified 2/18/21