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Welcome back!
COVID Policies for Spring- Over the past 3 weeks we have been regularly communicating with students about the
expectations for the spring term. Students with an on-campus presence are required
to submit proof of a negative test prior to the start of the term and upload proof
of receiving a booster shot when eligible. Regular mandatory random testing will continue
during the spring term for students who have yet to complete the booster or have received
exemptions. Student-athletes and residential students will be required to test weekly.
The campus mask mandate will continue as we open the semester.
State Testing Site- The State of New York has asked the College to host a community testing site. Quadrant
Bioscience is conducting COVID testing by appointment in the auxiliary gym of Nold
Hall.
Telecommuting- The College is adopting policies and practices to permit telecommuting in instances
where this may serve both the College and the employee. Telecommuting arrangements
must be formally approved for limited periods of time. A communication that outlines
Farmingdale’s approach to telecommuting for the spring semester is forthcoming. In
many, though not all cases, telecommuting has worked well. The procedure developed
by the cabinet should make telecommuting arrangements even more effective.
Black History Month- Thanks to Student Activities and the Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion, a
number
of programs and events are planned for the month of February. Please join us at one or more of the events.
Graduate Survey- Thanks to Pat Lind-Gonzalez in Institutional Research for completing work on the
Six Month After Graduation Survey for the Class of 2020-21. Here are some highlights
from Pat’s report:
- 85% of the 2020-21 graduating class who earned a baccalaureate degree are working
or continuing their education. The economic impact of the pandemic is still evident
in the fact that the percentage of the 2020-21 graduating class employed six months
after graduation (79%) fell to the lowest level in the past five years.
- For the second year in a row, the percentage of recent graduates employed fell to
its lowest level over the past five years. However contrary to last year, the percentage
of graduates employed in a job related to their degree has bounced back and is up
8 percentage points.
- The percentage of 2020-21 graduates who are employed at a job that is related to their
field of study returned to pre-pandemic levels. A significant improvement was seen
in jobs related to degree. 77% of employed respondents are working in a job related
to their degree.
- Also, graduates from the 2020-21 cohort are more satisfied with their employment preparation
than any other cohort in the last 5 years. Despite in-person instruction interruptions
during the pandemic, satisfaction with preparation for employment is at an all-time
high. Satisfaction with job preparedness rises even higher when the job is related
to the degree awarded.
- 91% of employed graduates are working in New York State with the majority (80%) working
on Long Island.
- 27% of employed baccalaureate degree graduates reported salaries of at least $60,000.
This is an increase of 3 percentage points over last year.
IT and Cybersecurity- During the recent cabinet retreat, substantial attention was given to the cybersecurity
threats that face the College, and all institutions. IT detects phishing and other
threats on a daily basis. In 2021 IT completed upgrades to our firewall and virus
protection system as well as Banner data base encryption and tape back-up. These and
other measures helped thwart thousands of attacks on our systems monthly. For this
reason, we urge everyone to remain up to date with IT security training and to understand
that multi-factor identification, and other measures, are in place to protect your
files and data, as well as those of our students and the College.
Signage and Aesthetics- We are beginning an effort to improve both the quality and functionality of our
campus signage—both within buildings and on campus grounds. In many buildings, signage
is inconsistent with our brand and unattractive. We will be working to standardize
the signs identifying our departments and other public areas and to better direct
students and others. Please, let’s do away with the makeshift signs on 8.5”x11” paper.
Temporary signage, including office hours, flyers, informational signs, and wayfinding
signs, must be created with the design templates, logos, and other style guidelines
provided on the Office for Marketing & Communications Aries web page. Our exterior electronic signs are aging and will be upgraded. We are also looking
to incorporate signage near construction areas to make them more attractive and to
offer some preview of what is to come. Interior and exterior wayfinding signs with
QR codes may be posted given that some offices will be temporarily relocated, and
people will need to be guided to the new locations of these offices.
Have a great semester.
John Nader
President
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