| Update from FSC President Nader, PhD |
February, 2024 |
Congratulations- Dr. Monique Sosnowski of the Criminal Justice Department was recently named as one
of 2024’s “50 People Changing the World,” by Explorers Club for her work which merges
her expertise in environmental crime prevention and analysis with field conservation
efforts. The Explorers Club article notes that “Monique aims to integrate academic insights into practical field operations
and policy to ensure they are evidence-based and effective. Her work is reflected
in her over two dozen academic articles, reports, and book chapters….”
CPRA- Thanks to the members of the Committee on Planning and Resource Allocation for their
excellent work in developing Key Performance Indicators by which we can assess progress
in addressing the goals of the Eight for `28 Strategic Plan. Next, the Cabinet will
work with CPRA to identify specific action items that we plan to take in implementing
the plan.
Student Concerns Portal- A campus-wide announcement was sent about the launch of the new student concerns reporting portal. The portal is intended to reduce uncertainty and enable users to conveniently raise
or address an issue. This digital portal provides a centralized/uniform way for students
and others to provide information to College officials — making concerns easier to
track and resolve. Whether it's a behavioral matter, academic integrity violation,
or other issue affecting the overall campus experience, the College encourages students,
faculty, and staff to use this new tool. The reporting process is user-friendly, accessible
on mobile devices, and streamlined. It will ensure that appropriate campus departments
quickly and effectively receive and address concerns. Thanks to our Student Government
Association for advocating for this tool and Frank Rampello who oversaw its launch
and implementation.
Building Improvements- You may have noticed that renovations of both Knapp and Dewey Hall are finished
or near completion. We plan to hold a spring event to formally recognize the completion
of the Knapp project. In addition, a number of Student Engagement functions have begun
to populate Dewey Hall. We expect to reopen Dewey as a much-improved student residence
in Fall 2024. Additionally, the University Club in Knapp has been completely renovated
and is now available for use.
Upcoming Events- Thanks to the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Excellence for scheduling
some excellent programs. International Mother Language Day Celebration, on February 21, is centered around music, language, and resistance. This program
is co-sponsored by the Modern Languages Department. On February 27, a Black History
Month program entitled “The African Meets the Black American” will be held. Both events have been scheduled for the Campus Center.
Direct Service Professional- Thanks to the excellent work of Academic Affairs and the Psychology Department,
this spring the College has enrolled 30 students in a Direct Service Professional
I microcredential supported by the New York State Office for People with Developmental
Disabilities. The microcredential will prepare human service workers with the competencies
necessary for the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) - Level
I certification. We expect to offer Direct Service Professional II in Fall 2024. This
is a significant step in helping people who may not have formal degrees benefit from
courses and programs offered by the College.
Offshore Wind Training Institute- In summer 2019, the State of New York granted FSC and Stony Brook $10 million to
establish an Offshore Wind Training Institute (OWTI) which awarded funding to promote
development of a talent pool to serve the emerging industry. In December 2023, the
OWTI completed distribution of its final round of competitive funding. In total, approximately
$8.5 million was awarded for 28 grants across a dozen SUNY campuses ranging in geography
from U. Buffalo to Stony Brook. The scope extends from research to workforce training,
to partnerships with public schools, and efforts to attract more women and minorities
to the offshore wind field. Thanks to many strong proposals from our own faculty,
FSC is the single largest recipient of OWTI funding.
John Nader
President
