SUNY Fredonia General Campus Meeting
Remarks by President Dennis L. Hefner
Friday, August 19, 2005
Welcome back for the start of another academic year, where “newness” seems to be everywhere. Earlier this week I met with the new incoming Resident Assistants. They were so excited you could actually feel the electricity in the air. After speaking with them for only a few minutes, I had to go back to my office just to catch my breath.
The SUNY system has a new leader: Acting Chancellor John Ryan, who has already visited Fredonia, and who has taken very positive and encouraging actions during his first two months, including support for a rational tuition policy for SUNY. Our campus has two new vice presidents: Dr. Virginia Horvath, formerly a Dean at Kent State, is our new Academic Vice President, and Dr. David Tiffany, who joined us from the College of New Jersey, is our new Vice President for University Advancement. I want to personally thank Dr. Leonard Faulk for serving as Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs, for the third time, and Karen West, who provided exemplary service over two years as Interim Vice President for University Advancement.
This year more than 1,400 new students are entering Fredonia, and later in this program, as is tradition, we’ll be introducing a large number of new faculty and staff. The new University Senate leadership assumed their positions this summer, and the new Senate Chair, Dr. Jacqueline Swansinger, will be speaking later today at the Academic Affairs meeting. Will Jackie and the members of the Senate Executive Committee please stand and be recognized?
For the first-time ever, the campus has a “Diplomat-in-Residence.” We welcome Ambassador James Foley, a SUNY Fredonia alumnus and our 2005 Commencement speaker, as a new campus resident for the entire academic year.
As you may remember, last fall I referenced the 35-year old “motley” conference chairs in my office. Well, I have good news; they’ve been replaced, which means that the budget finally covered inflationary costs. Now a budget like that is something really new!
We’ve also entered a period where new asphalt and new cement will be drying somewhere on this campus every single day of the summer thanks to the approved five-year capital construction plan. And to add to this newness, next fall we’ll hold the reception that follows the General Campus Meeting in the newly renovated Cranston Dining Center, which will be completed next summer as part of the $23 million University Commons construction project.
And finally, in keeping with this newness theme, this year’s All-Campus Meeting format has been streamlined to include my general remarks, introduction of new employees, presentation of Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence, and the awarding of Distinguished Professor designation. The six campus unions were offered time later this morning to have meetings with their members, and PEF was the only union choosing to have a meeting today.
While newness has been the operative word, some things have rightly stayed the same. This past summer the campus was as busy as ever with Summer Orientation, numerous sports and musical youth camps, and lots of construction. Our dedicated facilities management and grounds crew undertook 68 construction projects this summer. As a result, we now have a new office complex for the School of Business, 130 new parking spaces, including a 70-space “Park and Ride” lot, new pull-off spots in front of Mason Hall to allow for the unloading of musical instruments, a new lobby area for Alumni Hall, an upgraded entry for Student Court that hides all of the garbage cans from view, nearly a mile of new or replaced concrete walkways, and a major overhaul of Marvel Theatre that will be completed by mid-September, just to name a few. Would everyone involved in these many summer projects please stand and accept our appreciation for all your efforts?
Normally I spend a fair amount of time at this meeting discussing the impact of the state budget. However, with the state budget adopted on time, the budget is old news. We’re still very lean, but the state’s willingness to cover all new collective bargaining costs and to provide some funding to assist with skyrocketing utility costs has produced a manageable budget. The only new budget information involves SUNY’s revised budget allocation process, called BAP II, which will be released in draft form within the next few days. I’ve been a member of the system committee working on the revisions, and am pleased to report the new approach corrects most of the deficiencies in BAP I.
This past spring, our campus-wide boiler replacement project was fully supported by Governor George Pataki and the legislature. It’s one of the least glamorous construction projects in the nation, but absolutely necessary to survive the Fredonia winters. A slightly more glamorous project approved this past legislative session involves construction of a high technology incubator building. You’ll be hearing much more about this project in the coming months.
Today, U.S. News & World Report issues its annual ranking. I’m pleased to announce that SUNY Fredonia is again listed in Tier I, and is ranked 9th in the north for public master’s universities. One of the major reasons for this good news is the improving quality of the incoming students. This year, the high school grade point average for incoming freshmen will exceed 90 percent for the first time ever, and based upon a preliminary review of SAT scores, we’re on track to exceed last year’s record high.
The Convocation Committee has been working diligently to plan a yearlong series of events around the theme “Leaving Global Footprints.” The Maytum Convocation Lecture, which is the kickoff event, will be given by Robert Kennedy Jr. at 4:00 p.m. on September 21 in King Concert Hall, followed by a reception and book signing in the Williams Center. It will be a wonderful start to an impressive set of Convocation activities.
Two other upcoming events involve this Sunday’s first ever New Student Convocation, which is designed to provide an initial learning experience and features speaker Corey Atkinson addressing “The Ultimate Road Trip: Campus2Career,” and at the end of September a weeklong Williams Visiting Artist residency by pianist Leon Bates, who, among his many accomplishments, was chosen to play for Steinway and Sons celebration of the production of its 500,000th grand piano.
Two noteworthy conferences will serve as bookends to the academic year. On September 26 to 29, SUNY Fredonia will be co-hosting with the Robert Jackson Center and the Chautauqua Institution, a 3-day conference to reflect on the 60th Anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials and their subsequent influence. And at the end of the academic year, from May 30 to June 2, Fredonia will host the 15th annual SUNY Conference on Instructional Technologies (CIT). This system-wide technology conference, titled “Envisioning Tomorrow’s Classroom,” traditionally draws 500 or more registrants from across the state and will provide a wonderful opportunity to showcase our excellent use of technology in the classroom.
Before discussing several priorities for the coming year, I’d like to take a few minutes to reflect briefly on a few of the many highlights from this past year:
• The Rosch Recital Hall was dedicated in October 2004, followed two weeks later by the ground-breaking ceremony for University Commons.
• SUNY Fredonia was ranked 7th in the nation for four-year graduation rates.
• The 365th chapter of Golden Key International Honour Society was chartered with the induction of 168 students, one of the largest first inductions in Golden Key’s history.
• Visits to the SUNY Fredonia website rose another 12 percent, and now exceed 3 million visits annually.
• More than 160 university employees attended the first-ever campus Benefits Fair, which featured 26 benefit providers.
• The Women’s Cross Country team finished second in SUNYAC, its highest place ever, while the Men’s Hockey team was ranked as high as 7th in the nation.
• The Hillman Opera’s road performance of “Candide” at the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) meetings was absolutely stunning, and was the highlight of the conference.
• A bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Science was formally approved.
• English Professor Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s book, Miracle Fruit, was named ForeWord magazine’s “book of the year” for poetry.
• The Office of Volunteer and Community Services was established, and organized the first ever campus-wide Community Service Fair.
• Students approved a $25 per semester fee to renovate the old Dods Hall pool into a state-of-the-art fitness center.
• The College of Education secured more than $2.8 million in funded grants and contracts.
• At a dinner held in Albany this past spring, professors Ted Steinberg of English, Greg Harper of Education, and Alberto Rey of Visual Arts and New Media, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Research Recognition Award.
• The Fredonia State Cheerleader Classic attracted 60 high school teams and over 2,500 spectators, making it one of the largest such events in the state.
• 773 students received student teacher placements—a new campus record.
• The Fredonia College Foundation’s assets have now surpassed $15 million.
• The SEFA (United Way) campaign raised $41,083, exceeding its goal and surpassing $40,000 for the second year in a row.
• A black tie dinner and kickoff concert for Rosch Recital Hall featured world-renowned pianist Peter Serkin.
• A series of five educational events was held on campus to support the nationwide American Democracy Project.
• Despite the amateurish juggling by a certain campus president, the spring musical, “Barnum,” was a spectacular success.
• Several individuals filled, assumed, or returned to administrative leadership positions:
Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Virginia Horvath
Vice President for University Advancement Dr. David Tiffany
Dean, College of Natural and Social Sciences Dr. David Ewing
Interim Dean of Graduate Studies and Lifelong Learning Dr. Leonard Faulk
Associate Dean, College of Education Dr. Michael Jabot
Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Daniel Tramuta
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Monica White
Director, School of Business Dr. Richard Robinson
Chair, Department of Biology Dr. Ted Lee
Chair, Department of Communication Dr. Ted Schwalbe
Chair, Department of English Dr. Jan McVicker
Chair, Department of Modern Languages & Literatures Dr. Howard Westcott
Chair, Department of Psychology Dr. Jack Croxton
Chair, Department of Visual Arts & New Media Elizabeth Lee
Interim Director of Admissions Michael Bleecher
• Faculty promotions include:
Distinguished Teaching Professor:
Mr. Robert Booth, Visual Arts and New Media
Professor:
Dr. Roger Byrne, Biology
Ms. Jan Conradi, Visual Arts and New Media
Dr. Michael Milligan, Chemistry
Associate Professor:
Dr. Clara Beier, Education
Dr. Kathleen Gradel, Education
Dr. Ted Lee, Biology
Dr. Paul Murphy, Music
Dr. Jamar Pickreign, Education
Dr. David Rankin, Political Science
Dr. Mary Beth Sievens, History
Mr. James Stevens, English
Dr. Anna Thibodeau, Education
Dr. Andrea Zevenbergen, Psychology
Dr. Wildy Zumwalt, Music
• Other promotions include:
Plant Utilities Engineer 1 Paul Agle
Plant Utilities Engineer 2 Gary McCown
Clerk 2 Julie Bartlett
Robin Reger
Secretary 1 Cheryl Budniewski
Janet Reid
Secretary 2 Wendy Dunst
Staff Assistant Jennifer Darrell-Sterbak
Senior Staff Assistant Lynda Pleszewski
Amy Salzler
Mark Wilcox
Staff Associate Grant Umberger
Eric Hadley
Library Clerk 2 Mary Lou DeWolf
Heavy Equipment Operator Wilfredo Fuentes
Maintenance Helper Cathleen Higgs
General Mechanic Tim McGraw
Assistant Director Shannon Moore
Erin Mroczka
Associate Director Robert Mead-Colegrove
Keyboard Specialist 2 Ruby Nosek
Residence Hall Director Jennifer Ruhland
Congratulations to each of you!
Last fall I asked the campus to develop a strategic plan to address four key questions:
• What should we do over the next five years to substantially improve the learning that occurs on this campus—both in and outside the classroom?
• What new efforts should we undertake to ensure the campus achieves, and hopefully exceeds, its diversity goals?
• What new approaches to utilizing technology, both in and out of the classroom, should we implement?
• What do we want to be known for, and how do we both strengthen and build recognition in these areas?
I want to thank the 17 faculty and staff members of the Task Force, who grappled with these questions this past year and prepared a draft called The Fredonia Plan that includes 17 specific action items for implementation over the next five years.
The draft contains sufficient vision to move this campus forward, while providing a manageable number of action items. In the area of student learning, the plan would guarantee a significant incoming student experience, require a senior capstone experience, and expand opportunities for learning through adoption of a Convocation Book. Additionally, the Academic Affairs division would hold a campus event focused on enhancing Fredonia’s culture of learning and would create a Center for Teaching and Learning to assist an already exceptional teaching faculty to become even better.
Technology would be improved through development of a continuous technology upgrade plan, completion of the campus-wide installation of wireless technology, adoption of a single gateway, and an innovative best practices initiative. To strengthen external recognition of SUNY Fredonia as an extraordinary higher education institution, the campus would expand its communication and advertising activities, create Fredonia Choice Awards designed to attract the best and the brightest students, and build upon the success of “Fredonia in 4” by implementing a “Fredonia 4 Life” program that reaches beyond the four years a student spends on this campus.
Diversity initiatives would include creation of a comprehensive five-year diversity plan, improved coordination of student diversity efforts, expanded diversity student “yield” activities, specific recognition programs for “service” in the area of diversity, and greater faculty and staff diversity recruitment and retention. I should add that nine years ago when I arrived, the number of incoming students of color was only 47. This year we’ve surpassed 150. The Student Diversity Committee, the Center for Multicultural Affairs, the Education Development Program, and the Admissions office have been working hard to achieve this very positive result, and deserve our appreciation.
Every faculty and staff member has been sent an electronic draft of the Fredonia Plan, and hearings will be held during the month of September. Following campus-wide input, a final plan will be submitted to the University Senate.
I want to conclude my remarks by remembering one of our alums, who I always called our “#1 cheerleader,” and who recently passed away. If you saw the commencement address eight years ago, you undoubtedly remember Morry Poummit, standing at the podium, showing off his 1932 Fredonia diploma, and describing how fortunate he was to be one of the six graduates from a class of 120 to secure a teaching job during the deepest part of the Great Depression. Morry loved this campus deeply, and frequently told me fascinating stories about his experiences here.
Whenever I think about some of his favorite Fredonia stories, I’m always struck by the fact that they nearly always involved faculty and staff going out of their way to treat him as an individual. One faculty member assisted him in securing the automobile ride he needed to reach the interview that led to his first job. A janitor gave him words of encouragement at one of the few times he was down. The basketball coach called him into his office, after the 1931 campus-wide student election results were announced, to console him. Morry, at that time one of the few Jewish students attending Fredonia, hadn’t been elected to any office, and definitely felt the sting of discrimination. However, Morry always told me what he remembered most was that talk with the coach, who went on to tell him he was meant for bigger things. It’s as if the coach knew that nine years later Morry would lead the band that played at Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s third inauguration.
Morry’s stories always revolved around people from this campus giving of their time and wisdom to help prepare him for his remarkable life. What a wonderful legacy our predecessors have left for this campus, and what a high standard they have set for us. Universities change the lives of students, and the memories that students take with them are those that you help create. Your positive comments, your supportive actions, and yes, even your smiles make a difference in the experiences our students have on this campus. Your actions help create the types of memories that Morry shared not only with me, but also, as our “#1 cheerleader,” with many, many others.
Have a great semester!