President’s Newsletter

Monday, April 17, 2023
April 2023 Newsletter

Dear Colleagues,

It’s less than a month until commencement, which marks the formal ending of the academic year. I am grateful for the work that you have put in to ensuring our students’ success this semester, whether it is through teaching, through advising, through supporting their emotional and social needs, to ensuring that our environment is clean, and landscapes are beautiful. Whatever role you play on campus, I am grateful for your membership of our community.

Chancellor John B. King, Jr.’s Visit to Campus

On Tuesday, SUNY Chancellor Dr. John B. King, Jr. continued his tour of all 64 campuses by visiting Brockport. The Chancellor was joined by SUNY Trustee James (Jim) Haddon, who was making his first campus visit, and Congressman Joe Morelle. The group met with campus leadership; visited the Drake Memorial Library to talk to three students who have undertaken undergraduate research projects; visited with the Fannie Barrier Williams Scholars and toured the Academic Success Center; met with students and faculty in labs in Smith and Lathrop; walked through the Union and visited with students in the Joey Jackson Intercultural Center; met with our shared governance leaders, including the presidents of UUP, CSEA, College Senate and Brockport Student Government; and concluded with a lunch with Cabinet. Throughout the visit, Chancellor King asked, “What can SUNY do to help?” He expressed openness and interest in our answers, focused not only on resources such as mental health supports, research, capital projects, and other resources, but also on how to streamline the program approval process and open up more opportunities for enrollment management across the sectors. We were the 35th of the 64 campuses he is visiting, and I know that he came away with a greater appreciation of the role of the comprehensive university sector and of SUNY Brockport in particular as a result of his visit. I am grateful to the many people involved in the visit, including those who helped to plan it at short notice.

Full Professor Forum

Late last month, I had the opportunity to meet for the second time with the Full Professor Forum, and I have committed to meeting with the group twice a year going forward. In response, the individuals who make up the forum agreed to attend the University Leadership Summit and to ensure that I am aware of issues that are brought to their attention. This is an additional opportunity for communication pathways that complements the Open Office Hours I currently hold, as well as my meetings with affinity groups.

Stomp Out Hunger

Last month, I tasked a small working group with searching for additional ways to help combat food insecurity on our campus. I’m pleased to announce that the first phase of their efforts will take place Friday, April 28 with a Stomp Out Hunger event. From 11 am until 1 pm, Foodlink’s Curbside Market will be on the Campus Mall, offering affordable access to fresh, healthy foods. There will also be an opportunity to donate to provide meals to students in need. BASC has generously offered to match donations up to the equivalent of 250 meal swipes! I hope you’ll consider donating to this worthy cause that has the potential to positively impact our students.

Covid Update

On April 11, Chancellor King announced that a COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be mandated for students to attend SUNY’s 64 campuses, effective for summer courses, which coincides with the official end of the national public health emergency by President Biden’s administration. The Chancellor noted that we are seeing higher vaccination rates, greater natural immunity, lower rates of infection, and generally less severe variants which have led to increased relaxation of mandates on the city, state, and national level. Thus, in consultation with SUNY’s Public Health Expert Workgroup, co-chaired by Dr. Dewan and Dr. Riley, SUNY decided that COVID-19 vaccinations should be strongly encouraged for students, as recommended by CDC, but no longer required as a condition of enrollment.

Eclipse Survey

Thank you for taking part in the survey on the solar eclipse. Over 90% of respondents favored making April 8, 2024 a remote work day. For individuals who will be coming to campus that day, there will be special areas for parking, and further information will be disseminated closer to the time regarding essential work on campus that day.

As you will be aware, the Shared Governance Survey is now live, so please do take a moment to respond to the questions asked, particularly in relation to any changes you’d like to see to the Statement on Shared Governance document that was ratified by all shared governance groups on campus in 2018.

Thank you for all that you do to build a better Brockport.