When I participated in the AASCU Summer Council of Presidents in Santa Fe, I took a one-day side trip to Chaco Canyon, an archaeological site that is the center of Ancestral Pueblo culture. At the top of this letter is a section from a photograph I took at Chetro Ketl, one of several excavated “great houses” within the vast complex of structures estimated to have been built beginning in 850 C.E. and now comprising the Chaco Culture National Historic Park. I share this not as travelogue but as a kind of metaphor. When I walked beside these ancient walls—with their craftsmanship and mystery—I noticed the artistry of the wall construction: all the unique pieces of sandstone fit together in ways that ensured both structural soundness and aesthetic appeal. I was reminded of the many individual parts of SUNY Fredonia and the ways the work of each division, office, and individual is part of the larger structure we build together. I was thinking about my visits to a number of different offices on campus this summer.
Although I have worked with people in these offices in the years I have been at Fredonia, these visits allowed me to see the work across divisions in greater detail and to appreciate the roles of these offices and people in our greater mission of educating students. Beginning with this letter, I will share brief reports of these visits, which were scheduled according to calendar compatibility—not according to any priority order. Subsequent letters will include more such reports.
This letter offers information about a few other topics as well. I welcome your responses and suggestions, as well as questions that you would like to see me address in future letters.
With best wishes,
Visits with Directors and Offices
Career Development Office
Tracy Collingwood, Director
When I met with Tracy and the staff at the CDO in their offices in Gregory Hall, I learned about the many ways that they work to prepare students for their lives after graduation. As you can see from the impressive CDO website, www.fredonia.edu/cdo/, students can turn to the CDO for internships, resume and interview preparation, personalized career counseling, and assistance in exploring majors and career paths. Students can use the Quest exploration program to learn about internships and be notified about opportunities for their fields, and Career Spots videos offer advice about interviews and careers. Potential employers also work with the CDO to recruit Fredonia students, and a page for parents provides information for families. The Fredonia Career Connection is a mentoring program that pairs students and alumni with a network of professionals.
Alumni Affairs
Patty Feraldi, Director
(with Joanne Bohn)
When I visited the Alumni House, I learned about the ways this office maintains contacts with Fredonia alumni, welcomes alumni visitors to campus, and organizes events for alumni and their families. The Alumni Directory with contact information for alumni is produced by this office, and the Online Community portal (www.fredonia.edu/alumni) provides a wealth of information about alumni and the campus for many visitors. If you visit the portal, you can see spotlights of current alumni and learn about the many events being planned for Homecoming Weekend (September 28-29), with its theme of
“Fredonia Around the World.” Alumni Affairs also assists academic departments in planning events that welcome alums to Homecoming and other events. The Alumni House is used for other campus events as well and provides a comfortable space for small-group meetings and meals, as well as receptions on the back patio.
Admissions Office
Chris Dearth, Director
(with Staff)
I was glad to stop by Fenner House on Central Avenue to visit with Chris Dearth and the staff in the Admissions Office.
I learned about the ways that this group works here and throughout the state and region to recruit and enroll first-year and transfer students. As you can see on the Undergraduate Admissions website (www.fredonia.edu/admissions), this office works with prospective students through the entire process of exploring college, campus visits, and providing information about Fredonia programs (print, electronic, in-person on campus and at high schools and college fairs). Fredonia has been very successful in meeting enrollment targets and hosting Open Houses and campus visits that parents and students say are welcoming and helpful. The staff in Admissions stay current in their knowledge of academic programs, student services, campus life, costs of education and financial aid options, and a range of other topics about which they are asked. We are currently challenged in Western New York, with a shrinking high school population, to recruit enough talented students to meet our enrollment targets; this year, thanks to collaboration between Admissions, academic departments, and others across Student and Academic Affairs, we are close to the targets for new students without compromising our academic standards. The space in Fenner House, although lovely, is very crowded, and this residence was not built to accommodate professional offices and the groups that come for visits on a daily basis; I enjoyed talking with the staff about their dreams of a Fredonia Welcome Center, something that I also think we need.
Educational Development Program
David White, Director
(with Barb Yochym, Rachel Skemer, and Janet Knapp)
I learned in my visit to the EDP offices in Thompson Hall that its theme this year was “Excellence without Excuses.” This theme is a mantra that the professional staff use with students in this state-wide program (known on other campuses as the Educational Opportunity Program). As the website explains, “EDP strives to serve the needs of those students who are capable of collegiate study, but need assistance in developing their unexplored abilities. These students demonstrate the motivation and potential for academic success but do not have a traditional college orientation” (www.fredonia.edu/edp). Through counseling, special courses, and academic support, the EDP has helped students with promise go “above and beyond” since 1970. The JEWEL program during Summer Orientation connects EDP students and staff and assists new students in preparing to start the year on a solid foundation. If you check the Student Spotlight on the website, you’ll have a chance to meet some of the impressive EDP students at Fredonia.
Human Resources
Michael Daley, Director
(with staff)
On the first of several visits to the Administrative Office Complex (AOC), I met with Mike Daley and staff members of the Human Resources office. The focus of this office is on recruiting and providing employment services to employees across campus. This includes coordinating searches and hiring using PeopleAdmin, conducting background searches for potential hires, maintaining personnel records, working closely with unions on contracts and issues, overseeing performance programs and evaluations, assisting in employee visa and other special areas of employment, training, employee assistance, conflict resolution, time and attendance, leaves, promotions/reclassifications, salary reviews, benefits, and workers’ compensation. The HR website includes many resources and forms that employees need:www.fredonia.edu/about/offices/human-resources/.
Transitions at the President’s House
If you have been around Central Avenue this month, you have noticed a lot of activity at the President’s House. Since Dr. and Mrs. Hefner moved out in the third week of July, Facilities crews and subcontractors have been working on some needed repairs, tree removal, and interior painting. Chuck Notaro, who retired last fall from his position as FSA Director, volunteered to assist with recommending historically appropriate paint colors and overseeing reuse of existing furniture owned by the campus. He and Kevin Cloos have been doing a tremendous job in coordinating efforts to refresh the house and prepare it for welcoming visitors and members of the campus community. My husband, Brooke, and I look forward to moving into the house in mid-August and to hosting an Open House sometime this fall so that you can tour this historic 1855 home.
Beginning-of-the-Year Celebration: August 31
Soon you’ll be receiving an invitation for you and your spouse/partner and family to a beginning-of-the-year celebration at the President’s House (rain location: Fieldhouse in Steele Hall). Based on the comments from many of you on the transitions survey I sent out, I am planning to invite emeritus faculty and staff as well. I’ve gathered a focus group to explore options for children to be part of this event, and I’ve met with FSA leaders to discuss the menu and set-up. I am hoping to continue the rich tradition the Hefners established to bring together people from across campus for a social event at the beginning of the year, but I’ll be making some changes based on your suggestions and the ideas Brooke and I have for hosting this event. The emphasis will be on celebrating the region, with an emphasis on local food and beverages. In the spirit of efficiency and sustainability, my office will be sending electronic (not print) invitations within the next week.
In the Next Letter
These are some topics I expect to address in the August 14 letter:
- Reports from more visits with Directors across campus
- Updates on searches
Please send your ideas, questions, and comments to me at horvath@fredonia.edu.
