Campus Champion

Sasha Machmuller, a senior psychology major and sociology and forensic psychology minor, is one of two students who presented her summer research at the Michael J. Bond '75, M.D. Alumni/ Undergraduate Science Symposium on Friday, Oct. 25. Dedicated and passionate about research, Sasha is focused on an academic journey that prepares her for a career in the justice system, possibly performing court-ordered psychological evaluations. Since transferring to SUNY Cortland two years ago, this natural leader and gifted communicator has worked as a SUNY Cortland Cupboard student board member to reduce food insecurity and as a voter registration advocate with the New York Public Interest Research Group.

SUNY Cortland’s Community News project has joined the first statewide program in the United States aiming to address news deserts and struggling local news outlets with college student-produced content. 

SUNY Chancellor John B. King last week named Cortland as one of 12 SUNY campuses participating in the launch of the SUNY Institute for Local News (ILN), which provide students with educational opportunities to report on their communities and contribute to the local news landscape. 

As part of the launch, King announced the creation of up to 20 summer reporting internships, which will pair student journalists with their hometown news outlets.   

“It’s an opportunity for students to get potentially paid summer internships doing local news work,” said Paul Arras, assistant professor in SUNY Cortland’s Communication and Media Studies Department. “There’s also potential for students to take an active role in this larger local news network as editors and help to organize the media platform that been building.” 

The ILN, in partnership with the national Center for Community News, supports academic and news partnerships that allow students to provide content, vetted and edited by a faculty member, to local media outlets to give them the experience they need to succeed as journalists. For students with different career plans, it still teaches a valuable lesson. 

“This is an opportunity to expand their civic awareness,” Arras said. “To actually go and talk to people face-to-face that are not the usual people that they’re interacting with on a daily basis. ... And I think that’s a deeper mission that a lot of different classes do in different ways at Cortland. It’s an important mission of the university to teach broader civic awareness.” 

It’s also of value to the public. Between 2004 and 2018, New York state lost 40% of its operating newspapers and saw a 63% decrease in newspaper circulation. SUNY, with more than 95%  of all New Yorkers living within 30 miles of one of its 64 colleges and universities, allows it to effectively reach audiences that have had other sources of news close. 

Students in university-led student reporting programs provided more than 12,000 published local news stories to struggling media enterprises around the country last year, according to the Center for Community News. 

"We’re one of the best democracies in the world, and strong local news has been joined at our democracy’s hip since the start,” said Todd Franko, who serves as editor of the ILN. “That historic strength is gone due to the digital economy expansion in the last 20 years. If we are to have local news, we need new ways to create it. Universities have always been immense sources of community drive and service though students and faculty.” 

Arras is teaching a class this semester where students are tasked with interviewing local citizens off campus about the election and other general issues. Helping Cortland’s efforts is its campus radio station WSUC — currently managed by Professor Caroline Kaltefleiter of the Communication and Media Studies Department — which already has a long history of local coverage. 

The station has made a series of broadcasts and podcasts in the lead up to Election Day on Nov. 5. This included a special broadcast on Oct. 30 that brought a panel of student journalists together with Kaltefleiter to talk about the issues they found in their reporting that were most pressing to the 18-to-24-year-old demographic. 

“It was really interesting to be a part of the special broadcast as it can be a bit hard and awkward to talk to fellow students about serious and sometimes uncomfortable topics, especially during an election year,” said junior Mickey Corey, a media production major from Orlando, Florida. “It was nice to have a space to have those conversations judgement-free and talk about some of the issues that are important to me and many others.” 

WSUC will also follow up with a post-election broadcast with an in-studio audience at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7. 

“We are seeing the media landscape transform at an accelerated rate,” said Kaltefleiter. “Our work with the Center for Community News continues to engage students in discussions of issues affecting our local community and links those issues to statewide and nationwide discussion platforms.” 

In 2023, SUNY Cortland hosted the first Upstate New York faculty training meeting for the Center for Community news, a nonprofit group based at the University of Vermont started by Cortland alum Richard Watts ’85. Watts is also serving as the interim coordinator for the ILN. 

Both Arras and Kaltefleiter have been named as faculty champions in Watts’ program for going above and beyond in the support of local news. Each award comes with an additional $1,000 to support their work. 

Part of the funding for the ILN comes from the Lumina Foundation, a private group focused on higher education, which committed $150,000 to help the Institute’s efforts. That support is itself part of Press Forward, a national movement with a goal to strengthen communities by reinvigorating local news. 

SUNY has committed an additional $160,000 over the next two years toward up to 20 summer reporting internships, which will pair student journalists with their hometown news outlets. 

As part of that effort, Arras will bring Todd McAdam, managing editor at the local Cortland Standard newspaper to campus in the spring. The paper is among the oldest family-owned news organizations in the country. 

 “There’s good potential for this sort of partnership, and he’s interested in working closely with the students as they develop their writing and reporting,” Arras said. “Even sitting down with them and giving them the full editorial process beyond what or in addition to what we’re doing in the classroom.” 

The goal by the end of next semester is to get students to produce work published in the newspaper. 

“We’re excited about the Cortland Standard’s collaboration with SUNY Cortland students,” said Evan Geibel, publisher of the newspaper. “They’re members of this community, too, and I look forward to bringing their perspectives to our readers.”

Science mentoring at SUNY Cortland is multigenerational, having occurred both many years ago and as recently as late October.

So reflected John W. Tillotson ’91, Ph.D., an associate professor of STEM Education at Syracuse University, recalling his own experience as an uncertain first-generation college student, during a recent presentation at the 9th annual Michael J. Bond ’75, M.D. Alumni/Undergraduate Research Science Symposium.

“I think I struggled with what’s known as the ‘imposter syndrome,’ which is this feeling that you are not capable or talented enough to be successful at something,” Tillotson said recently. “That’s a common experience for high school students as they make that jump from high school to college.”

Tillotson was the first in six generations of an upstate New York farming family to attempt college. The experience appears to have sparked a family trend.

Not only did the 2023 SUNY Cortland Distinguished Alumni Award recipient present at his alma mater’s Oct. 25 celebration of undergraduate research, but he shared the spotlight with his daughter, Brooke, a SUNY Cortland junior who presented separately at the Bowers Hall event.

Although a full generation apart, the Tillotsons tell remarkably similar stories of finding their home in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at SUNY Cortland.

“Fortunately, I had some great mentors and some great opportunities to get engaged as a STEM major at SUNY Cortland,” said John Tillotson, who for two decades has coordinated Syracuse University’s adolescence science teacher education program and directs the university’s SUSTAIN Scholars scholarship program. He received the National Science Teacher Educator of the Year Award from the Association for Science Teacher Education.

The Bond ’75 Research Science Symposium was created to connect Cortland undergraduates and faculty with alumni researchers, demonstrating that important science careers are launched from SUNY Cortland with the experience gained through undergraduate research.

The senior Tillotson was one of three alumni speaking during concurrent sessions. He addressed “No Longer an Imposter: How faculty mentoring can shape the STEM career trajectory of first-generation college students.” He noted he had been taken under the wing of the late Peter Jeffers, professor emeritus of chemistry, who invited the undergraduate to join his laboratory research.

After Tillotson’s talk, his daughter, who is majoring in biology with a dual minor in chemistry and communications, presented two posters, one on her animal biology research and the other on her plant biology research.

“It’s been a very good experience,” Brooke Tillotson said of conducting research at SUNY Cortland. One poster illustrated her work on testing flowers for genetic color variations in the lab of Elizabeth McCarthy, an assistant professor in the Biological Sciences Department.

“I joined her lab last spring with the idea of helping me decide whether or not I would want to do it as a career,” Brooke said. “I ended up really loving it.”

This past summer, Brooke Tillotson joined three other undergraduate students conducting biological research on sheep milk production at Cornell University, supported by a National Science Foundation grant. Amanda Davis, a SUNY Cortland assistant professor, and Joseph McFadden, a Cornell University colleague, took the four into their STEM fold.

“It was also kind of interesting because I got to see both sides of biology: plant and animal,” the younger Tillotson said.

Growing up, if she was too sick to go to school, she said she would instead watch her father lecture at Syracuse University. But that didn’t automatically lead her to pursue a science career.

“I always told my father, ‘I hate science, I don’t want to do it.’ But when it came to having to pick my major, I went through all the options. … Through the process of elimination, I realized that I do like science.”

Her dad helped her crunch the numbers to make a good college choice, too.

“From my first two classes at Cortland, I knew I was in the right place,” Brooke Tillotson said. She aspires to become a biology professor with her own lab.

Her father had his own struggles.

“One day when I was a senior, I was standing there in Bowers Hall looking longingly at a billboard wall of posters of graduate programs in chemistry and other science fields,” John Tillotson said. “Dr. Jeffers stopped and asked me which I was applying to. I told him I didn’t think any of them was going to become a reality for me because of the money situation.” Jeffers spent the next 90 minutes explaining the whole process in his office.

“I left that meeting inspired. Ultimately, I was offered a full scholarship to attend the University of Iowa,” Tillotson said. “I really see that as a defining moment in my professional life, but probably that hallway conversation to him was just being a good, engaged professor.”

This fall’s symposium was the best attended yet, noted Mike Fusilli, director of development at SUNY Cortland and a symposium committee member. It drew an estimated 165 students, alumni and faculty to take part in seminars, research presentations, informal networking and student poster sessions.

In addition, a record number of poster presentations, 29 compared to last year’s 18, were shared by students majoring in geology, biology, chemistry, psychology or physics during a “lab crawl.” SUNY Oswego STEM faculty and student researchers presented a joint biology research poster with SUNY Cortland colleagues.

The symposium featured two other alumni panelists presenting at concurrent sessions. They were Carolyn Furlong ’12, Ph.D., an assistant professor in physical sciences at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and Alexander Meyers ’13, Ph.D., a NASA Postdoctoral Fellow at the John F. Kennedy Space Center.

Two seniors delivered the William C. Baerthlein ’76, M.D. Student Presenter lectures, psychology major Sasha Machmuller and biology major Makiah Poli.

Michael Bond ’75, M.D., who retired as the medical director of Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery in Orlando, Florida, has supported the annual symposium through an endowment created with a significant planned gift. 

William Baerthlein ’76, M.D., a member of SUNY Cortland’s Academic Hall of Fame and the Cortland College Foundation board, has made a major gift to support the immediate needs of the symposium.

An American drama classic is the source for a new show set to make history of its own on Broadway. But before that debut, SUNY Cortland students will get to show lucky audiences what all the hype is about.  

“John Proctor is the Villain” — inspired by Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” — will be performed on campus ahead of its professional debut on Broadway next spring. 

Shows in the Dowd Fine Arts Center’s Lab Theatre will take place: 

• Thursday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m.  

• Friday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m.  

• Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m.  

• Sunday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m.  

Tickets will be available at SUNY Cortland’s online Ticket Office. Discounted prices are offered to students, faculty, staff and senior citizens. 

The Performing Arts Department describes “Proctor” as a thought-provoking play that brings together a class of teenagers confronted with a small-town scandal. In class, they study “The Crucible” and, in their world, the “Me Too” movement provides stark comparisons and relevance as they unravel the difference between a witch hunt and the truth. 

“The Crucible” is a fictionalized drama about the Salem witch trials. John Proctor was a landowner who stood up for his wife when she was accused of witchcraft and was subsequently accused himself. They both were sentenced to death. 

Given the script for “Proctor” by a friend, Director Deena Conley, associate professor and chair of the Performing Arts Department, was instantly hooked. 

“The minute I read it I decided that I would like to bring it forth to the faculty to talk about producing it because it’s contemporary,” Conley said. “It’s about many issues that our young people, especially women, are facing today.” 

Written by playwright Kimberly Belflower, and first performed in 2022, “Proctor” has since built up a reputation as an entertaining, poignant play. That success will lead to its debut at the Booth Theater on Broadway in New York City in March. Luckily, Cortland’s audience will see what all the hype is about first.  

To perform a new show still growing in popularity is a great chance for the students in the cast and crew. 

“You’re not relying on anybody else’s interpretation because it’s really not out there,” Conley said. “You can look up clips from other places, but I don’t tend to do that. We get to put our Cortland stamp on this production.” 

With the show’s modern view of a play long enshrined among theater’s greats, the characters begin to question who the hero in the story truly is, discovering more about themselves along the way. 

“This rehearsal process has been incredibly fulfilling,” said Heather Hayes, a junior musical theatre major playing Shelby Holcomb, an outspoken student with a unique perspective. “It’s wonderful to hear a story that revolves around students and younger generations.” 

Hayes described the play as “funny and heartwarming” while still tackling serious topics that deserve attention. 

“The entire cast is amazing, and we can’t wait to share this beautiful show with everyone.” 

In a theater world where most playwrights are men, a show written by a woman that offers a range of excellent parts for women is important, according to Conley. She noted that one of her department’s goals is finding plays and musicals that elevate female roles with the same level of focus and complexity found in many male parts. 

That the show is written with younger characters in mind makes it an ideal production for college students. 

“We often have our college-age actors playing roles where they’re much older than they really are, which is regular in academic theater,” she said. “These characters are very close to their own ages. And that’s important because they can bring their own perspectives and beliefs to these characters.” 

While the show is a drama, there are moments of comedy throughout as well that, to Conley, are a sign of a good play. 

“That’s what is done in contemporary plays, they mix the genres. A lot of writing, just like in television shows or film, you’re mixing those genres because that’s a reflection of life. There’s some really funny moments and some very serious, serious moments.” 

The annual Cortaca Jug football rivalry is a celebration for the entire SUNY Cortland community: students, alumni, faculty and staff.

But it’s also a big deal to the Cortland community that welcomed the Red Dragon team back from last season’s national championship with fireworks and cheering crowds.

That’s why, for the first time in the Jug’s 65-year history, SUNY Cortland students and alumni are partnering with the city of Cortland to host a pair of Cortaca events downtown.

On Friday, Nov. 15, the Student Activities Board (SAB) will transplant its annual pre-game pep rally to the parking lot behind Bru 64, at the intersection of Main and West Court streets. Main Street will be closed off between the same streets for the celebration scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m.

In addition to performances by Cortland’s Cheer Team, Kickline, Danceworks and others, 33 Black, a Nevada-based alternative rock band will play. The event will also feature a roaming photobooth, a living statue, chalk art, giveaways, raffles, tabling by campus organizations and performances by four local dance organization. Dignitaries including Red Dragon football coach Kurt Fitzpatrick and Cortland Mayor Scott Steve will deliver remarks.

Three food truck trucks — including Pig Vycious BBQ and Gorilla Street Hibachi — will supplement downtown eating establishments, all of which will be open. SAB will run buses for students between campus and downtown. The city will provide the stage and sound system, portable restrooms and a tent with a capacity of 700 people. Parking will be available and downtown establishments will be open to welcome fans.

On Cortaca Jug game day — Saturday, Nov. 16 — the city and the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association are inviting everyone to the Crown City’s Cortaca Celebration, a downtown watch party set to run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The same section of Main Street will be closed off and all local establishments, including the food trucks, will be open. The game will be streamed on a large screen under the tent. Following the game, local music  and dance groups will provide entertainment.

"We're striving to bridge the gap between the campus and the Cortland Community," said Abby Loiselle, president of the Student Activities Board. "SAB is very excited to bring our annual Cortaca Pep Rally downtown and hopes to continue to provide programming for students within the community."

Kickoff of the game against Ithaca College is noon at James J. Grady '50, M '61 Field at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex. In addition, the Alumni Association has scheduled at least 24 Cortaca Jug watch parties scattered throughout the United States.

The weekend caps a week of student-only Cortaca campus events. They include:

Game Show Night, Monday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m., Corey Union Function Room. Students can test their Cortland and football trivia knowledge at this SAB-sponsored event.

Movie Night, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m., Corey Union Function Room. The high school football movie Friday Night Lights will be shown and snacks and drinks provided.

Party Smart, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 1-3 p.m., Student Life Center lobby. Students can learn about their rights and responsibilities regarding alcohol, drugs and sex. Sponsored by Conley Wellness Wednesdays.

DIY Cortaca Merch, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 7 p.m., Corey Union Function Room. Students are invited to get crafty and make their own Cortaca Jug apparel to wear during the game.

Cortaca Carnival, Thursday, Nov. 14, 6 p.m., Corey Union Function Room. Games, prizes, food, giveaways and more.

Cortacart, Friday, Nov. 15, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Student Life Center Multiactivity Gym. Students can experience the simulated effects of alcohol and drugs while navigating a go-kart obstacle course. Sponsored by University Police and Prevention Education.

Open Mic Night, Saturday, Nov. 16, 6 p.m., Corey Union Exhibition Lounge. Students are invited to sing on stage during this event, sponsored by the Role-Playing Games Club.

Cortland Cleanup, Sunday, Nov. 17, noon, Crown City Cortaca Tent, Bru 64 parking lot. Students are encouraged to participate in this annual cleanup, sponsored by the city of Cortland and SUNY Cortland Greek Affairs.

The following message was sent to the SUNY Cortland campus community on behalf of President Erik J. Bitterbaum

Dear campus community members,

Today is Election Day, and I wanted to share some reminders about voting on campus and remind you of SUNY Cortland’s commitment to civic engagement, free expression and maintaining an inclusive environment that encourages civility and mutual respect. 

The university’s Park Center, specifically its northeast lobby, will serve as one of four voting locations in the city of Cortland open to any city resident who is registered to vote. If you are a student and you registered to vote at your campus address, you may vote there. 

Please remember that you can look up your voter registration information online through the New York State Board of Elections website. 

Regardless of where you vote, I ask that you are respectful of all election officials and follow any rules associated with polling places, including restrictions on campaigning within 100 feet of a polling place, wearing items with specific candidate names on them or taking photographs or videos in areas where they are not permitted.

I also would ask that you are mindful of the university’s guidelines on free speech. As a public institution, SUNY Cortland must protect the First Amendment rights of all campus community members and visitors. Please also be aware that we are deeply committed to ensuring that SUNY Cortland is a place where all community members can pursue their educational goals safely. Violence, discrimination or harassment of any kind will not be tolerated.

Earlier this year, I was incredibly proud that SUNY Cortland was one of only 190 campuses in the nation recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for an action plan promoting student participation in elections and civic decision-making. I encourage you to follow through on this plan — not only through voting on Election Day, but by committing to civil discourse and actively participating in our democracy moving forward.

Sincerely,  

Erik J. Bitterbaum
President 

Rob Tortorella was a former athlete and recent graduate of Holy Cross College in 1983 when he was involved in a motor vehicle accident that dealt him a devastating cervical spinal injury affecting all four limbs.

Since then, he’s relied on a wheelchair to get around. He understands moving forward with a disability isn’t always easy, but from his terrible setback he’s reached out to help countless others in his condition.

“I was fortunate in that growing up I played sports and was always involved in athletic training so that had a huge impact on my rehabilitation and my attitude,” Tortorella said.

Today he is the founder and CEO of Endless Highway, Inc., a Rochester, N.Y.,-based foundation that provides recreation and arts opportunities to children and young adults with limited mobility.

Tortorella explains, “Our mission is to provide resources and equipment for disabled children and young adults to allow them to participate in inclusive recreational activities, athletic competition and exposure to the arts.”

On Friday, Nov. 8, Tortorella will share his compelling journey of establishing and leading his nonprofit while maintaining an active recreational lifestyle when he delivers the prestigious Metcalf Endowment Lecture at the 74th annual SUNY Cortland Recreation Conference.

The conference, set for Thursday, Nov. 7, and Friday, Nov. 8, on campus, is the nation’s longest running student-organized professional recreation education conference. The two-day event will feature numerous presentations in the field of recreation, parks and leisure studies. The event annually hosts 300 to 400 students and professionals from all over New York state, the greater New England area and beyond.

This year’s conference will champion inclusive recreation and professional development, according to Jason Page ’08, M ’12, assistant professor in the university’s Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies Department. Page leads students in the Special Events Planning class planning the event. This year’s student co-chairs are Alex Cantone and Marybeth Ortlieb.

The conference also features an internship fair connecting students with recreation professionals, plus diverse educational sessions on topics including traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in sports and recreation, outdoor programming and effective board membership. Recreation therapists can earn 1.0 CEUs while participating.

“This conference represents our ongoing commitment to advancing inclusive recreation and professional excellence,” Page said. “From students to seasoned professionals, participants will find valuable opportunities for growth and networking.”

Tortorella’s keynote lecture will take place from 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Corey Union Function Room. The event is free and open to the public.

“His work exemplifies how grassroots advocacy can expand recreation access for all community members,” Page said.

Conference registration is open. A conference overview is available on YouTube. The full conference registration costs $60 for students and $125 for professionals. One day registration is $90 for professionals and $45 for students. A ticket to the internship fair only is $25. For additional information and to register online for the conference, visit the SUNY Annual Recreation Conference website or call 607-753-4972 or email recconf@cortland.edu.

This year’s alumni presenters will include SUNY Cortland Alumni Volunteer Award recipient John Silsby ’69, M.S.Ed. ’70, Charles Yaple M ’72, professor of recreation, parks and leisure studies, Jack Fass ’77, Steven Woodard ’90, M ’96, C.A.S. ’01, Hailey Dick Ruoff ’91, M ’04, Daniel Martuscello III ’96, Anna O’Shea O'Brien ’00, M ’03, Patrick Mercer M ’03, Courtney Carroll ’04, Steven Schaap ’06, M ’15, Amy Smith Kochem M ’08, Jacqueline Johnston Dyke M ’08, assistant professor of recreation, parks and leisure studies, Page, Craig Ross ’10, Kelsey Persons ’13, Anthony Maggio ’14, Caralie Fennessey ’15, Esther VanGorder M ’15, lecturer I in recreation, parks and leisure studies and Evan Nolan ’19, M ’23.

“The conference is an amazing opportunity to build community and recognize all the important elements within the field of recreation,” Page said.  

The event receives additional support for the Metcalf Keynote Address from the Metcalf Endowment Fund.

Have you ever looked at an item and wondered if its only destination is the landfill? There must be some place that can recycle something like a toothbrush or deodorant packaging, right?

SUNY Cortland now has a program to help keep more waste out of the landfill, thanks to TerraCycle, a private company that sells raw material made from hard-to-recycle items to product producers .  

TerraCycle’s core purpose is to combat the global waste crisis, which is different from your local curbside recycling service. TerraCycle recycles the unrecyclable, those items not commonly accepted by local curbside programs.  

The Sustainability Office is excited to host TerraCycle collection programs, said Megan Swing, SUNY Cortland's energy and sustainability engagement coordinator.

"We are on a waitlist for a few of their programs, so keep an eye out for information about toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant containers, Brita filters and more programs coming soon," Swing said. "Currently we are enrolled in the razor recycling program." 

The program will work through collection bins all over campus in each of the residence halls. The bins aren’t there yet but will be soon!  

All students need to do is put any of the accepted items in a bin and the Sustainability Office will take care of the rest. There will be a special and separate collection bin for razors to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved.  

The different items will be collected  until there are enough to ship to TerraCycle, which works with brands and retailers to fund the process. 

What makes something locally recyclable depends on whether a local recycling company can make a profit turning it into something new that can be used. If the cost of collecting and processing the waste is lower than the value of the resulting raw material, it will likely be locally recyclable. If the costs are higher, then it likely won’t be.

The TerraCycle program differs due to its partnerships with brands to fund the recycling process.  

Employees and students who live off campus participate by emailing Swing to inquire about getting involved in the program. The Sustainability Office's goal is to expand the program to other departments and areas around campus.

For more information about what the Sustainability Office is currently collecting, check out the Recycling page on the Sustainability Office’s website.  

The SUNY Cortland men's ice hockey team will be holding a #stopsuicide charity game and resource fair on Friday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. in support of the Central New York chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). 
 
The Resource Fair will be held on Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. in the Park Center Hall of Champions area on the second floor (gallery area outside of the gymnasium entrance). 
 
Cortland will host Adrian College that evening at Alumni Arena, and fans can show the community that they're voices for suicide prevention in a number of ways, including: 
 
* Bidding on limited edition AFSP/Red Dragon charity game-worn jerseys, with all proceeds going directly to the AFSP  (Jersey Auction Web Page). The auction runs from Oct. 8 through 4 p.m. on Nov. 14. 
* Becoming a sponsor - there are multiple levels of support available for individuals and organizations to fund the event (Sponsorship Form (PDF)) 
* Participating and encouraging others to attend the Resource Fair. The theme is #StopSuicide, which is part of the AFSP's social media campaign to increase awareness of effective ways to reduce the likelihood of loss by suicide 
* Providing raffle or door prize items for the game-day auction 
* Making a cash donation 
* Purchasing tickets and attending the game on November 8!! 
 
Funds raised allow the AFSP to fund research, create educational programs, advocate for public policy, and support survivors of suicide loss. The Red Dragons have raised more than $41,000 for the AFSP in four years. 
 
Any questions about the auction can be directed to Cortland head coach Joe Cardarelli at joseph.cardarelli@cortland.edu or 607-753-4990. 
 
Jersey Auction Web Page 
 
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A DONATION TO SUPPORT THIS CAUSE, PLEASE VISIT THIS WEBSITE

The Human Resources Office will recognize classified staff and Research Foundation employees who have met milestone years of service with SUNY Cortland at its 2024 Annual Service Awards Ceremony set for Friday, Dec. 6, in the Corey Union Function Room. 

The following employees are slated to receive awards. To note a correction or addition to the list, contact Nicole Allen in the Human Resources Office by email or by phone at 607-753-2302.  

2024 Service Award awardees  

25 YEARS 

Douglas Adsit, Facilities Operations and Services 

Lucinda Compagni, Development Office 

Heather Hurteau, Child Care Center (Research Foundation) 

Christine Newcomb, Cortland College Foundation (Research Foundation) 

*Kathleen Hudson, International Programs 

*Laurie Matthews, Child Care Center (Research Foundation) 

20 YEARS 

Ryan Kleveno, Motor Pool 

Tanya Lowie, Facilities Operations and Services 

Robert Maarberg, Heating Plant 

Jennifer Stiles, Communication Disorders and Sciences Department 

*Lou Anne Simons, Library 

15 YEARS 

Heather Drew, Information Resources 

Charles Greenman, Fleet Operations 

*Christina DiGiusto, Communications Office 

*Tammi Vassalotti, Facilities Operations and Services 

10 YEARS 

Brian Bennett, Maintenance 

Denise DuBrava, Custodial Services 

Lee Gokey, Maintenance 

Jeanenne Hall, Extended Learning Office 

Heather Hammond, Physical Education 

Patrick McLorn, Residence Life and Housing 

Kevin Wellings, Maintenance 

Michael Wood, Maintenance 

*Michael Gregory, Mail Services/Central Warehouse 

*Retired in 2024 

Join the SUNY Cortland Green Reps on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in Sperry Center, Room 205 for a showing of the film “GasLand” which explores the fracking petroleum industry and its environmental consequences. 

There will be popcorn provided by SUNY Cortland Auxiliary Services, thanks to funding by Pepsi. In an effort to keep this event LOW to NO WASTE we are asking people to bring their own bowl to limit the amount of waste generated by this event. Cortland Auxiliary has offered to supply a limited quantity of beverages during the event. 

Following is the Sundance Film Festival–noted storyline summary: “It is happening all across America-rural landowners wake up one day to find a lucrative offer from an energy company wanting to lease their property. Reason? The company hopes to tap into a reservoir dubbed the "Saudi Arabia of natural gas." Halliburton developed a way to get the gas out of the ground — a hydraulic drilling process called "fracking" — and suddenly America finds itself on the precipice of becoming an energy superpower.”

This event is sponsored by the Green Reps, the Sustainability Office and Cortland Auxiliary. For more information, contact sustainability@cortland.edu.

The Orientation Committee has set the new student orientation and advisement dates for summer 2025. Below you will find the program dates for January, June/July and August.

January 2025

January Orientation 1: Friday, Jan. 17 (online)

January Orientation 2: Friday, Jan. 24

June/July 2025

Transfer Session 1: Monday, June 30

First-Year Session 1: Tuesday, July 1 - Wednesday, July 2

First-Year Session 2: Monday, July 7 – Tuesday, July 8

Transfer Session 2: Wednesday, July 9

First-Year Session 3: Thursday, July 10 –Friday, July 11

First-Year Session 4: Monday, July 14 – Tuesday, July 15

First-Year Session 5: Wednesday, July 16 (online)

First-Year Session 6: Thursday, July 17 - Friday, July 18

First-Year Session 7: Monday, July 21-Tuesday, July 22

First-Year Session 8: Wednesday, July 23 – Thursday, July 24

Transfer Session 3: Friday, July 25 (online)

August 2025

Transfer Session 4 & First-Year Session 9: Friday, Aug. 22

Various offices and departments work together to make these events a success and to aid our new students in their transition to SUNY Cortland. The campus community is invited to participate in these programs. New student advisement and registration will occur during the afternoons of all one-day programs and on the second day of two-day programs. Advisement and Transition will begin coordinating these efforts in March and will reach out to student services and academic departments with additional details.

For program information, refer to the orientation website at cortland.edu/orientation. Direct questions about the Orientation program to Advisement and Transition.