Campus Champion

Every Thursday morning for the past 20 years, Associate Librarian Emeritus Jake Schuhle has made his way into the Memorial Library, where he selflessly volunteers his expert services as the College’s archivist. In the age of instant computer access to information, Jake offers a simple reminder, “Someone still has to put the information in there.” Jake has been helping the SUNY Cortland campus community for more than a half-century. Beginning in 1954, he devoted 31 years — the first 26 in the Campus School — as a librarian. Although he officially retired in 1985, Jake plans to keep volunteering in the Memorial Library archives as long as he enjoys it.

Timothy Davis, assistant professor of physical education at SUNY Cortland, has been named the 2010 Outstanding Professional Award recipient by the Adapted Physical Activity Council (APAC) of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD).

A nationally respected SUNY Cortland faculty member since joining the College in 1998, Davis will be recognized on Thursday, March 18, during the AAHPERD convention in Indianapolis, Ind.

“He embodies the concept of a truly selfless, compassionate professional, always taking the time to help others,” noted University of Florida Professor Christine Stopka, in her nomination of Davis for the honor.

“In fact, his mission has been to improve the quality of physical education services for children with disabilities through the development and promotion of highly qualified adapted physical education teachers, one teacher at a time. He believes strongly that empowering individual teachers can have a profound effect on the quality of lives of children with disabilities.”

The APAC award recognizes an exceptional member who not only has provided leadership to the organization and who has contributed to scholarly publications in the field of adapted physical education, but also someone who has “made a significant mark on the lives of others through teaching, athletics, entertainments, serving in public office, or in some other way enhancing the positive image of people with disabilities in society.”

Davis, who presided over APAC from 2000-02, has been a role model and an indefatigable adapted physical education leader in both service and scholarship for years, noted Stopka.

The chair of the Adapted Physical Education National Standards (APENS) Project for the past eight years, Davis is the anonymous “expert” behind the organization’s PE Central “Ask the Expert” online service.

“Dr. Davis receives 15-20 e-mails and messages a week asking for information ranging from disability to state licensure and beyond,” explained Stopka, adding that he answers those requests “in a meaningful and personal manner” and “without receiving credit whatsoever for his time and effort.”

He has promoted APENS through a Web site, online links and enhanced visibility at AAHPERD regional and national conferences, she noted.

“More recently, he was interviewed for an article in Education Weekly, where he was asked to speak on behalf of the field of adapted physical education and national standards,” Stopka explained.

"Dr. Davis’ scholarly activity speaks to his passion in the field,” she continued. “He has been represented in all of the leading physical education journals. His list of international and national presentations is formidable. Dr. Davis exemplifies the professional who ‘talks the talk and walks the walk.’ He connects with practicing physical educators through his writing as well as through his presentation. He has a national reputation as being a ‘go-to’ person for answers that require practical application.”

Stopka said that Davis has been instrumental in the three-year expansion of the national mentoring program, “I Can Do It! You Can Do It!” for youth with disabilities developed by the Office on Disability in the Department of Health and Human Services. He is one of nine national directors promoting the mentorship of children with disabilities to increase physical activity and nutrition. He is targeting his upcoming research on addressing perceptions of physical education teaching majors with disabilities, an underrepresented area in literature for many years, said Stopka.

She singled out his commitment to the local community as director of the Cortland Homer Afterschool Mentorship Program (CHAMP), a five-days-a-week, state-approved, afterschool daycare program. In addition, Tim has developed many service learning opportunities for his students. These include Skill Builders and Challenger Sports for children with disabilities birth to 21 years, Thursday night wheelchair sports, Project LEAPE, and most recently Project DREAM serving at risk youth and those with disabilities ages 13-21.

A native of Reno, Nev., Davis earned both a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a master’s degree in adapted physical education and early intervention from California State University, Chico. He has a Ph.D. in adapted physical education and early childhood special education from the University of Virginia.

From 1991-94, Davis was an adapted physical education instructor and director of the Ability Challenge Sports and Recreation Program at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.

At SUNY Cortland, Davis received the 2009 Rozanne M. Brooks Dedicated Teacher Award and was honored by the College with its Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Outreach Award. In 2007 and 2008, he was presented by the College with its Distinguished Faculty Service Learning Award. In 2008, SUNY Cortland earned the Adapted Physical Education Program of the Year Award from AAHPERD.

Davis was presented with the prestigious William A. Hillman Distinguished Service Award in 2006 by the National Consortium on Physical Education and Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities. He has received several other Professional of the Year Awards from state organizations in New York and outstanding service awards while working in both New York and Indiana.

A member of several College committees, across his career he has successfully written grants for nearly $600,000 in sponsored research associated with adapted physical education. Most recently, Tim has developed the School Partnerships in Physical Education Program creating funded teaching opportunities for graduate students majoring in adapted physical education.

Within the community, Davis presided over the board of directors for Access for Independence of Cortland County, an independent living center servicing adults with physical and developmental disabilities. He has been active with local Little League organizations and serves as faculty advisor to the national powerhouse SUNY Cortland baseball team.

For many years, Davis was a big game guide in the province of Alberta for the Canada Division of Forestry, having served a year as a guide in the Yukon Territories. Since 2003, he has taught Inclusive Outdoor Education, a graduate course at SUNY Cortland developed specifically to address the needs of diverse populations in outdoor education experiences.

He and his wife, Lisa, have two children, Chase, 13, and Peter, 10, and reside in Homer, N.Y.

Gov. David Paterson has appointed Thomas Gallagher of Cortland, N.Y., to replace Dorothea K. Fowler as chair of the SUNY Cortland College Council.

Gallagher, the former mayor of Cortland, joined the College Council on Jan. 3, 2008, to complete the term of Patrick McHugh. Gallagher will serve as the chair until that term ends on June 30, 2011. Fowler had been the College Council chair since Oct. 30, 2006.

The 10-member College Council has certain supervisory responsibilities at SUNY Cortland which include: recommending candidates for appointment as president of the College; reviewing major plans for operation of the College properties; reviewing proposed budgets requests; fostering the development of advisory citizens' committees; naming buildings and grounds; and making or approving regulations governing the conduct and behavior of students.

Gallagher was mayor of Cortland from 2002-09. He was the executive director of the Cortland County Chamber of Commerce from 1994-2001 and then headed special projects for the Cortland County Business Development Corporation/Industrial Development Agency in 2001-02.

The Groton, N.Y., native and Groton Central graduate attended Mohawk Valley Technical Institute in Utica and earned an associate’s degree from the Rochester Business Institute.

He began his professional career with the Commercial Credit Corp. and the General Finance Corp. in Syracuse, N.Y. From 1962-69, he worked for Smith Corona Corp. in DeWitt, N.Y. He co-owned and operated Crown City Distributors in Cortland from 1969-86 and Cortland Paper Products in Cortland from 1986-93.

Gallagher served on the YMCA Board of Directors for 38 years and is a past president. His 25 years on the Cortland City Water Board include serving as chair. His is a Past Exalted Ruler and a Board of Trustees member of the Cortland Elks Club. He was a founding member of Leadership Cortland and the Cortland Business Network.

The 2007 recipient of the Boys Scouts of America’s Cortland County Distinguished Citizen Award, Gallagher served on the steering committee for the 25th Empire State Games co-hosted by Cortland in 2002. He serves on the advisory board of the Cortland Regional Sports Council, the McDonald Sports Complex Board of Directors, the Cortland Regional Medical Center, the Tompkins-Cortland Community College Foundation, the United Way of Cortland County and the Tompkins County Trust Company Economic Development Board.

He and his wife, Toni, reside in Cortland. They have three children, Dennis, Kathy and Brian, and two grandchildren, Dennis and Danielle.

Gov. David Paterson appointed Katherine Emerich Compagni ’68 of Homer, N.Y., to the SUNY Cortland College Council on Jan. 20.

Compagni, who replaces Dorothea K. Fowler on the College Council, will serve until June 30, 2016. Fowler joined the College Council on May 23, 1996 and became chair on Oct. 30, 2006. Her official term ended on June 30, 2009, but she continued to serve as the College Council chair until the governor named a replacement.

The 10-member College Council has certain supervisory responsibilities at SUNY Cortland which include: recommending candidates for appointment as president of the College; reviewing major plans for operation of the College properties; reviewing proposed budgets requests; fostering the development of advisory citizens' committees; naming buildings and grounds; and making or approving regulations governing the conduct and behavior of students.

Compagni retired in 2001 after 16 years as an assistant professor in the Writing Department at Ithaca College. From 1975-79, she was an adjunct instructor in the English Departments at SUNY Cortland and Tompkins-Cortland Community College. She taught in the English Department at Homer High School from 1968-71 and 79-85.

Compagni has presented many papers at regional and national conferences on subjects including the connections between literacy and modern technology.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Early Secondary English and a Master of Arts in English from SUNY Cortland and a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Communications from Syracuse University.

Compagni currently serves as secretary on the Cortland College Foundation Board of Directors. She was appointed to the board in 2004. Compagni fulfilled a prior term from 1997-2001, when she was vice-president from 2000-01.

In the community, Compagni has served the Cortland Memorial Foundation Board of Directors since 2006 on its development, budget and scholarship committees. She joined the YWCA of Cortland Board of Directors in 2001, was president from 2006-08, and chaired the Community Relations and Annual Women in History Essay Contest Committees.

A member of Zonta Club of Cortland since 1997, she chaired its Scholarship Committee and was a member of the Public Relations and Senior Assistance Committees.

From 1992-2001, Compagni was on the board of directors of Nu Sigma Chi, SUNY Cortland’s longest surviving local sorority. She has served on the Cortland Arts Council and the Cortland County Child Development Subcommittee. Compagni is a member of the Center for the Arts, Cortland County Historical Society and the Lime Hollow Nature Center.                 

She and her husband, Joseph, have two children, Stephen Compagni and Laura Compagni-Sabella.

The 12th annual Unity Celebration, featuring an hors d’oeuvres reception and activities to commemorate cultural diversity on the SUNY Cortland campus, has been rescheduled for Thursday, April 1. Inclement weather forced its cancellation on Feb. 25.

Part of the College’s Black History Month series in February and continuing the College’s yearlong theme of “Breaking Down Walls,” the event will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. in Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge.

The Unity Celebration is free and open to the public. Participants must R.S.V.P. by Wednesday, March 24, to attend by contacting Ann Cutler, Multicultural Life Office, at (607) 753-2336.

Marques R. Dexter, assistant track and field/cross country coach and the recruiting coordinator for athletics at SUNY Cortland, will deliver the keynote speech. This year’s celebration will feature musical performances, student speakers and multicultural awards.

The program is sponsored by the College’s Affirmative Action Committee, Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies (CGIS), the Committee on the Status of Women in Education, the Multicultural Council, the Multicultural Life Office, the President’s Office, the Student Government Association, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs’ Office and the Vice President for Student Affairs’ Office.

 The 2010 SUNY Cortland Gospel Choir Cultural Celebration on Sunday, Feb. 28, will feature an array of musical performances by members of the campus community. Fifty percent of ticket sales and all donations will benefit Haitian relief efforts.

The event begins at 4 p.m. in Old Main Brown Auditorium. Tickets are $3 for students and $5 for all others. Tickets may be purchased through Gospel Choir members, at the door or reserved in advance. Ticket reservations may be made by calling (607) 753-4104 or e-mailing Distinguished Service Professor Samuel L. Kelley at sam.kelley@cortland.edu. Reserved tickets may be picked up at the door. Individuals who can’t attend but wish to make a donation are encouraged to do so.                  

SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum will offer the welcome.

During the concert, the SUNY Cortland Gospel Choir will offer the popular spiritual, “Down By the Riverside,” and gospel selections, including “Faithful Is Our God” by Hezekiah Walker, “Bless His Holy Name” by Lawrence Matthews, “I’m Covered” by John P. Kee, “Perfect Praise” by Richard Smallwood and “Oh Happy Day” with Khalila Brown as soloist.

SUNY Cortland alumna Dorothy Thomas ’77 will present a piano performance of spirituals and hymns.

Noelle Paley, interim director of multicultural life and adjunct professor of Africana studies, will direct SUNY Cortland students in two a cappella pieces, “Amazing Grace” and “Wade In the Water.”

The SUNY Cortland Africana Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Yomee Lee, assistant professor of kinesiology, will present an Africana dance selection.

Salsa performer Nikolay Karkov, adjunct professor of Africana studies, will offer selections with dance partner Xhercis Mendez.

A jazz set by the Gospel Choir musicians will round out the performance. The musicians are saxophonist Jamie Yaman of Cortland, N.Y.; and keyboardist Andy Rudy, bass guitarist Reggie Siegler, percussionist Benjamin Terry and Robert Brown on trombone, all of Syracuse, N.Y.

Co-sponsoring the celebration with the choir are the Africana Studies Department, the Black Student Union and the Caribbean Student Association. The event also is supported by the student activity fee. The celebration continues the College’s Black History Month, which is co-sponsored by the the President’s Office; the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs’ Office; the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies; the Vice President for Student Affairs’ Office; the Multicultural Life Office; the Dean of Arts and Sciences’ Office; the Political Science Department; the Affirmative Action Committee; the Communication Studies Department; the Africana Studies Department; the Black Student Union; and the Caribbean Student Association.

For more information, contact Kelley at (607) 753-4104 or sam.kelley@cortland.edu.

Nutrition therapist, author and speaker Evelyn Tribole will share her ideas on “Intuitive Eating” during Body Appreciation Week at SUNY Cortland. The commemorative week features events on campus from Monday, Feb. 22, through Thursday, Feb. 25.

The co-author with Elyse Resch of the bestselling book Intuitive Eating, Tribole will discuss “Intuitive Eating: How to Create a Healthy Relationship with Food, Mind and Body” at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, in the Corey Union Function Room. A reception and book signing will follow the event.

This and other Body Appreciation Week activities on the theme of “Changes in Attitudes” are free and open to the public. The talk is also part of the College’s Wellness Wednesday, a yearlong series of featured speakers, exhibits, self-help workshops and other programs intended to help students adjust to college life.

“This is an opportunity to raise awareness and provide education about eating disorders, disordered eating and related concerns,” said Senior Counselor Billie Jean Goff of SUNY Cortland’s Counseling and Student Development Center. “It is estimated that 10 million women and girls and 1 million men and boys are affected by eating disorders, which have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric diagnosis.”

“Body Appreciation Week 2010 will mark the 12th consecutive year that SUNY Cortland has joined colleges and communities across the nation to observe National Eating Disorders Awareness Week,” Goff said.

Tribole, a registered dietician who operates a nutrition counseling practice in Newport Beach, Calif., asserts that her approach to intuitive eating teaches individuals how to create a healthy relationship with their food, mind and body, where they ultimately become the expert of their own body. She has received the American Dietetic Association’s Award for Excellence in Private Practice and served as a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association for six years.

During Body Appreciation Week, student art, displays, posters and information tables pertaining to eating disorders and body image will be on display in the Corey Union Exhibition Lounge from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The student organization Women of Color will present “Bodies of Women of Color: A Discussion” at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 22, in the Corey Union Exhibition Lounge.

A “Changes in Latitudes-Changes in Attitudes” coffeehouse will take place at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23, in the Corey Union Exhibition Lounge and Fireplace Lounge. This Tuesday Night Live fundraiser for Haitian Relief will feature “The 37 Project” as opening act followed by other campus performers and an open mic session.

Delta Phi Epsilon will host a candlelight vigil and speaker to remember all of those affected by eating disorders, including those who have died, to end the week at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25, in the Corey Union Exhibition Lounge.

During the week, faculty and staff will have an opportunity to take part in “Love Your Genes” by donating $1 each day to dress down and wear jeans, with all proceeds going to Haitian Relief.

Body Appreciation Week 2010 is sponsored by the Counseling Center and the Student Development Center, Auxiliary Services Corporation (ASC), the President’s Office, the Vice President for Student Affairs’ Office, Residence Life and Housing Office, the Campus Artist and Lecture Series (CALS), Athletics, Dining Services, Academic Support and Achievement (ASAP), the Health Promotion Office, Delta Phi Epsilon, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Campus Activities and Corey Union, the Residence Hall Association and Ames Linen.

For more information, contact Senior Counselor Billie Jean Goff of the Counseling Center and the Student Development Center at (607) 753-4728.

A panel of five talented women will share how their individual paths led them to SUNY Cortland during the second annual Women’s Paths to Success presentation on Wednesday, March 3, at SUNY Cortland.

Sponsored by the campus group Women’s Initiatives during Women’s History Month, the discussion will take place from 3-4:30 p.m. in Brockway Hall, Jacobus Lounge.

“No two career paths looks exactly alike,” said the event organizer for Women’s Initiatives, Karen Seibert, assistant director of the Center for Educational Exchange. “Each person’s experience is based on personal passions, talents, interests, needs, priorities and maybe a bit of luck. Come celebrate Women’s History Month by learning how several talented women at SUNY Cortland have charted their unique and successful career courses.”

Jena Curtis, an associate professor of health and coordinator of human services, will moderate the panel discussion.

Panelists include Dianne Bays, supervising janitor, custodial services; Amy Berg, associate provost, information resources; Kimberly Potter Ireland ’97, senior government relations representative for National Grid and a SUNY Cortland College Council member; Sharon Steadman, associate professor of sociology/anthropology and coordinator of the International Studies Program; and Rita Wright, director of the YWCA’s Aid to Victims of Violence and a SUNY Cortland lecturer in health.

Event co-sponsors include: Women’s Initiatives, the Affirmative Action Committee, the Committee on the Status and Education of Women, the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies, the Gender Implementation Team, the President’s Office, Women’s Studies and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Committee.

For more information on Women’s Initiatives, visit the Web site www.cortland.edu/women. For more information about the panel discussion, contact Karen Seibert at (607) 753-5660.

Three representatives of the Homer-Cortland Community Agency (HCCA) will update the public on the ambitious project to create a Central New York Living History Center during a Community Roundtable on Thursday, March 4, at SUNY Cortland.

The individuals, all volunteers, will discuss their Cortland, N.Y., project to bring to life the community’s industrial, agricultural and military heritage during this talk from 8-9 a.m. in SUNY Cortland’s Park Center Hall of Fame Room. Refreshments will be served at 7:45 a.m. A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation.

The panelists will include Jamie Dangler, board member and a SUNY Cortland associate professor of sociology/anthropology; Hugh Riehlman, a farm owner who is president of the HCCA as well as vice-president of the Brockway Truck Preservation Assoc., Inc.; and Shirley Randolph, a keyboard specialist at SUNY Cortland who serves as HCCA treasurer and president of the Brockway Truck Preservation Assoc., Inc.

The planned volunteer-operated Living History Center at the old A.B. Brown site on Route 11 will combine three separate collections: the Brockway Truck Museum, Ken Eaton’s Homeville Museum, and Tractors of Yesteryear.

The project will offer an interactive journey through hundreds of years of regional history, observed Dangler.

“These anchor collections will display Brockway trucks, antique agricultural equipment, military artifacts and items related to railroad history and model railroading,” she said, adding that the College community benefits by lending volunteers to the project.

 “The Central New York Living History Center will provide teaching and learning opportunities for SUNY Cortland students, faculty and staff. Student interns from the Sociology/Anthropology Department’s Museum Studies Program have been involved in developing a cataloguing system for artifacts in the Homeville collection and we anticipate internship possibilities for students in other areas of study.”

The HCCA has a four-fold mission: to develop a museum complex for the preservation of historical artifacts of local, national and international significance; to educate students from the intermediate grades through college; to contribute to the economic revitalization of Cortland County by creating a museum that will enhance tourism in the Central New York area; and to provide opportunities for volunteers to become involved in community-building activities. More information about the project is available at www.cnylivinghistory.org.

Sponsored by the President’s Office and the College’s Center for Educational Exchange (CEE), the Community Roundtable is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the CEE at (607) 753-4214 or visit www.cortland.edu/cee.

The Gulf Coast musical quartet, Mithril, will bring its progressive, Celtic world sound to SUNY Cortland on Saturday, March 6.

Presented by the College’s Campus Artist and Lecture Series (CALS), the band, which is fast becoming one of the most sought after Celtic/world music groups on the concert series scene across the U.S., will begin at 7 p.m. in the Old Main Brown Auditorium.

Admission is $3 for SUNY Cortland students and $5 general admission. Children 10 and under are admitted free. Tickets may be obtained through the Campus Activities and Corey Union Office, Corey Union, Room 406, or at the door one hour prior to the performance. For more information, call (607) 753-5574.

Mithril nudges the musical envelope with lively and complex arrangements that deftly interlace multiple tunes and keep audiences engaged in the entire concert experience. The band’s progressive style has its roots in traditional Celtic music but moves far beyond that, weaving such diverse influences as American folk, classical and Middle Eastern melodies into its full tapestry of sound.

The four Gulf Coast-based musicians — Andra Bohnet, Tom Morley, Ben Harper and David Hughes — perform their all-instrumental shows on a wide array of traditional instruments including Irish flute, whistle, fife, Celtic harp, fiddle, bouzouki, mandolin, guitar, bodhran (Irish frame drum), and harmonium. The performers play with the precision of their classical training and the enthusiasm that springs from their love of the music.

Band members have traveled from Nova Scotia to Ireland to play and research Celtic music. Collectively and individually, they have studied with and performed alongside some of the most well-respected musicians in the Celtic music world.

Mithril has been featured on arts and concert series and festivals throughout the Southeast and beyond. As guest artists with Mobile (Ala.) Symphony, Mithril set an all-time attendance record for a symphony pops series. They have been guest artists with symphonies across the U.S.

Mithril has five CDs on Flying Frog Music including their newest release, “Tangled Up.” Their music has received airplay on the nationally syndicated “Celtic Connections” radio show and on Internet radio sites including AOL World Radio, XM Satellite Radio, Ren Radio and Celtic Moon.

The group’s “Live In Concert” CD “gives great insight into four musicians on top of their game,” commented Compass/Green Linnet recording artist Manus McGuire. “The Quartet played with verve and seemed to be in constant motion; clearly they were having fun,” wrote a reviewer for The Register in Mobile, Ala. For more information about Mithril, visit the band’s Web site at www.mithril.us.

The event is supported by the student activity fee, the SUNY Cortland Auxiliary Services Corporation and the Cortland College Foundation. For information about CALS events, visit the CALS 2009-10 Web site at www2.cortland.edu/events/cals.

PHOTO CAPTION:

Mithril members, from the left, are: David Hughes, Andra Bohnet, Ben Harper and Tom Morley.

SUNY Cortland’s chapter of Phi Kappa Phi has named six students as its Scholars of the Year.

The SUNY Cortland chapter of the national honor society recognized the students based on their academic accomplishments and their leadership and volunteer involvement at the College.  

Each of the scholars will receive $50 and all the students will be honored at a ceremony at 10 a.m., on Saturday, April 17, in the Corey Union Function Room.

Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and largest honor society for all academic disciplines. Each year, about 30,000 members are initiated into the society on nearly 300 campuses in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.

SUNY Cortland’s Phi Kappa Phi Scholars of the Year are:

Mallory Anger

The daughter of Deborah and Michael Anger of Bellmore, N.Y., Mallory Anger is a senior childhood education major.  

Anger has been on the Dean’s List consistently, and last spring received the honor of being on the President’s List. In 2006, she was inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society.

An active member of Delta Phi Epsilon sorority, Anger has served as fundraising chair and both Pan Hellenic social chair and president. Currently, she is organizing a fundraiser for a sorority sister whose mother is battling cancer.

Anger has participated in the Relay for Life Cancer Walk for the past four years and in the Take Back the Night walks for rape victims the past five semesters.

Krysten Hoversen

A senior dual major in sport management and business economics from Port Jefferson, N.Y., Krysten Hoversen has maintained a 4.09 grade point average during her time at Cortland.

She received the Cortland Merit Scholarship, has achieved President’s List recognition for the past five semesters, and has been ranked in the top five percent of her sophomore, junior and senior class.

A member of the Sport Management Club since her freshman year, Hoversen has been involved with the Residence Hall Association and works as an admissions ambassador.

In her spare time, she enjoys making handmade greeting cards for her friends and family.

This semester, she is interning in the Guest Services Department at Daytona International Speedway. 

The daughter of Patricia Hoversen, she plans to pursue a career in event management or hospitality in the motorsports industry.

Jacqueline Marconi

The daughter of Neil and Susan Marconi of Bethpage, N.Y., Jacqueline Marconi is a senior speech and language disabilities major. She has been named to the Dean’s List since her freshman year, and to the President’s List the past two semesters.

At Cortland, Marconi has been involved in many extracurricular activities, such as Speech and Hearing Club, the Equestrian Club, Colleges Against Cancer, Cortland Dance Company and Habitat for Humanity. Additionally, she interned at the Franziska Racker Center, where she worked with autistic children.

After graduation, Marconi plans to pursue a graduate degree in communication disorders and sciences. Her ultimate goal is to be a school-based speech-language pathologist and work in an early intervention program that aids young children with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Demi Paz

A senior communication studies major, Demi Paz has been named to the Dean’s List and has received an Excellence Award in Newspaper Participation.

Paz joined the Dragon Chronicle as a contributing writer, but soon moved up the ranks to become a staff writer and the entertainment editor. She is now the editor-in-chief.

The winner of the Neo-Vox Earthly Matters Writing Contest, Paz has had her work published in Staten Island Parent magazine.

A member of the SUNY Cortland Gospel Choir, she aspires to be a journalist or reporter for a print publication and eventually teach journalism at the college level.

She is the daughter of Miriam Paz of Staten Island, N.Y.

Hilary Rehler

Hilary Rehler, the daughter of Peter and Virginia Rehler of Allegany, N.Y., is majoring in teaching English as a second language.

At the College, Hilary has been named to the Dean’s List the past five semesters. She served as a resident assistant in an international student residence hall on campus and studied abroad in Mexico.

Recently, she piloted an online tutoring program to teach English to a Brazilian student of intermediate proficiency through an internship with Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc.

After graduation, Rehler plans to travel and teach abroad before returning to the U.S. to complete a master’s degree.

Rebecca Zurek

A senior psychology major, Rebecca Zurek is the daughter of Jeffrey Zurek of Syracuse, N.Y.  

Zurek has been named to the Dean’s List and President’s List and has received an Excellence in Academics and Athletics award.

The women’s track and field team captain, she works in the Cortland Physiopsychology Laboratory as a senior research assistant. Upon graduating, she will pursue a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology or human resources.

SUNY Cortland recently awarded $10,400 in scholarships to 10 students to help offset the cost of their studies abroad this winter and spring 2010.

The students, who will study in Egypt, Spain, Ireland, France, Italy, Puerto Rico and Belize, earned $400, $1,000 or $1,500 through five different scholarships. Two scholarships, the Gail Reed ’67 Scholarship and the Marcia Spaeth McDermott Professional Study Abroad Scholarship, were awarded for the first time this spring. Offered through the College’s James M. Clark Center for International Education, the awards are based on several criteria, including high academic achievement, financial need, involvement in extracurricular activities, a personal essay and letters of recommendation.

Recipients of the scholarships and a description of each award appear below:

Overseas Academic Program (OAP) Award

Overseas Academic Program (OAP) scholarships are awarded to students accepted in a study abroad program. The scholarship is $400 for winter recipients and $1,000 for spring recipients. The OAP Award recipient for Winter 2010 was:

• Kayla Shaut, a sophomore childhood education major from Vernon, N.Y., for study in Cairo, Egypt.

The OAP Award recipient for Spring 2010 was:

• Margaret Tucker, a sophomore adolescence education: mathematics major from Lynbrook, N.Y., for study in Cork, Ireland.

Willi Uschald Study Abroad Scholarship

Created in 1991, the Uschald Study Abroad Scholarship is named for Willi A. Uschald, emeritus professor of foreign languages and director emeritus of international programs at SUNY Cortland. Uschald Scholarships are open to students accepted to a study abroad program who are U.S. citizens. The scholarship is for $1,000. Spring 2010 recipients were:

• Jennifer Gabris, a junior adolescence education: French major from Camillus, N.Y., for study in La Rochelle, France;

• Heather Harrington, a junior international studies and art dual major from Rehoboth, Mass., for study in Italy, through Broome Community College;

• Bryan Holland, a senior adolescence education: Spanish major from Melrose, N.Y., for study in Salamanca, Spain;

• Emily Riordan, a sophomore international studies major from West Henrietta, N.Y., for study in La Rochelle, France; and,

• Douglas Smith, a junior adolescence education: Spanish major from Syracuse, N.Y., for study in Puerto Rico through SUNY Oswego.

Gail Reed ’67 Scholarship

Created in 2007, the Gail Reed ’67 Scholarship is open to students who are U.S citizens and accepted to a study abroad program in destinations other than Great Britain for the sake of encouraging cross-cultural experiences. Reed created the scholarship to recognize the profound impact of the study abroad experience on her own life and to acknowledge the College’s study abroad program founder, Willi Uschald. The inaugural $1,000 scholarship for Spring 2010 was awarded to:

• Sarah Farrell, a senior health major from Syracuse, N.Y., for study in Belize.

Kevin A. Rowell ’83 Award

The $1,500 award was created by SUNY Cortland graduate Kevin A. Rowell ’83 in 1998 to support the overseas studies of a student who has participated in club sports, student government and volunteer work. The recipient for Spring 2010 was:

• Kerrie Findlay, a junior adolescence education: French/Spanish major from Staatsburg, N.Y., for study in La Rochelle, France.

Marcia Spaeth McDermott Professional Study Abroad Scholarship

The Marcia Spaeth McDermott Professional Study Abroad Scholarship was created in 2009 by Professor Emerita Marcia Spaeth McDermott, former acting dean of the School of Professional Studies, to support the overseas studies of a SUNY Cortland student majoring in a School of Professional Studies program. The recipient of the $1,500 scholarship for Spring 2010 was:

• Stacey McElroy, a sophomore speech and hearing sciences major from Piermont, N.Y., for study in Italy through SUNY Stony Brook.

For more information on the study abroad scholarships, contact the James M. Clark Center for International Education at (607) 753-2209.

The College began its Friday Films at Four FilmFest on Feb. 12 and will continue the series on March 12 with a screening of “Two Women,” a 1960 film directed by Vittorio De Sica.

The series features refreshments at 3:50 p.m. with the movie starting at 4 p.m. at the International Communications and Culture Laboratory in Old Main, Room 223. At these informal film club meetings, different faculty will show and discuss their favorite flick. Anne Wiegard of the English Department faculty will give the presentation on March 12. All who share a love of film are invited to the showings, which are free.

The remaining films for the semester are:

“Forbidden Games,” a 1952 work directed by René Clement, will be offered on April 9. Robert Rhodes, professor emeritus of English, will discuss the film.

“Don’t Look Now,” a 1973 drama directed by Nicholas Roeg, will be shown on May 7. Scott Anderson of the Geography Department faculty will offer his thoughts on the film.

For comments, suggestions, or to add someone new to the Friday Films at Four FilmFest mailing list, contact Anderson at (607) 753-4107.

In honor of Non-Traditional Students’ Week in November, the campus community was asked to recognize undergraduate students who balance college with family, jobs and other commitments. 

Faculty, staff members and traditional undergraduate students sent in more than 55 nominations.

A certificate of recognition and an official “Celebrating Non-Trads!” pen was given to the following students in recognition of their hard work and commitment:

Rachel Alexander

Jane Arold

Joseph Bak

Darcy Barber

Dawn Battista

Aaron Briggs

Melissa Bubel

Brenda Bush

José Castro

Toby Centerwall

Karen Corson

Todd Curtis

Heather Dengler

Pamela Dusseau

Carrie Eastman

Keith Emery

Roger Ennis

Kristen Fecco

Sarah Fox

Christopher Galle

Caitlin Goodwin

Sherry Hicks

Kevin Hoag

Michael Howell

Natasha Knickerbocker

Sarrah Kubinec

Dominic Loffredo

April Lynch

Pamela Matt

Julie McChesney

Cindy Nelson

James Nolan

Colleen Nowetner

Rafael Nunez

Monica Oaks

Malinda Rees

Joel Richards

Trisha Riemer-Morgan

Kerry Roberts

Margaret Saunders

Ted Straub

Erica Thursz

Lara Vogel

Jennifer Walker

Jacob Yale

For more information, contact Cheryl Hines, Advisement and Transition, at (607) 753-4726.

A proposal to shave four credit hours off the longstanding minimum of 124 credit hours required for graduation sparked a lengthy discussion at the Faculty Senate meeting on Feb. 16, when senators voted to refer the resolution to its Educational Policy Committee (EPC) for review and comment.

The EPC will be seeking immediate feedback from the campus community on the proposal. Comments should be directed to EPC Chair Robert Spitzer, Political Science Department, who brought the motion to the Senate during its regularly scheduled meeting in the Park Center Hall of Fame Room.

The Senate did not charge the EPC with a specific timetable for its report but several senators repeatedly referred to a “two-week” time period for the EPC to gauge the impact that the four-credit hour reduction might have on the campus.

Spitzer offered the resolution as an individual faculty member and not as a representative of the EPC. He noted that the College “is in the grips of a protracted and difficult financial situation” and that 120 credit hours  “is a widely accepted standard for total credit hour accumulation for student graduation at institutions of higher learning.”

SUNY Cortland adopted the 124 credit hour minimum decades ago, explained Spitzer, when a physical education requirement was mandatory for graduation from the College. The four-hour requirement was cut to two hours in 1977 and totally eliminated in 1979, according to Professor Emeritus of History Leonard Ralston in his history of the College.

“The total graduation credit number was not adjusted down to reflect the requirement’s elimination,” argued Spitzer.

To do so now, he continued, would “result in a much-needed, institution-wide 2.4 percent savings in curricular offerings resources” by the College, while “students would universally welcome any efforts to reverse the trend of ever-increasing curriculum requirements.”

Spitzer’s motion would have the College implement, as soon as is practicable, the four-credit hour reduction, with exceptions for special appeals for programs requiring the additional coursework.

Senator Joy Hendrick, Kinesiology Department, suggested that the EPC would have to be involved in the process at some point because of the nature of the proposed policy changes. Other senators commented that such a policy change could have additional ramifications, affecting both students and faculty, that need to be identified and discussed in greater detail.

Stating that she has been on the campus long enough to remember when the physical education requirement was in effect, Senator Mary Ware, Foundations and Social Advocacy Department, urged that someone be directed to address the proposal.

“If someone doesn’t take the reins on this, then it will never happen,” she said.

Senator Richard Kendrick, Sociology/Anthropology Department, made a formal motion to send the resolution to the EPC. Because the meeting marked the first time that the Senate was looking at the resolution, a three-quarters majority was required to take that action. Only three senators dissented on the ensuing vote.

Applications to participate in Teacher Recruitment Days 2010 must be completed online by Friday, Feb. 26. The entry-level employment event will be held Monday, April 12-Tuesday, April 13, at SUNY Cortland.

December 2009, May 2010 and August 2010 teacher certification graduates are eligible to attend. Candidates from 14 Central New York colleges and universities will interview with school districts from across the country.

Detailed information, including requirements for participation and the online application process may be accessed through the Career Services Web site.

Individuals must be pre-registered to attend the event. Applications will not be accepted after Friday, Feb. 26. Registration will be capped due to the limited number of recruiters attending. Priority will be given to applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. A $10 non-refundable registration fee will be charged.

For more information, contact Career Services in Van Hoesen Hall, Room B-5, at (607) 753-4715.

The Performing Arts Department has announced the cast for its spring production of “Rent,” the award-winning rock musical that ran on Broadway for more than 13 years. The play will be performed April 9-11 and April 16-18 in the Dowd Fine Arts Center Theatre. Tickets go on sale at Jodi’s Hallmark & Trends, 11 Main St., Cortland, on March 15.

The cast of rebellious young characters is comprised of SUNY students, most of them musical theatre majors. The struggling composer, Roger, will be played by Anthony Festa. Ryan McDonald will play his friend, Mark, a video artist. Roger’s love interest, Mimi, will be portrayed by Angelia Golden and Mark’s ex-girlfriend, Maureen, will be played by Annali Fuchs. Other major roles include Lauren Kovacic as Maureen’s new love, Joanne, Tim Fuchs as the cross-dressing Angel, Derek Mellor as Angel’s lover, Collins, John McAvaney as Mimi’s ex-lover, Benny, and Katie Quigley as Roger’s former girlfriend, April.

Also cast in the production are Josh Smith, Amy Lamberti, Charles O’Connor, Jason Schulof, Emily Ellis, Allison Zack, Kara Howard, Keith Golden, Sara Larsen, Doug Robbins, Rebecca Rozzoni, Lisa Reid, Nichole Herlihy, Rasheem Ford, Kelsey Reed and Skylar Winter. Kevin Halpin is the director-choreographer for the SUNY production.

For more information, contact the Performing Arts Department at (607) 753-2811.

Business cards, two-color letterhead, two-color envelopes and note cards can now be ordered through Purchasing. Samples of these items are pictured under Stationery in the College’s Communication Guide. Requests for orders and information on prices should be sent to Naida Leet at (607) 753-2582.

Templates for one-color letterhead, memoranda and fax cover sheets are available from the Publications and Electronic Media Office at (607) 753-2519.

Self-nominations from eligible faculty and professional staff are due by Friday, March 5, for the 2010 Outstanding Achievement in Research Award.

Nominations are due in the Research and Sponsored Programs Office (RSPO) no later than 4:30 p.m. The College Research Committee will evaluate all nominee materials on the basis of research contributions and credentials and target recommendations to the provost by Wednesday, April 7.

This competitive award will be given to a faculty or professional staff member whose career record of research achievements is deemed outstanding among others on this campus. The awardee will be selected based on at least five years of research-related activities at SUNY Cortland. The awardee will receive a $1,000 award and recognition at a reception on April 30.

Eligible candidates will be drawn from full-time, tenure-track faculty including library faculty and professional staff members.

Self-nominations must include one letter of support attesting to the research contributions of the nominee from either a department chair or school dean, for faculty, or from either a director or division head, for librarians and professional staff.  Department chairs, school deans, directors and division heads should strongly encourage their best researchers to apply.

For full details of the nomination process and to access the self-nomination form, visit the Web site or contact the RSPO at (607) 753-2511 for more information.

The voting faculty overwhelmingly approved four revisions to the College Handbook by-laws during a campus-wide referendum held in late January and early February. The proposed changes have been forwarded to the President’s Cabinet for its review and approval.

At its Dec. 1 meeting, the Faculty Senate had unanimously approved adopting the revisions to Articles X, XI, XIII and XIV of the bylaws and sending the proposed changes to a campus-wide referendum.

The revisions, collectively, give the senate the option to use electronic software to improve the current, cumbersome process of mailing paper ballots and envelopes to its constituents. Also included was the revision to reset the mandatory five-year period for Faculty Senate governance structure review. The next scheduled review will take place during the 2012-13 academic year.

The revisions, as listed in the College Handbook, include Article X, Elections; Article XI: Conduct of Business; Article XIII: Review of Governance Structure; and Article XIV: Amendments.

Gonda Gebhardt has taken on the duties of the senior study abroad advisor in the Clark Center for International Education. Gebhardt first came to SUNY Cortland in 1978 as a student and returned in 2007 to work in the center as an international student advisor and study abroad advisor. Prior to her return to SUNY Cortland, Gebhardt was a real estate broker and owner of Gonda Real Estate in Cortland.

Mary Schlarb has accepted the position of senior international student advisor in the Clark Center for International Education. Prior to joining SUNY Cortland, Schlarb served as assistant director of the international offices of Cornell University and Syracuse University, where she advised international students, faculty and staff on immigration and cultural adjustment.