Campus Champion

Jeff Lallas directs his hard-working and dedicated staff on every SUNY Cortland facilities project, large and small, from its inception as an idea, through planning, design, construction and occupancy. Jeff carefully balances the vision of the College with the needs of the faculty, staff and students who will work and study in each building. He ensures that the College’s interests are met in his many interactions with architects, consultants, construction firms and the SUNY Construction Fund.  Jeff’s commitment can be found in the beauty and functionality of our campus facilities. They are the footprints of a campus champion.

SUNY Cortland will conduct two undergraduate Commencement ceremonies — one at 9:30 a.m. and the other at 2:30 p.m. — on Saturday, May 22, in the Bessie L. Park Class of 1901 Physical Education and Recreation Center Alumni Arena.

An estimated 1,299 seniors will receive baccalaureate degrees during Commencement exercises, which will be presided over by SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum.

Wells College President Lisa Marsh Ryerson M.S. ’91 will address the graduates during the morning ceremony. University of Wyoming President Thomas Buchanan ’74 will address the graduates during the afternoon ceremony. The State University of New York will bestow upon both Ryerson and Buchanan the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters during Commencement. Each ceremony begins with an academic procession. A prelude, processional and recessional music will be provided by the Cortland Brass Ensemble.

Bitterbaum will deliver the charge to graduates.

Morning Ceremony

During the morning ceremony, Richard Peagler, director of counseling and student development, will carry the mace, a ceremonial staff used as a symbol of institutional authority at the College’s Commencement and academic convocations. Four multi-colored gonfalons, representing the All College, the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education and the School of Professional Studies, will be carried, respectively, by Kathleen Howarth, professor of physical education; Sharon Steadman, associate professor of sociology/anthropology and coordinator of the International Studies Program; Thomas Lickona, professor of childhood and early childhood education and director of the Center for the 4th and 5th Rs; and Anderson Young, a distinguished teaching professor of recreation, parks and leisure studies.

Kara Howard of Fulton, N.Y., and Ryan McDonald of Clay, N.Y., both senior musical theater majors, will sing the national anthem and the Alma Mater, respectively, for the morning ceremony.

Afternoon Ceremony

Jamie Dangler, associate professor of sociology/anthropology, will carry the mace during the afternoon Commencement. The gonfaloniers will be: Sheila Dai, assistant director of the Counseling Center; Steven Broyles, professor of biological sciences; Heather Bridge, assistant professor of childhood/early childhood education; and Eric Malmberg, professor of physical education.

Rebecca Rozzoni of Dryden, N.Y., and Anthony Festa of Ballston Spa, N.Y., both senior musical theater majors, will sing the national anthem and the Alma Mater, respectively, for the afternoon ceremony.

President Bitterbaum will welcome the graduates at both ceremonies. Mark Prus, provost and vice president for academic affairs, will recognize the honor graduates. The 2009-10 and 2010-11 Student Government Association (SGA) President Elect Jesse Campanaro, a junior business economics major from Monticello, N.Y., will deliver remarks. Joining President Bitterbaum in conferring the degrees will be R. Bruce Mattingly, dean of arts and sciences; and John Cottone, interim dean of education and professional studies.

A total of 113 students are scheduled to graduate summa cum laude — the highest academic honor — with grade point averages of 3.75 and above on a scale of 4.00.

The largest number of majors set to graduate in each of the three schools are: 199 physical education majors in the School of Professional Studies, 178 childhood education majors in the School of Education, and 80 communication studies majors in the School of Arts and Sciences.

Ronnie Sternin Silver ’67, SUNY Cortland Alumni Association president, will officially welcome the graduates into the ranks of the College’s more than 59,000 alumni.

The Undergraduate Commencement Committee is co-chaired by Virginia B. Levine, executive assistant to the president, and Marley Sweet Barduhn ’76, associate dean of the School of Education.

Other committee members include: Sila Argyle, supervising janitor of Park Center; Seth Asumah, professor of political science; Darci Bacigalupi, special events coordinator; Laurie Barton, assistant to the president; Mary Kate Boland, assistant director of leadership and community development, campus activities; Terence Cahill, College Store director; Mark DePaull, University Police assistant chief; Ralph Dudgeon, professor of performing arts; David Horrocks, assistant director of buildings and grounds services; Cheryl Jewell, assistant manager of sports facilities and manger of the Alumni Arena; Emilie Kudela, associate professor of childhood/early childhood education; Kathleen Lawrence, associate professor of communication studies; Michael MacLean, maintenance supervisor; Eric Malmberg, professor of physical education; William McNamara, director of dining; Megan Munson, catering manager; Mary Murphy, university police lieutenant; Charlotte Plunkett, supervising janitor; Tracy Rammacher, publications and electronic media director; Susan Rayl, associate professor of exercise science and sport studies; Hailey Ruoff ’98, instructional materials design specialist; Timothy Slack, director of physical plant; and Brad Snyder, associate director of classroom media services.

This year, both undergraduate Commencement ceremonies will be broadcast live on the Time Warner Cable access Channel 17 to viewers in the City of Cortland vicinity. The ceremonies can also be viewed on campus in any classroom equipped with a television on channels 2 and 17.

Under a tradition inaugurated at the 2004 ceremony by President Bitterbaum, undergraduates may honor a special person who has helped achieve their academic pursuit or goals. The respective name of the honoree will be read along with each graduate.

Graduating seniors wishing to acknowledge their multicultural heritage will also participate in a Kente Graduation Ceremony at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 21, in the Corey Union Function Room. The traditional, woven multicolored kente cloth of Ghana, originally worn by royalty, has become an important symbol for African Americans to highlight their connection to the African continent.

The 2009 undergraduate Commencement ceremonies took place in Alumni Arena.

The SUNY Cortland Commencement ceremony for students earning master’s degrees and certificates of advanced study is scheduled for Friday, May 21, at 7 p.m. in Bessie L. Park Class of 1901 Physical Education and Recreation Center Alumni Arena.

The College will award 298 master’s degrees and 33 certificates of advanced study. After the ceremony, a reception for the graduates and their guests will take place in the Corey Gymnasium.

An academic procession will open the Commencement. Associate Professor of Communication Studies Kathleen Lawrence, who chairs the Faculty Senate, will be the macebearer.

Faculty members will carry the four multi-colored gonfalons representing the College, the School of Education, the School of Professional Studies, and the School of Arts and Sciences, respectively. The gonfaloniers are: Joseph Governali, chair of the Graduate Faculty Executive Committee and professor and graduate coordinator of health; Marley Barduhn, assistant provost of teacher education; Eileen Gravani, associate dean of the School of Professional Studies; and Jerome O’Callaghan, associate dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.

David Neal, associate professor and chair of performing arts, will perform the processional and recessional music. Rebecca Rozzoni, a senior musical theater major from Dryden, N.Y., will sing the national anthem and the Alma Mater.

Provost Mark Prus will offer a welcome, while Robert W. Broddus, of Liverpool, N.Y., a candidate for Master of Science in Education in Physical Education who teaches physical education in the Skaneateles Central School District and earned his bachelor’s degree from the College in 2007, will provide remarks on behalf of the graduates.                 

President Erik J. Bitterbaum will deliver the charge to the graduates. Presenting the degrees and certificates to the graduates will be Dean of Arts and Sciences R. Bruce Mattingly and Interim Dean of Education and Professional Studies John Cottone.

Ronnie Sternin Silver ’67, president of the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association Board of Directors, will welcome these newest graduates into the ranks of the College’s more than 59,000 alumni. Commencement marshals will be Moataz Emam, assistant professor of physics; Michele Gonzalez, associate professor of literacy; Louis Larson, associate director of career services; Susan Rayl, associate professor of kinesiology; Kimberly Rombach, assistant professor of childhood and early childhood education; and Hailey Ruoff ’98, instructional materials design specialist.

The Graduate Commencement Committee is co-chaired by Virginia B. Levine, executive assistant to the president, and Ruoff.

Committee members include: Sila Argyle, supervising janitor; Darci Bacigalupi, special events coordinator; Marley S. Barduhn, assistant provost for teacher education; Mary Kate Boland, assistant director of leadership and community development, campus activities; Terence Cahill, College Store director; Mark DePaull, university police assistant chief; Michael Dominick, graduate student representative; Michele Irvin Gonzalez, associate professor of literacy; Rena Janke, associate professor of biological sciences; Louis Larson, assistant director of career services; Peter McGinnis, assistant director of graduate studies; Joy Mosher, interim director of graduate studies; Mary Murphy, University Police lieutenant; Brad Snyder, associate director of classroom media services; and Arnold Talentino, Honors Program coordinator.

“I knew, right out of high school, that I wanted to be a chemistry teacher,” said SUNY Cortland senior Jennifer Traxel. Nearly four years later, she has earned both her degree and a prestigious scholarship from the National Science Foundation (NSF) in exchange for a commitment to teach science for two years in a high-need school district.

Traxel, of Clark Mills, N.Y., is one of five high-achieving applicants who will receive a scholarship as part of the inaugural Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program at SUNY Cortland.  The four undergraduates, who will receive $12,500 each, are Stefan Birek of Raleigh, N.C., Sean Nolan of Brookhaven, N.Y., Karalyn Schoepfer of Bellmore, N.Y., and Traxel. Graduate student Christopher Donohue of Conesus, N.Y., will receive a $15,000 scholarship.

Traxel will graduate in May with her Bachelor of Science in Adolescence Education: Chemistry. Currently student teaching in a seventh grade class in the Cortland City School District, she recently completed a five-week student teaching commitment in Homer Center School District.

“This student teaching program has changed me completely — now I walk into school as a teacher, I’m one of them,” said Traxel. “I love it and I hope to combine my degree in education with my passion for science to inspire more students to pursue careers in science.

“I definitely recommend this path for anyone who is interested in science and has the desire to teach. If you want to be a teacher, you should definitely become a teacher, that’s most important.”

The NSF has awarded a grant of nearly $900,000 to SUNY Cortland to assist up to 50 students interested in becoming math and science teachers over the next five years.

The Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers. The NSF has funded the scholarship through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The grant’s principal investigator is Gregory D. Phelan, associate professor and chair of the SUNY Cortland Chemistry Department. In March, Kerri Freese was hired as the Noyce Project Coordinator to build the program and to recruit applicants. She has 15 years of marketing and communications experience and a B.S. in Business Administration from University of California, Berkeley.

Aspiring biology educators Stefan Burek and Karalyn Schoepfer will be supported for the duration of their SUNY Cortland studies by Noyce Teacher Scholarships from the National Science Foundation.

“The scholarships are a great incentive to recruit the best and brightest teachers,” said Freese. “The money will help pay for room, board and tuition for those with another year of school. For those entering the workplace, it will help to pay off loans or to provide living expenses.”

Chris Donohue, who will receive his master’s degree in adolescence education: mathematics this spring, will student teach in the Syracuse area next fall. With a 3.98 GPA, he looks forward to teaching math and says SUNY Cortland helped to prepare him for this future.

“After two years at a community college, I was looking for a mathematics program in Central New York,” explained Donohue. “My father suggested SUNY Cortland for its strong math program but I had teaching in the back of my mind. When Claus Schubert (assistant professor of mathematics) learned of my interest to combine my math degree with teaching, he recommended the Noyce Scholarship Program.”

Last fall, through one of his education classes, Donohue spent 25 hours tutoring at Fowler High School on the near west side of Syracuse, N.Y. He had been familiar with the school’s reputation as one of the poorest and lowest-performing in New York state.

“While tutoring and observing, I noticed the students were much more indifferent toward their education than I was accustomed to in my own high school experience, which I expected,” said Donohue. “What I did not expect was how easily I was able to connect with a lot of the kids. I’m sure it was partially because I was a fresh face, but it was such a good feeling for me to be able to work with students who were really frustrated with some math problem they just didn’t understand, and watch their attitudes change to one of relief when I showed them that it was actually pretty easy.”

Donohue understands that children in a high-need urban environment often come from homes that are not able to provide the stability and support that he enjoyed. As a result, he thinks that teaching in a high-need school will be more challenging but also will be more rewarding and more interesting.

“The kids that are the worst off are the ones you can help the most and I know that one teacher can make a huge difference in a person’s life.” Donohue said.

“‘High need’ does not necessarily mean an urban environment,” said Freese.

To qualify as “high need,” according to the NSF for the purposes of the Robert Noyce Grant requirements, a school district must meet certain criteria. A district can qualify in one of three ways: (1) at least one school in the district must have half or more of its enrolled students eligible for participation in the free and reduced-price lunch program; (2) more than one-third of the academic classroom teachers at the secondary level or in two of the academic departments do not have a degree in the academic field in which they teach the largest percentage of their classes; or (3) the district has at least one school whose teacher attrition rate has been 15 percent or more during the last three school years.

Senior Sean Nolan of Brookhaven, N.Y., attended SUNY Cortland because it was one of the few colleges that offered a dual physics and mathematics program. He will graduate this spring with a bachelor’s degree in adolescence education: math and physics, and hopes to become a high school physics and math teacher.

“Cortland’s student life has been excellent,” explained Nolan, who has a 3.86 GPA. “I’m the vice president of the Physics Club and I have a job in the Physics Department setting up the labs. The opportunity to be exposed and doing something in my major has been great. The Physics Club is really active and we just completed a project as part of Sustainability Week. This weekend we’re going to the Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) in Syracuse and later in the month we’re holding a planetarium show as a fundraiser.” said Nolan.

Senior Stefan Birek of Raleigh, N.C., who earns his bachelor of science in biology in May, said the scholarship will help him reach his goal of becoming a high school principal. An exceptional athlete in high school, he selected SUNY Cortland to play sports but has discovered its many academic benefits.

“I’ve enjoyed working on projects outside of the classroom,” said Birek, who hopes to pursue a master’s degree in administration. “I’m doing field research with Professor (Steven) Broyles (Biological Sciences Department) right now. We’re working on a project that we’ll present at Scholars’ Day. This is a special project that’s separate from my class but it’ll help me in my future.”

Junior Karalyn Schoepfer of Bellmore, N.Y., will spend one more year at SUNY Cortland before earning her bachelor’s degree in adolescence education: biology. Like all the Noyce Scholarship winners, Schoepfer has a GPA above a 3.0. She credits guidance she received her first year for her success.

“My advisor, Dr. (Larry) Klotz, (Biological Sciences Department), really helped me out during my freshman year. I struggled during my first semester because I didn’t have good study skills, then I took Dr. Klotz’s bio class and he advised and guided me on how to succeed.”

Schoepfer came to SUNY Cortland because of the school’s well-known education programs and because she could graduate and become a teacher in four years.

“I’m looking forward to student teaching next year,” said Schoepfer. “Then I hope to become a successful and inspiring middle or high school biology teacher.”

The scholarships were presented to the students at a reception held April 9 in Bowers Hall on campus.

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program is named after the late Robert Noyce, the co-inventor of the integrated circuit or microchip, who co-founded Fairchild Semiconductor in 1957 and Intel in 1968.

For more information about the Noyce Scholarships, visit the website at www.cortland.edu/noyce or contact Freese at (607) 753-2913 or by e-mail to noyce@cortland.edu.

Chelsea Dixon of Shirley, N.Y., a SUNY Cortland senior majoring in childhood education and Spanish, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) for the next school year in Madrid, Spain.

“I believe the experience of teaching English in a different country will enhance my future career as a Spanish teacher, in that I will gain a stronger proficiency in the language and a deeper understanding of the culture and other teaching methodologies,” said Dixon, who anticipates teaching Madrid elementary schoolchildren and assisting teachers with English classes 16 hours per week for nine-and-a-half months in a Spanish elementary school beginning in September 2010.

“I will use this knowledge to transform the world through my classroom,” she stated.

Established in 1946 by the U.S. Congress, the Fulbright Program offers international scholarships to foster leadership, learning and empathy between cultures. Named for the late Senator J. William Fulbright, and sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the website Fulbrightonline.org relates that the program is the largest U.S. international exchange offering opportunities for students, scholars and professionals to undertake graduate study, advanced research, university teaching and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.

Dixon was one of 68 among 291 applicants selected for the Fulbright ETAs in Spain for 2010, said Jerome O’Callaghan, associate dean of the College’s School of Arts and Sciences.

Dixon’s Fulbright year will advance her knowledge of Spanish language and culture and will be very valuable in her future career and academic pursuits, he added.

“Since I have added my dual major in Spanish, I realized that a career in that field is what would make me most satisfied,” said Dixon, who is scheduled to graduate from SUNY Cortland in May.

At Cortland, she enrolled in the Foreign Language in Elementary School course, which gives her the building blocks to teach Spanish to elementary school students.

“During my time there, I also hope to work teaching adults English, as well as having more interaction with the elementary schoolers,” continued Dixon, who is currently completing her semester of student teaching at Southwest Elementary School in the Brentwood (N.Y.) School District.

The Fulbright ETA program has grown rapidly over the last two years, according to the organization’s website. Fulbright offers English Teaching Assistantships in many countries worldwide. Each ETA Program is designed by the host country and individual elements may vary by country.

In general, ETA award recipients are assigned activities designed to improve the host country students’ language abilities and knowledge of the U.S.

Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship scholar Chelsea Dixon is shown during her study abroad month in Spain last summer, when she visited Barcelona.

Additionally, the ETA recipients become fully integrated into the host community, increasing their own language skills and knowledge of the host country.

Dixon already knows how she would like to accomplish that goal in Spain.

“I would love to be able to coach a school team, especially cheerleading,” she said. “I was a cheerleader for nine years and I will always have a passion for the sport and for sharing it with others; especially in a country like Spain, where it is not as popular.”

Fulbright ETA applicants are encouraged to offer a flexible, side research/study/community outreach project, and Dixon’s proposal to coach Spanish cheerleaders improved her edge. She also met the requirement to have strong language skills in either Spanish or Catalan.

“Spain is a very appealing country to me, and I am attracted to the position there mainly due to my study abroad experience this past summer,” Dixon said. “I fell in love with Spain, chiefly where I studied, Madrid. During my stay in Spain, I made it a point to experience the classic and modern traditions such as attending a flamenco performance and a bullfight. Additionally, because in the U.S. we mainly learn Latin American Spanish, exposure to Castilian Spanish was an adventure. I found it beneficial to learn this unique dialect and its distinctive characteristics. I will use my familiarity with this world as a tool to educate others.”

A 2005 graduate of William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach, N.Y., Dixon earned an associate degree in arts and sciences from SUNY Suffolk Community College, where her studies emphasized child study.

“I came to SUNY Cortland because of its outstanding childhood education program,” said Dixon, who aspires to teach elementary school level Spanish and earn her master’s degree in English as a second language.

At SUNY Cortland, she was inducted into the foreign language honor society Phi Beta Delta, the education honor society Kappa Delta Pi and the Spanish honor society. The James M. Clark Center for International Education presented her with an Overseas Award Program stipend, which enabled her to study during Summer 2009 in Madrid. Dixon also was awarded a Phi Beta Delta scholarship by the honor society’s local chapter.

“One professor, Dr. Katina Sayers-Walker, helped me to discover how rewarding involvement can be,” Dixon noted. “She urged me to join Kappa Delta Pi and to become an officer. I took on an important leadership role that required organizing and planning activities like a ‘Fitness Carnival’ and ‘Go Green Day’ in a sixth grade classroom. My participation led to a sense of accomplishment as well as pride in my work, which has inspired me to be more active in my community and to expand my involvement worldwide.”

Outstanding works of student art will be displayed during Student Select 2010 from May 7-22 in the Dowd Gallery at SUNY Cortland.

An opening reception for the exhibition, featuring the student artists, launches the show from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, May 7, at the gallery in the Dowd Fine Arts Center, Room 162.

Presented by the student organization Art Exhibition Association (AEA) with the support of Dowd Gallery, the opening reception and exhibition are free and open to the public.

Conceived by the AEA, the annual Student Select art show is juried and exhibits the best work produced by students enrolled in art courses during the 2009-10 academic year.

Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment. The gallery can be reached at (607) 753-4216.

Audiences for the recent SUNY Cortland run of the hit Broadway musical “Rent” opened their hearts and gave generously when the all-student cast decided to raise donations in the quest to conquer the AIDS epidemic.

The students, mostly musical theatre majors in the Performing Arts Department, accepted a total of $1,708 in gifts to support the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS fundraising campaign, said Kevin Halpin, director and choreographer for the College’s first production of the rock musical by Jonathan Larson.

“I think we all should be very proud of our students and our community,” said Halpin, an associate professor who directs the College’s musical theatre program.

The musical was staged in six performances between April 9-11 and April 16-18 in the Dowd Fine Arts Center Theatre.

“After four of our performances, cast members were stationed in the lobby of the theatre to collect donations,” Halpin noted.                      

As it deals with love, sex, AIDS, drugs and death, the 1996 Off Broadway smash turned thoughts quite naturally to the continuing effort to control the spread of the disease.

“We are indeed proud, as this shows that our students’ education extends beyond their training in the performing arts or whatever else their chosen major may be,” observed Bruce Mattingly, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. “Our students are developing strong character and a social conscience as well.”

“What is different to me is normal to others, and the other way too,” says Raluca Balas, a Romanian student studying at SUNY Cortland for the semester, as she praises her cultural experiences here at the College.

“At first, I was a little nervous because I come from a large city, but there is always something to do here. Everyone is so nice to us, I definitely plan on keeping in touch with some of the people I have met.”

Eleanor Fitzgerald, left, and Kristen Dennison, both international studies majors at SUNY Cortland who were awarded Atlantis Mobility Project scholarships, prepare for class beneath a fountain in Avram Iancu Square in Cluj, Romania.

Balas, along with five other students, received the opportunity to participate in an exchange between the College and Babes-Bolyai University, thanks to a nearly $400,000 grant the U.S. government and the European Union (EU) awarded last fall to Cortland and a parallel project between SUNY Buffalo and Manchester Metropolitan University in Great Britain.

The Atlantis Mobility Project grant focuses on student mobility and exchange and was awarded by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) to institutions across the U.S.

For the next four years, a total of 48 scholars will participate in the exchange between the partner institutions. The Atlantis Scholars are each supported by a $5,000 scholarship, which was awarded competitively.

“The idea of taking out an enormous loan seemed daunting for me,” says Kristen Dennison, of Victor, N.Y.

“The Atlantis grant made it possible for me to study abroad for a full semester,” said Dennison, who participated with her fellow American classmates, Breanne Driscoll and Eleanor Fitzgerald. All three are international studies majors.

“Without the scholarship, I wouldn’t be able to afford coming here,” agrees Balas. “I have been encouraging my friends in Romania to participate in the project.”

“I enjoy the most, not the classes, but exploring and traveling the country,” says Driscoll, who is from Olean, N.Y.  “I love to listen to my friends tell the stories their parents told them about living during the communist era.”

In addition to traveling and taking classes, the Cortland students have been interning with the Peace Action Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR), a non-profit agency that promotes human rights and supports the development of local communities.

“Since I am an international studies major with a concentration in European studies, having the opportunity to study public policy in Romania was almost too good to be true,” says Dennison. “Having the added bonus of interning at a local peace organization has given us the ability to have an inside look into how a non-governmental organization functions.”

Balas and her fellow Romanian classmates, Georgiana Mihut and Stefana Ignea, studied political science at Cortland this semester.

“It has been a very fulfilling and exciting experience overall,” says Mihut, who is focusing on educational policy.

Three Romanian students studying at Cortland, shown lounging in front of Brockway Hall from the left, are Raluca Balas, Stefana Ignea and Georgiana Mihut. Atlantis Mobility Grant scholarships enabled their semester in the U.S.

The three students have adapted to life at Cortland, participating in the Speech and Debate Club, working at the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies and playing intramural sports.

Balas recently won second place in Extemporaneous Debate at a competition at Rockland Community College.

“I’m not very athletic,” laughs Mihut, “but we joined a broomball team with some other international students. We never scored, but we had so much fun.”

For more information, contact Cortland Atlantis Mobility Project Director Henry Steck, a SUNY Distinguished Service Professor in the Political Science Department, at (607) 753-4807.

Artist Lori Ellis will share the sights and sounds of the enchanting city of Kyoto, as well as her personal impressions of this bustling-yet-polite Japanese metropolis of 1.2 million people, on Thursday, May 6, during a Community Roundtable at SUNY Cortland.

Ellis, an associate professor in the College’s Art and Art History Department, will present “Kyoto: A Semester in Japan” from 8-9 a.m. in the Park Center Hall of Fame Room.

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. Refreshments will be served at 7:45 a.m. A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation.

The public is invited to “travel” with Ellis, who lived and wandered among Kyoto’s gracious residents during her three-month sabbatical in Spring 2009, when she recorded her fascinating and colorful observations. The trip takes place on the daily “Kyoto Blog,” which she created to share stimulating thoughts and vivid photographs of Kyoto’s geishas, cherry blossoms, fashion, art and architecture, cuisine and culture. Ellis will narrate her experiences presented on the blog.

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

From Lori Ellis' Kyoto Bog

Cindy Sheehan, who is most known for her anti-war encampment at former-President George W. Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, will be the keynote speaker at Kent State Remembrance Day at SUNY Cortland Tuesday, May 4.

Cortland Students for Peace will mark the 40th anniversary of what has become known as the Kent State Massacre with events throughout the day. Most events, unless otherwise noted, will be held on the steps of Corey Union. In the case of rain, the events will be held inside Corey Union. Kent State Remembrance Day events are free and open to the public.

Kent State Remembrance Day events begin at 11 a.m. with art and presentations. A non-violent rally will be held at 11 a.m. Sheehan will speak at 3:30 p.m. and a non-violent march and vigil will follow at 4 p.m.

A student panel discussion will take place in Old Main Brown Auditorium at 6 p.m.

The event will serve as a reminder of the Ohio National Guard’s attack on students at Kent State University in Ohio as they attempted to demonstrate against the wars in Southeast Asia. Four people died on May 4, 1970, at Kent State University. Organizers hope the anniversary will be a call to action to those who wish to support peace instead of war.

Ever since her son, Casey Sheehan, was killed in Iraq in April 2004, Cindy Sheehan has been working to end war. Student organizers said Sheehan will join them as they “reflect on why these students were killed, what those students were standing up for, and on what you, and we, can do together to make peace a reality.”

 One purpose for the event is to call for an end to U.S. wars abroad and to support more legal and peaceful solutions to the conflicts. 

“Forty years ago it took a lot of work for people to realize that killing millions of people in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos was illegal and morally wrong,” said organizer Timothy Rodriguez, Institute for Civic Engagement. “Now we have to realize that it is still wrong in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Palestine, Somalia, Honduras, Colombia and elsewhere.”

Cortland Students for Peace also want to discuss how the incident energized the U.S. peace movement.

“This day is important not only because of the atrocity itself, but because of its profound effect on the peace movement, especially the student movement, which would become one of the largest social movements in U.S. history, and would help bring an end to the wars in Southeast Asia,” the group’s statement said.

Student organizers also want to address the police killings at Jackson State University on May 14, 1970, which left two students dead and many wounded, as well as the police killings in Orangeburg near South Carolina State University on Feb. 8, 1968, that left three students dead and many wounded.

The group says that, for students especially, the money spent on war hits home.

“We now have the largest military budget ever, but can’t seem to find funds for basic social services including a healthy public school system,” said Rodriguez. “Most students, even at state universities, will be in debt for many years, and for only a fraction of the military budget we could be providing more affordable or free education for all.”

Co-sponsors for Kent State Remembrance Day include Cortland Students for Peace, the Philosophy Department, the Center for Ethics Peace and Social Justice and the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies.

For more information, contact Rodriguez at timothy.rodriguez@cortland.edu.

Twenty-three SUNY Cortland students have been elected to membership in Alpha Sigma Lambda, a national honor society recognizing the academic achievement of undergraduate students age 24 and older.

This is the 11th year the SUNY Cortland chapter, Lambda Omicron, has elected members. The induction ceremony was held April 15 in Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge. Alpha Sigma Lambda national standards indicate that students elected to membership must be in the top 10 percent of all full-time students age 24 or older at SUNY Cortland, and must have completed 24 credits hours of work at SUNY Cortland with a GPA of 3.2 or better. The GPA for this group of inducted students is 3.8 to 4.11.

President Erik J. Bitterbaum offered welcoming remarks to the new members. Ellen Jampole of the Literacy Department was the guest speaker. Students Siobhan Kelly, a senior childhood education major and president of the Non-Traditional Students’ Organization, and Kendra Duquesne, a junior sociology major and a Student Government Association representative for the Non-Traditional Students’ Organization, assisted with the pledge for membership and explained the ideals of the honor society. 

Students who have been elected to membership are:

Alexis Abdo, Philip Amodio, Dawn Battista, Rebecca Bentley, Jeremiah Best, Karen Corson, Jeffrey Duke, Jessica Granger, Bryan Holland, Amanda Howard, Ji Eun Kim, Sarrah Kubinec, Ho Woon Lee, Melissa Maki, Morgan Moore, Helen Neuhard, Karlyn Nguyen, Jennifer Ondrako, Katrina Richardson, Margaret Saunders, Thomas Straub, Erica Thursz and Taylor Weigand.

“Each year the average GPA continues to get higher,” said Cheryl Hines, Advisement and Transition Office, who and coordinates non-traditional student support and serves as the national councilor for the Alpha Sigma Lambda Omicron Chapter.

“Their ambition and dedication continue to amaze me. They earn the highest GPAs while balancing family responsibilities, jobs and long commutes to campus. For some adult students, the adjustment attending a typically traditional-aged college can be overwhelming and intimidating. I am proud of them and glad our campus is able to honor these extraordinary students.”

Two student-directed theatre productions with different views of the famous “Peanuts” comic strip characters will be presented by the Performing Arts Department May 7-9 in the Dowd Fine Arts Center Lab Theatre.

Admission is free and open to the public, although one of the plays is recommended for mature audiences only.

The dark comedy “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” by Bert V. Royal, will be performed at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 6, Saturday, May 8, and Sunday, May 9. It is recommended for mature audiences only.

This play is about Charlie Brown and the other “Peanuts” characters when they are in high school and are troubled by drugs, depression, sexual confusion and even suicide. SUNY musical theatre senior Colin Havener directs the unusual comedy.

The family musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” by Clark Gesner, shows a typical day in the life of Charlie Brown. The play will be performed at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 7, and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, and Sunday, May 9. This tune-filled musical, directed by senior musical theatre major Rebecca Rozzoni, is recommended for all ages.

Rozzoni, a first-time director, was a little nervous being in charge of a full cast with the responsibility of making a production come together. However, through hard work, she is getting the experience of a lifetime.

“I was really apprehensive at first because I have never directed anything before, but working on it has been such an enlightening and enjoyable process,” she said.

With experience in nine main stage productions and two Lab Theatre productions at SUNY Cortland and her degree and major experience, Rozzoni said she is ready for what the future brings.

“I really like being on the production side of the table,” explained Rozzoni. “Directing is very integral to my career as an actor. By being a director and an actor I am able to see what it's like for both sides of the theatre world.”

For more information, contact the Performing Arts Department at (607) 756-2811.

The Faculty Senate voted unanimously on April 20 to endorse the creation of a campus policy for both the awarding of dual degrees and of posthumous degrees, as well as two modifications to existing policies, one regarding external review and the other dealing with withdrawals, leaves and absences.

The proposals were forwarded to the President’s Cabinet for final approval.

Meeting in the Park Center Hall of Fame Room, the Faculty Senate endorsed its Educational Policy Committee (EPC) recommendation for creating a SUNY Cortland policy, required by the State University of New York, on the awarding of dual degrees.

The approved wording, which was forwarded by EPC Chair Robert Spitzer, Political Science Department, reads as follows:

“Degrees offered are Bachelor of Art (B.A.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.). Students pursuing curricula that would lead to the award of two degrees must complete all the degree requirements for both programs as delineated in the student’s catalog. The conferral of two baccalaureate degrees is reserved as a means of recognizing that a candidate has competencies in two essentially different areas. To establish that competency the student must complete a minimum of 30 credits that are unique to each program.”

A second EPC recommendation, endorsed by the Senate, creates a policy for the awarding of posthumous degrees and, if approved by the President’s Cabinet, will appear as Chapter 415 in the College Handbook. The proposed addition reads as follows:

“SUNY Cortland may award a degree posthumously when a student has completed a substantial portion of the requirements for the degree and was in good academic standing at the time of death, as determined by the student’s major department and at the discretion of the President of the College. The degree would be awarded in recognition of the student’s work and as a source of solace to the student’s family.”

A third EPC recommendation, also approved by the Senate, modifies some of the wording on the College’s policy for withdrawals, leaves of absence, and readmission.

Lastly, the Senate approved a recommendation from the Academic Affairs Committee to modify Section 210.05 of the College Handbook. The revamped wording reads as follows: “In the case of promotion from the rank of associate professor to full professor, external reviews are required for individuals who have begun their tenure-track academic appointment at SUNY Cortland after Aug. 15, 2009.”

Make a Difference Day will be held from 8-11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 12.

The Physical Plant invites students, faculty, staff and alumni to join them in planting flowers and trees, mulching, raking, sweeping and general spring cleanup. The grounds crew staff will prepare the work sites and provide tools and assistance in all areas.

Those interested in volunteering are asked to register by Friday, May 7, by contacting Marianne Evangelista at (607) 753-5582.

Volunteers are asked to meet at the front entrance of Moffett Center on Graham Avenue at 8 a.m. to receive work assignments. Coffee and donuts will be served.

Nine students will be inducted into Rho Phi Lambda, the national honorary fraternity recognizing academic excellence, leadership and service for students in Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services, at an awards banquet on Friday, May 7.

Membership in the SUNY Cortland chapter, Alpha Eta, requires students to be in the upper 15 percent of their class and have a minimum GPA of 3.2 in professional courses.

Undergraduate inductees include: Emily Balles of Endicott, N.Y.; Lauren Blackburn of Huntington Station, N.Y.; David Burnette of Kenmore, N.Y.; Gregory Kroohs of Putnam Valley, N.Y.; and Sarah Wryk of East Aurora, N.Y.

Graduate students being inducted include: Hobit Lafaye of Ithaca, N.Y.; Amanda Lengauer of Syracuse, N.Y.; Amanda Perl of Ithaca, N.Y.; and Lisa Spadafore of Liverpool, N.Y.

Richard C. Peagler, who served SUNY Cortland for 38 years, will retire on July 31. He has been designated as director emeritus of counseling and student development.

A member of the SUNY Cortland community since 1972, Peagler joined the Division of Student Affairs as a counselor. He later became a senior counselor, assistant director of counseling and director of student support services. In 1998, he was named the Student Development Center director, responsible for overseeing counseling, career services, health promotion, student health services, student disability services and substance abuse prevention and education.

In Summer 2006, Peagler was named the College’s interim vice president for student affairs, an appointment he filled until a permanent vice president was hired in Summer 2008. Peagler then returned to his former position as director of counseling and student development.

Within the Division of Student Affairs, Peagler was the first coordinator of Cortland’s Urban Recruitment of Educators (C.U.R.E.), a scholarship program that prepares students to teach in urban centers. He also coordinated the First Year Orientation Welcome Weekend and served on the Faculty Senate. He has worked extensively with the College’s Educational Opportunity Program and helped shape and implement SUNY Cortland’s multicultural and diversity initiatives, most recently as a member of the College’s newly formed Multicultural Council. He serves or has served on numerous College-wide and student affairs committees.

A 1999 recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service, Peagler has received numerous honors during his service at the College. The New York State United University Professions selected Peagler for its 1990 Excellence Award for his outstanding performance and superior statewide service. In 1992, Peagler was inducted into the Cortland Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, an interdisciplinary academic honor society; he has directed its Graduate Fellowship Committee. He received the Faculty Award in 1992-93 in recognition for unselfish service to the Black Student Union. In 1998, Peagler earned the Faculty/Staff Award, presented to individuals who have been instrumental in ethnic students’ academic success.

In 2003, he won a SUNY Cortland Excellence in Professional Service Award and a SUNY Cortland Dedicated Service Award. The Student Government Association acknowledged him as its 2006-07 Outstanding Staff Administrator. In 20 of his 38 years and most recently in 2009, SUNY Cortland presidents have honored him with a Recognition of Meritorious Service.

Peagler has frequently served as a consultant for the International Association of Counseling Services, Inc., by which he has evaluated counseling and mental health services at other colleges. He also has served as a consultant on race relations, motivation and the assessment of leadership potential.

Before joining SUNY Cortland, Peagler worked as an academic counselor at Western Connecticut State College in Danbury. He also served as an Upward Bound Project associate director at Wooster Prep School, also in Danbury, and coached the varsity and junior varsity basketball teams, with the varsity team capturing its first undefeated season in school history.

A native of New Milford, Conn., Peagler earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Central State University in Ohio, his master’s degree in student personnel counseling from the University of Connecticut and his doctorate in counseling and human services from Syracuse University.

Within the Cortland community, he served since 1997 as member of the Cortland City School District Board of Education and since 2005 on the Cortland County Council on Aging Advisory Board. A board member of the Seven Valleys Council on Alcoholism, he has participated as a Red Cross volunteer and conducted volunteer training in stress debriefing.

Peagler and his wife, Vashti, live in Cortland. Vashti retired recently as a human resource associate at Cornell University after 34 years of service. They have one son, Richie, who is employed as a residential counselor with the William George Agency in Dryden, N.Y.