Campus Champion

Health Department Chair Jill Murphy teaches students in her epidemiology class how to collect, analyze and compile data to make decisions. When SUNY Cortland began responding to COVID-19 in March, her expertise led to an invitation to work with the university’s Incident Management Team (IMT). Jill helps the IMT make science- and evidence-based decisions, taking into consideration many factors. “The best part is working across skill sets, getting to know this committed group of people whose goal is the health and safety of all members of the SUNY Cortland community,” she said. And in her classroom, students get to see epidemiology in action as they learn how COVID-19 data are gathered and analyzed. 

Since this year’s influenza season will be occurring in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, getting a flu vaccination is more important than ever.  Besides protecting you against the flu, it will help reduce the chances of having both infections at the same time, which could lead to serious complications. 

Also, by reducing the number of people affected by influenza, we can lessen the demands on our healthcare systems as they continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Influenza and COVID-19 share many of the same symptoms. Although we hope to have a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19 in the near future, we have one for influenza now.

To that end, we are fortunate to be able to partner with Wegmans Pharmacy to offer flu shots on campus to all students, faculty and staff at the Park Center Alumni Arena. Pre-registration is required and please bring your insurance cards with you to the clinic. Your insurance will be billed, but there are no out-of-pocket costs.

Online Registration Links for the Flu Clinics:

Monday 9/28/20

https://wegmanssyracusedivision.fullslate.com/services/2055

Thursday 10/1/20

https://wegmanssyracusedivision.fullslate.com/services/2056?start=4652

Monday 10/19/20

https://wegmanssyracusedivision.fullslate.com/services/2057?start=4652

SUNY Cortland and Wegmans plans to hold a fourth clinic on campus at a date to be announced.

There are multiple spots available for each time slot, and they will let you sign up until all openings for that time are taken.

The following message was sent on behalf of President Erik J. Bitterbaum:

To the SUNY Cortland community,

Thank you.  Because of your compliance and cooperation, the number of positive COVID cases at SUNY Cortland remained low enough over the last two weeks to avoid triggering an immediate shift to remote learning.

The two-week clock required by state health and SUNY officials, however, re-started again Saturday, Sept. 26. You can track our daily progress on SUNY Cortland’s COVID-19 Dashboard.

We may breathe a momentary sigh of relief, but we cannot let down our guard. That is why the pool surveillance testing we have implemented is so important. We understand that process of testing more than 1,000 people each week can be confusing, which is why we created two FAQs, one for students and one tailored to employees. Please refer to those documents before reaching out with questions.

Although the vast majority of our students, faculty and staff continue to physically distance, wear face coverings and follow university and local health department guidelines, there remain individuals who act recklessly. SUNY Cortland is not alone in this. Earlier today, SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras issued an emergency directive implementing a uniform system of sanctions for COVID-19 policy violations.

For the duration of the current health crisis, all 64 SUNY campuses will enforce the same sanctions against students who violate pandemic-related policies.

The chancellor’s directive, effective next week for SUNY Cortland, is tough. A variety of behaviors and non-compliance issues may lead to immediate academic and/or housing suspension or dismissal. Student organizations in non-compliance may now face a permanent campus ban. Student athletes may lose their eligibility.

Chancellor Malatras felt strong, but consistent, consequences are necessary because COVID violations can have a disproportionately large impact on communities, threatening large numbers of people with a potentially fatal virus and threatening institutions’ ability to provide the educational experiences important to their students.

All students will continue to have the same rights to due process they have always had under federal and state law and under SUNY and SUNY Cortland policies. They should be aware, however, that they may also face outside enforcement action for failing to follow the directions of state or local health officials. This could result in fines, criminal prosecution or referral to relevant government agencies.

The new, SUNY-wide policy sets a range of allowable sanctions for the infractions listed below. Almost all of the infractions are already included in SUNY Cortland’s COVID policies and the vast majority of our students are complying.  The complete text of the emergency directive is available here.

• Intentional Violations by COVID-Positive Students: Students who know that they have tested positive for COVID-19 or know they have had close contact to someone who has tested positive or is symptomatic for COVID-19, and then intentionally expose other students, will be expelled or suspended for at least a full academic year, and student athletes could lose eligibility. If that happens, they will be ineligible for admission to any other SUNY institution during the term of their sanction.
• Failure to Self-Isolate: Students who are COVID-19 positive but fail to self-isolate as directed by health officials will be expelled or suspended for at least a full academic year, and student athletes could lose eligibility. If that happens, they will be ineligible for admission to any other SUNY institution during the term of their sanction.
• Failure to Quarantine: Students who have been directed by the institution or the State or local Department of Health to complete a quarantine period, on or off campus, and then engage in activity that violates that quarantine order, will face dismissal, suspension, or continuation of academics in online format only, with no access to campus. Student athletes could lose eligibility.
• Prohibited On-Campus or Off-Campus Gathering (Hosts): Students who host an on-campus or off-campus gathering of any size, whether indoor or outdoor, that violates campus policy and/or exceeds the current limitation set by SUNY Cortland or any other public entity, will face dismissal, suspension or continuation of academics online with no campus access, depending on circumstances.
• Prohibited On-Campus or Off-Campus Gathering (Attendees): Students who attend a gathering of any size (but not as host), whether indoors or outdoors, that violates campus policy and/or exceeds the current limitation set by SUNY Cortland or another entity, will face dismissal, suspension or continuation of academics online without campus access, depending on circumstances.
• Violations of Face Mask and Social Distancing Requirements: Students who have committed repeated or intentional violations of face covering or social distancing requirements of the campus, will face dismissal, suspension or continuation of academics online without campus access, depending on circumstances.
• Contact Tracing: Students who repeatedly fail to comply, will face dismissal, suspension or continuation of academics online without campus access, depending on circumstances.
• Failure to Comply with Campus Health Protocols: Students who fail to attend at least two scheduled appointments, without sufficient excuse, to obtain diagnostic or surveillance COVID-19 testing required by the campus, or students who fail to submit their daily health screening via the campus’s portal for at least three consecutive days, could face interim suspension, or administrative measures to electronically deactivate card access and restrict access to campus buildings. These restrictions will be lifted once a student is in compliance.

A pandemic teaches us that we are all connected in ways we never expected. And by working together – as individuals, as a university and as an educational system – we will prevail.

All the best,

Erik J. Bitterbaum

The SUNY Cortland Cupboard has been accessible to university students for three years. Despite the changes on campus due to COVID-19, the pantry staff are making sure food-insecure students can continue to get their necessities.

The cupboard, located in the basement of the Interfaith Center on 7 Calvert Street, is a collection of donated nonperishable items. Starting this fall, the food supply can be accessed by students by scanning their ID card. The new ID card feature is efficient and fits seamlessly with COVID-19 guidelines in the cupboard.

“It is more important than ever to have this resource available,” said Natasha McFadden, associate director of The Cortland Fund, who has been volunteering with the pantry for three years and is happy to say that she has watched this source of nonperishable food and toiletries improve over time.

The idea for a cupboard on campus started  with a question: “What is the university doing to help students who are going hungry?”

A student posed this question to John Suarez during the 2016 Presidential Election. Suarez, the coordinator of the Office of Service-Learning at the time, confessed that he did not know the answer.

So, Suarez got to work. A year later, on Nov. 6, 2017, the pantry officially opened its doors with the help of various faculty members. The cupboard is prepared to celebrate its three-year anniversary in a little over a month.

The SUNY Cortland Cupboard  has grown into a valued community resource with four university faculty members serving on the board of directors. The cupboard also has around 10 volunteers each semester, coordinated by one student intern.

This semester, the pantry is accessible from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday with no appointment necessary.

“We are now able to be open 30 hours a week compared to six hours,” McFadden said.

Previously, a volunteer had to be stationed at the cupboard during its limited hours. Now students can quickly grab the supplies they need within a six-hour window while maintaining social distancing.

During the pandemic, the SUNY Cortland Cupboard also is stocked with in-demand supplies, such as cleaning and disinfectant products.

The expanded hours and convenient ID card access feature will be around long after COVID-19, is just a memory, McFadden said.

For more information on the SUNY Cortland Cupboard and other community resources, visit the website.

Prepared by Communications Office writing intern Nicholas Boyer

SUNY Cortland’s commitment to sustainability is evident across campus.

Whether the university is using 100% renewable energy for the its electricity needs, residence halls built to the highest green standards or the Green Rep program, which uses student educators to spread environmentally friendly messages, SUNY Cortland cares deeply about what it can do for the planet.

Those efforts have been recognized by The Sierra Club, one of the largest organizations in the nation fighting to protect natural resources.

Cortland was listed at No. 76, the highest-ranked SUNY comprehensive college, on Sierra magazine’s annual “Cool Schools” list.

Sustainability takes many forms at SUNY Cortland.

Academically, the university offers majors in conservation biology and outdoor recreation, as well as a minor in environmental and outdoor education, which prepare students for careers in environmental fields.

Many buildings on campus have been upgraded to use more energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems. Major construction projects are designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. Recent examples include residence halls Glass Tower Hall and Dragon Hall as well as the Student Life Center. Dragon Hall’s platinum LEED rating made it the first such building in the SUNY system when it opened in 2014.

This summer, the university completed the installation of four electric vehicle charging stations on campus to further promote sustainable transportation for members of the university community.

For more information on SUNY Cortland’s efforts to make campus green, visit the sustainability webpage.

Participation in the “Cool Schools” ranking is open to all four-year, degree-granting undergraduate colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, along with two-year community colleges.

To be eligible, colleges and universities must have at least a bronze rating through the Sustainability, Tracking and Assessment Rating System (STARS). SUNY Cortland earned an elite gold designation from STARS in 2019, placing it among the top 3% of all higher education institutions in the nation.

Sierra uses STARS data but weighs colleges and universities on four criteria it feels are most important to environmental protection: academics, engagement, operations and planning and administration.

SUNY Cortland first made the “Cool Schools” list in 2016 and has been ranked in the top 100 every year since.

In a continued effort to combat systemic racism, SUNY Cortland, in conjunction with the Black Student Union, Campus Activities and Corey Union Office, Multicultural Life and Diversity Office, NAACP and Residential Life and Housing Office, held the first of three public forums for the fall semester on Sept. 16.

The Black Lives and Liberation Forum Series grants the Cortland community an opportunity to speak and listen on topics related to systemic racism, racial justice and current events as well as build a communal space for improvement at SUNY Cortland.

The Sept. 16 forum, held in collaboration with the Greek Multicultural Council (GMC), discussed the involvement of culturally based Greek organizations in anti-racism advocacy and the experiences of similar organizations on the Cortland campus.

There are 10 culturally based sororities and fraternities active at the university, each dedicated to giving back to their campus and local communities, along with different philanthropies and organizations nationwide.

These organizations aid students in navigating a student body that is 75% white, give them a platform to voice their opinions and provide access to a vast network of alumni to assist in the pursuit of opportunities after graduation.

The Greek Multicultural Council serves to create unity between the cultural Greek organizations and offer a place of belonging for students on campus.

Current GMC President Jasmiri Valerio is a senior Africana studies major, Bronx native and president of her sorority, Omega Phi Beta. She also is vice president of the NAACP chapter on campus.

“Being part of an organization such as a sorority, you have these sisters and brothers for life,” said Valerio. “I found a sense of belonging on campus. It’s a family.”

As GMC president, Valerio applies her experience in Omega Phi Beta to the “bigger realm of the council to see what [she] can do to help all GMC organizations.”

When not participating in community service, GMC advocates for activism on and off campus. Over the summer, members of GMC participated in Black Lives Matter protests in New York City and across New York state.

Valerio believes that in order to see change on a national level, there must be change locally first. To achieve this, the GMC and similar organizations on campus call for public support.

“I would say the best thing would be to listen, understand and be supportive in any way the campus community can,” said Valerio. “We want to not only see the students of color, but also white students too. We want to see staff and administration. If we’re just reaching a certain community of people, how is that going to make a change?”

There will be two more forums during the fall semester, one on Thursday, Oct. 15 and another on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Both events will be hosted on Webex from 4 to 6 p.m. Campus community members are encouraged to check their email for registration links.

For more information on the forums and other MLDO programs, visit the Multicultural Life and Diversity Office webpage.

For more information on the Greek Multicultural Council, visit their Instagram profile at @cortland.gmc.

Prepared by Communications Office writing intern Shannon Imbornoni

From now until Oct. 14, members of SUNY Cortland's growing Latinx community will share their diverse cultures and histories with campus through an array of online activities.

During the university’s celebration of Latinx History Month students, faculty and staff will gather via online conferencing to learn about the Latinx experience, which includes people with roots in South or Central America or the Caribbean. For details, view the calendar at the end of this article.

It’s the second year the campus has held a coordinated calendar of Latinx History Month events (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15).

“There’s always been some events going on during this time period, at least in the five years I have worked here,” “But I noticed that things were very scattered,” said AnnaMaria Cirrincione, who directs the campus Multicultural Life and Diversity Office (MLDO).

“The Latinx and Latin American Studies Department, clubs like La Familia Latina and culturally based organizations all were doing things differently and not organizing them jointly,” she said. “But it wasn’t centralized like Black History Month with one calendar.”

Cirrincione has worked to get everyone on the same page. She recruited student intern and psychology major Samantha Castro to serve as Latinx History Month coordinator and reached out to L. Sebastian Purcell, an associate professor of philosophy who directs the university’s Honors Program and co-coordinates the academic curriculum Latino Latin-American Studies (LLAS). Cirrincione also worked with the student club La Familia Latina, other student organizations and culturally based organizations to bring the many related activities under the same umbrella. Program sponsors include: the Latinx and Latin American Studies Department, the Multicultural Life and Diversity Office, Ritmo Latino, La Familia Latina, Women of Color, Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc., and D.R.A.M.A. 

“Last year was the first year where we had a joint series of events, such as having a keynote speaker with a meal catered by a Dominican restaurant in Syracuse,” Cirrincione said. “This year we couldn’t organize that same level of programming.”

Out of an abundance of caution due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all events this year will be virtual.

“We didn’t want to overwhelm everyone,” she added as a reason for the change. So there will be no keynote speaker and most events will be smaller virtual events and sandwich seminars mainly presented by Cortland faculty.

Purcell lined up one guest speaker, Sophia Ortiz Hinojosa, to present on Wednesday, Oct. 7.

Events began on Monday, Sept. 21.

“Personally, I’m a little bit torn on Latinx History Month as I think it’s something we should celebrate all year,” Cirrincione said. “At the same time, I think it’s important that we come together during this month. We need to continue to advocate for positive social change on issues that affect our communities and celebrate our beautiful history and shared culture.

“We would like to invite the campus community to join us in learning about and celebrating Latinx culture and history,” she said.

Remaining events are as follows:   

• Thursday, Oct. 1 – sandwich seminar: “Tu lucha es mi lucha” – (“Your struggle is my struggle: Black/Brown unity in the time of COVID and BLM”), presented by Christopher Ortega at noon — WebEx Link
• Tuesday, Oct. 6 — “Loteria Game Night” hosted by La Familia Latina at 6 p.m. (Instagram @lafamilialatina) — Zoom Link
• Wednesday, Oct. 7 — sandwich seminar: “Sor Juana and Her Aztec Sources,” presented by Sofia Ortiz-Hinojosa, an assistant professor of philosophy at Vassar College, at 5 p.m. — WebEx Link
• Wednesday, Oct. 14 – sandwich seminar: “New Developments in DACA and Immigration,” presented by Ute Ritz-Deutch at 12:30 p.m. — WebEx Link
• Friday, Oct. 16 — Punta Night: D.R.A.M.A will hold this rescheduled event at 4:30 p.m. Visit Instagram @cortland_drama or the WebEx link

For more information or questions, contact Currencies.

Richard “Rick” Pollack ’77, president and chief executive officer of the American Hospital Association (AHA), works every day on behalf of nearly 5,000 hospitals across the country.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started spreading across the United States earlier this year, Pollack was a leading advocate for doctors, nurses and other hospital staff members, working to ensure a safe working environment for them.

Pollack was at the forefront of the respirator shortage crisis in April. He met with President Trump and hospital CEOs at the White House Rose Garden on April 14 to discuss the Dynamic Ventilator Reserve, an online equipment inventory managed by the AHA that allowed unused equipment to be moved to COVID-19 hotspots.

On Thursday, Oct. 8, Pollack will share his insight and experiences through a virtual Executive-in-Residence for students and faculty in the Economics, Health and Political Science departments.

As a SUNY Cortland student, Pollack, a political science major and communication studies minor, was involved with student government and the campus radio station, hosting a popular news and interview show called “Person to Person.” 

After participating in a SUNY-wide internship program in Washington, D.C., he went on to work for Wisconsin congressman David Obey, who twice served as the influential chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

Pollack then became a lobbyist for the American Nurses Association and has since worked for the American Hospital Association for nearly three decades, including a role as executive vice president in charge of public affairs, lobbying and legal and political action before becoming president and CEO in 2015.

The Executive-in-Residence program is supported by the Cortland College Foundation, Alumni Engagement and Career Services. For more information, contact Major Gift Officer Mike Fusilli at 607-753-2573.

The Wellness Wednesday series is a constant at SUNY Cortland, where student wellbeing is a priority. The informational events are continuing this semester, only now they are taking on a virtual format.

While preparing for the Fall 2020 semester, Lauren Scagnelli, the campus’ health educator, found a way to deliver this semester’s series to students who can’t gather in person for informational, health-related activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I did not want to have another WebEx presentation because they [students] are on it a lot for some, or all, of their classes,” said Scagnelli, who works in the Conley Counseling and Wellness Services, which is located in Van Hoesen Hall and encompasses the Counseling Center and Health Promotion.

So, Scagnelli decided to create the new “Take 10 for You” podcast with the help of her co-host Marissa Whitaker, a substance abuse prevention and education associate in the Conley Counseling and Wellness Services.

The program airs on Soundcloud each Wednesday. It is hosted by Whitaker and Scagnelli, but guests are invited for specific episodes. Links to the podcast can be found on the SUNY Cortland Health Promotion’s Twitter and the podcast transcript can be found on the Wellness Wednesday webpage.

Additionally, podcasts will remain posted for the entire semester so students can listen to them at any time.

This fall, the Wellness Wednesday events thus far have discussed staying healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, future topics will include reducing stress, safely engaging in sexual activity, how e-cigarettes can make COVID-19 worse, and how to support one’s immune system through nutrition.

“The change in format allows students to listen at their own convenience,” Whitaker said. “Which means potentially reaching students who we may not have, if they couldn't attend an in-person event.”

Each episode is only 10 minutes in duration. This is a drastic change compared to the previous hour-long Wellness Wednesday series events  held in person at either the Corey Union Function Room or Exhibition Lounge.

The “Take 10 for You” format gives Cortland students “the message in a quick and concise manner,” Scagnelli said.

Generally, the goal of Wellness Wednesday events is to teach students about their own health and wellness, Whitaker said.

But for the new podcasts, Whitaker said her goal is to “stay connected with students, in a time when many of us are struggling with feeling less connected than ever before.”

Prepared by Communications Office writing intern Nicholas Boyer

Callie Humphrey wasn’t expecting to continue the student government path in college.

Recently elected as SUNY Cortland’s Student Government Association president, Humphrey had prior experience in government as treasurer her sophomore and junior years at Fayetteville-Manlius High School.

“I got a taste of student government in high school but I took a step back my senior year,” said the senior political science major from Manlius, N.Y.

“Coming into Cortland, it wasn’t what I thought I would do, but it just worked out that way and I’m really happy that it did.”

Excited to get involved on campus and be a part of something, during her first year on campus Humphrey attended an interest meeting for the Model UN Club. Other members of Model UN needed an SGA representative to go to Club Senate. All eyes turned to Humphrey when no one else volunteered to take the position.

After serving as Model UN club senator, Humphrey was appointed as an officer of SGA’s Executive Board. She also held titles including coordinator of student advocacy and chair of the Housing and Student Life Committee.

Humphrey has built relationships with numerous campus administrators, including President Erik J. Bitterbaum. She also served on the ASC Board of Directors and ASC Dining Director search committees, allowing her to develop connections with many of the executives from Cortland Auxiliary.

“My number one goal to ensure that every student knows what SGA is and feels like they are represented by the organization,” Humphrey said of her newest role.

“In the past, there have been a lot of students who don’t know we exist. So my mission this year is to make it so  that every student feels like we are someone that has their back and is going to advocate for them.”

With new limitations due to COVID-19, things are going to run differently for SGA this year, according to Humphrey.

Student government officers plan to rely heavily on virtual interactions. Upcoming events such as a virtual town hall meeting are being planned.

This will allow students to have the ability to ask questions about SGA or voice any concerns, she said. Stay tuned for more details later this semester.

Students are encouraged to follow @cortlandsga on Instagram to keep up with announcements and club events happening on campus.

Humphrey and other SGA officers will maintain regular office hours in the SGA office in Corey Union. Those times are posted online.

Hopefully, the initiatives SGA has been working towards will be fulfilled by the end of the year. These include implementing mandatory faculty diversity training, expanding mental health services, increasing parking availability, limiting the number of emails students receive, and revising catering policies.

When not focused on student government related work, members of the campus community can find Humphrey playing violin in the College-Community Orchestra or watching her favorite TV show, “Jeopardy!”

She is applying to go into the Peace Corps after graduation and hopes to get involved with international relations and politics. Her experience with Model UN. All the things she did in SGA will help her on her next step in the future.

“I want to stress that if people have any issues or if they just want to talk, to feel free to reach out at any time,” Humphrey said. “We are really just trying to make sure our students understand that we’re available and we work for them.”

Prepared by Communications Office writing intern Christina Cargulia

Whether you are on campus or halfway around the world, Wednesday, Sept. 30 is your opportunity to show off your Red Dragon Pride.

Red Dragon Pride Day will be celebrated both virtually and in person on Sept. 30 and will allow SUNY Cortland graduates many opportunities to share why they are proud to be Red Dragons and to enter to win prizes.

Alumni are encouraged to join in the fun remotely in the following ways:

• Participate in the photo contest 
• Download and print a Red Dragon Pride Day pennant or window graphic.
• Order some new Cortland gear with a 15% discount from The Campus Store.

Students, faculty, staff and campus community members may participate in the following events on campus:

• Hang Red Dragon Pride window graphics
• Look for Red Dragon Wagon travels 
• Wear your favorite Cortland gear and add to your collection
• Use the Snapchat geofilter 
• Submit your photos for the photo contest

Downloadable pennants and graphics, full contest rules and more are posted on RedDragonNetwork.org.

We’ll see you on Sept. 30. And thank you for being Red Dragon Proud.

Media predictions about the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential election feature two diametrically opposed impacts on America’s future and lopsided polling over who will win.

“Many predict a Democratic wave, but the shadow of 2016 haunts both the pundits and the Democrats,” said Robert J. Spitzer, a respected political scholar and professor at SUNY Cortland.

“As the country lurches toward election day, Nov. 3, no one should underestimate the ability of the Democratic Party to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory,” said Spitzer, who has appeared on national television news shows that include NBC’s “Today Show” and ABC’s “Good Morning America.

Spitzer, as in many past presidential campaigns, will weigh in on how the 2020 election might play out, on Thursday, Oct. 1, during the university's first fall 2020 Community Roundtable.

Spitzer, a SUNY Distinguished Service Professor and a nationally recognized authority on subjects such as the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. presidency and the politics of gun control, will share his pre-recorded presentation for viewing at 9 a.m. on the university's SUNY Cortland Community Roundtables webpage at cortland.edu/roundtable. Or, the QR code at the bottom of this page can be scanned into a device to upload into the presentation.

His talk, which is sponsored by the SUNY Cortland President’s Office, kicks off the university’s 2020-21 Community Roundtable Series. This year, virtual presentations will replace the in-person seminars traditionally held in the Park Center Hall of Fame, because of health concerns relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The Community Roundtables are free and open to the public. After Spitzer’s presentation, the virtual attendees will be invited to share comments and ask questions, which should be submitted prior to the event on a Questions form. The number of and questions selected will be based upon time limitations and relevancy to the topic. 

Spitzer’s talk will assess key factors that will shape the outcome of the election as Donald Trump seeks a second term by examining the issues, candidates and party coalitions that will decide the outcome. 

“In an environment fraught with crises and unrest — a continuing viral pandemic, an economic crash, the Black Lives Matter movement, global warming, voter suppression and an incumbent president who seemingly precipitates crises and disorder — some feel that the very legitimacy of the American nation is at stake,” Spitzer said.

He has testified before Congress, participated in meetings at the White House and has had his work cited by federal courts. Spitzer is a regular panelist on “The Ivory Tower Half Hour,” WCNY-TV’s popular public affairs program which airs every Friday night.

HIs books include The Politics of Gun Control (1995; 4th ed. 2007), Politics and Constitutionalism (2000), Essentials of American Politics (co-authored, 2002; 2nd ed. 2006) and The Presidency and the Constitution (co-authored, 2005).

In addition to writing 15 books, including four on the presidency and five on gun control, Spitzer has written more than 600 scholarly articles, book chapters, reviews, papers and essays. He is series editor for the Book Series on American Constitutionalism published by SUNY Press and for the book series on Presidential Briefing Books for Transaction Publishers.

In the 1980s, Spitzer served as a member of the New York State Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. He was elevated to the rank of Distinguished Service Professor in 1997, received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship in 2003, SUNY Cortland’s Outstanding Achievement in Research Award in 2005 and 2010, and is a former president of the Presidency Research Group of the American Political Science Association.

The Community Roundtable series provides programs on diverse intellectual, regional and cultural topics of interest to College faculty, staff and community members. Additional details regarding future scheduled roundtables will be posted to the Community Roundtables webpage.

For more information about the roundtables, contact Special Events for the President at 607-753-5453 or message special.eventsoffice@cortland.edu or visit the Community Roundtables webpage.