Campus Champion

Ruben Fernandez (He, She, They) is a queer, Afro-Latine musical theatre major born in the Dominican Republic. The 2019 transfer from Long Island is building an impressive resume. He earned a lead in the performing arts production of “Proof,” with five performances from Oct. 6 to 9 downtown at the Cortland Repertory Theatre. Also, he’s directing a production titled “Nuestra Cultura: A Love Letter to Latine Heritage Month” set for Oct. 26. “Acting is not for the weak of heart, especially for a person of color, but there is no time to mope. Something else always comes along,” he said. Read more about "Proof."

SUNY Cortland’s Performing Arts Department is set to raise the curtain once more, as another theater season begins Thursday, Oct. 6 with the award-winning play, “Proof.” It will run through Sunday, Oct. 9. 

Audiences can expect the same flair and flourishes they’ve come to expect from the university’s students. The venue, however, will be new — the result of a first-ever joint stage production between SUNY Cortland and Cortland Repertory Theatre.  

The Performing Arts Department’s debut show will be performed at CRT’s Downtown Cortland Theatre, 24 Port Watson St. It’s an opportunity that Deena Conley, chair of SUNY Cortland's Performing Arts Department, has looked forward to. 

“Cortland Repertory Theatre is a well-respected regional theater,” said Conley.  It makes sense that our department and CRT would partner on a production.  We have tried to make the collaboration work before, but with COVID, it just didn't happen. We are so excited that with “Proof” the partnership will actually occur.   

“Proof” is a Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a mysterious, mathematical proof that explores the boundaries between genius and madness. Although challenging in itself, Conley noted by collaborating with CRT, the students involved will also gain another level of experience. 

“Our students get to work in another space, receive a professional credit for their resume, and get the experience of rehearsing in one location and performing in another, which is what happens in professional theater,” she said. 

Kerby Thompson, theater director of CRT, agreed. 

“To do a show like "Proof" while being very close to the audience, when every move and gesture counts, is a terrific learning experience,” Thompson said. “This production also is a huge step in the long-range goal of CRT Downtown, which is to produce more live theater in our downtown space.  This was the original intent of the building, and it's great to see it happening again with SUNY. Our hope — both CRT and SUNY — is that when this show is a success, we'll be able to do this every year, perhaps a bigger play, or even a musical.” 

Conley agrees that the experience has been one she hopes happens again. 

Written by David Auburn, “Proof” premiered in 2000, winning Best Play at the Tony Awards and the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It  was adapted into a 2005 film starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, Hope Davis and Jake Gyllenhaal. The university’s production is being directed by Rodney Hudson, who directed “Possessing Harriet” for the university last winter. 

“‘Proof’ is a great way to start the season off because it’s small in cast, but large in meaning,” Conley said. “The play centers around Catherine, who is dealing with the death of her father, a once-brilliant mathematician who also faced mental health challenges. The actors have to be familiar with high-level mathematical logic, psychological/mental illness, and some are playing characters that are quite a bit older than they are.” 

Theatergoers can expect to keep seeing quality performances courtesy of SUNY Cortland’s actors and stage crew. Conley notes that the Performing Arts Department is working on a new musical, “Bone Harp,” and that well-known shows “Seussical” and “Cabaret” are scheduled for next spring. 

Tickets for all shows will be available through the SUNY Cortland Box Office. Fans can learn more about the SUNY Cortland Performing Arts Department and its full performance schedule for the 2022-23 season online. 

The University Police Department (UPD) at SUNY Cortland has committed to increasing the percentage of women officers in its rank from 20% to 30% within the next eight years and to promoting them to higher levels in rank. 

The department recently signed the national 30x30 Women in Policing pledge, which is a series of actions police agencies can take to improve the representation and experiences of women in sworn positions in all ranks.

The 30×30 Women in Policing initiative is a coalition of police leaders, researchers and professional organizations that have joined together to advance the representation and experiences of women in all ranks of policing across the U.S., said SUNY Cortland UPD Chief Mark DePaull, who signed the pledge in August on behalf of the department. 

Women have been significantly under-represented in policing since the profession’s founding. Currently, women make up only 12 percent of sworn officers and only 3 percent of the law enforcement leaders in the U.S.

 “The goal is to increase the percentage of women in law enforcement to 30% by 2030,” DePaull said.

Cortland is well on its way, currently employing a 20% female police force. 

Once the 30% threshold is reached, research by the group has shown that the women officers have the power to improve their organization’s culture.

“By signing onto the 30x30 Pledge, the University Police is committed to improving the representation of women in law enforcement,” DePaull said. “The goals of this initiative not only focus on recruitment but also ensure that policies and culture will intentionally support the success of women throughout their careers.” 

An example of that is the current SUNY University Police commissioner, SUNY Cortland graduate Mary Sullivan Ritayik ’97. Ritayik was the first woman to hold the title of statewide commissioner and the first to rise through the ranks of officer, investigator, chief and commissioner within the SUNY system.

Both she and the SUNY Police Chiefs Association support the 30x30 initiative, and each campus university police department in SUNY has made the commitment to join the pledge. 

Cortland has made progress in supporting women in law enforcement leadership roles. Recently, SUNY Cortland UPD promoted Danielle Salisbury to be its first female lieutenant.

Participants in the initiative must know the factors that may be driving disparities and work to develop and implement strategies and solutions to advance women. That may involve the establishment of community partnerships so that agencies become truly representative of the jurisdictions they serve. 

The 30x30 Women in Policing initiative advocates assert that the under-representation of women in policing undermines public safety and that, in general, women officers: 

• use less force and less excessive force
• are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits
• are perceived by communities as being more honest and compassionate
• see better outcomes for crime victims, especially in sexual assault cases
• make fewer discretionary arrests

 To achieve success, the hiring and professional advancement practices of participating agencies also must acknowledge people’s multiple identities, which can magnify their exposure to discrimination. Among these identities are race and ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion and ability. Women of color, in particular, will often face compounding experiences of bias and discrimination based not only on their gender but also their race or ethnicity.

“While 30x30 is focused on advancing women in policing, these principles are applicable to all demographic diversity, not just gender,” DePaull said. 

“Not only do we want to get the word out on campus, but we also want to spread the word across Central New York and bring attention to the need to increase women in law enforcement,” said DePaull, who helps fulfills the university’s pledge by sharing the message far and wide. 

For more information about the pledge, contact the 30x30 Initiative. 

Award-winning filmmaker Shalini Kantayya will bring her knowledge of the dark side of technology to a Gallery Talk titled “Coded Bias: How Human Prejudice Creates Corrupt Technology.” 

Her presentation will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at SUNY Cortland’s Dowd Gallery.  

It's a rare chance to meet an accomplished, award-winning filmmaker on campus face to face, according to Jaroslava Prihodova, director of Dowd Gallery, which is located in the Dowd Fine Arts Center at the corner of Prospect Terrace and Graham Avenue 

“Shalini Kantayya is an accomplished filmmaker with a strong history of notable and award-winning projects,” Prihodova said. “Unfortunately, we often don't have a chance to meet creatives behind the camera and ask direct questions. This event provides a unique opportunity for students and visitors to meet Kantayya and interact in person.” 

Kantayya's Gallery Talk begins at 5 p.m. in Brown Auditorium in Old Main.  

Gallery events are free and open to the public. 

Kantayya’s recent documentaries, “Coded Bias” and “TikTok Boom,” will be screened ahead of the lecture, each examining the algorithms used — and abused — in day-to-day life. Sleek, silicon promises of ease and entertainment have also brought with them pressing concerns about privacy, bias and public surveillance.  

“TikTok Boom” will take place at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6 at Dowd Gallery.  

The second film, “Coded Bias,” can be seen at 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 10, in Brown Auditorium. 

“Coded Bias” was released in 2020 and questions whether liberties are in danger if the technology that runs the modern world is itself programmed with the unconscious bias of its creators. It was shown nationwide on PBS’ Independent Lens before it reached a worldwide audience through Netflix in 2021. The film was nominated for a Critics Choice award and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Documentary.  

Kantayya’s “TikTok Boom,” released this year, explores the rise of the popular social media app and the conflict between the culture of its global Gen-Z userbase and the data surveillance inherent to its use. It will debut on Independent Lens on Oct. 24. 

“The lecture demonstrates that our world is built to the image of its creators without consideration for all of its inhabitants,” said Prihodova. “We often submit to constructed conditions without a second thought. 

The screening of “TikTok Boom” will take place at 5 p.m. on Oct. 6 at Dowd Gallery, Dowd Fine Arts Center, Room 106. “Coded Bias” can be seen at 5 p.m. Oct. 10 at Brown Auditorium in Old Main. Kantayya's Gallery Talk follows on Oct 11, taking place at in the Brown Auditorium at 5 p.m. 

The films and lecture are related to the current exhibition at Dowd Gallery, artist Beth Livensperger’s “Runaway,” which itself examines the impact of rapid technological change. Prihodova says it’s part of Dowd Gallery’s goal to take on tough topics and spark useful conversation.  

“Exhibitions organized by the gallery are carefully selected to fulfill the educational mission of the Art and Art History Department and provide space for questions, inspiration and a respite from the ordinary,” she said. “We want to offer thought-provoking shows that stimulate and further the education of all visitors, not only students.” 

 Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday or by appointment. 

“Runaway” is partially funded by the Pollock-Krasner Foundation and the Provost’s Research Fellowship at the College of Staten Island, CUNY. SUNY Cortland support includes the Art and Art History Department, Art Exhibition Association, Cortland Auxiliary Services grant, Campus Artist and Lecture Series, Communication and Media Studies Department, Cultural and Intellectual Climate Committee, School of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office, Economics Department, Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office, Haines Fund, President’s Office, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs’ Office, Student Government Association. 

Visit the Dowd Gallery website for details about exhibiting artists, other programs, safety protocols and online booking. For more information or to inquire about an appointment, tour or additional images, contact Jaroslava Prihodova, Dowd Gallery director, at 607-753-4216.

The Brooklyn-based, genre-defying Project Trio, which breaks down traditional ideas of chamber music, will reopen in-person musical events at SUNY Cortland on Friday, Sept. 30. 

Made up of double bassist Peter Seymour, flautist Greg Pattillo and saxophonist Daniel Berkey, Project Trio will perform at 8 p.m. in Old Main Brown Auditorium as part of Family Weekend. 

Hosted by SUNY Cortland Campus Artist and Lecture Series (CALS), admission to all CALS events this year is free and open to the public.  

However, tickets are still required so as not to exceed venue capacity and are now available. Tickets can be picked up Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. in Corey Union, Room 406, starting one month prior to each event, or reserved and picked up at the venue starting one hour prior to each event. 

Project Trio is a passionate, high energy chamber music ensemble composed of three virtuosic composers and performers. Blending their classical training with an eclectic taste in musical styles, Project Trio has burst onto the scene with their landmark videos right out of the internet generation. 

Gramophone Magazine singled out the group as “an ensemble willing and able to touch on the gamut of musical bases ranging from Baroque to nu-Metal and taking in pretty much every stylism in between.” The Wall Street Journal hailed the trio for their “wide appeal, subversive humor and first-rate playing.” The New York Times has called beatboxing flutist Greg Pattillo “the best in the world at what he does.”

The three musicians forged their partnership out of a collective desire to draw new and diverse audiences by performing high-energy, top-quality music. Using social media to broaden their reach beyond the concert stage and classroom, Project Trio has its own YouTube channel, which has over 85 million views and 100,000 subscribers, making Project Trio one of the most watched instrumental ensembles on the internet. 

Peter Seymour 

Seymour has performed with many of the world’s most highly acclaimed artists and ensembles, including the Cleveland Orchestra, New World Symphony, Houston Symphony, New York City Ballet, Iris Orchestra and the Colorado Music Festival. He was the recipient of the Downbeat Magazine Award for Best Jazz Soloist and has shared the stage with such luminaries as Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove and Bobby McFerrin. Seymour received a bachelor of music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a master's degree in bass performance from Rice University, where he was a student of Paul Ellison.  

Greg Pattillo  

Pattillo is recognized throughout the world for his redefinition of the flute sound. His groundbreaking performance videos on YouTube, showcasing “beatbox flute,” have been viewed more than 50 million times. After earning his master’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, Pattillo found work as at the acting principal flute of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra and became a founding member of the Collaborative Arts Insurgency in San Francisco. 

Daniel Berkey  

Berkey, who hails from Chicago, Illinois, has been playing professionally since the age of 13. Under the tutelage of Nic Meyer and Greg Fishman, Daniel won several honors, most notably a DownBeat Magazine outstanding soloist award. He was selected as a Vail Jazz All Star. He attended The New School and has performed with The Four Tops, Mingus Band, Bobby Broom, Marquis Hill, and Dennis Carroll. He was inspired by Sonny Rollins. 

For the concert, patrons with mobility challenges will be accommodated. Advance notification would be appreciated to help make the experience more comfortable. 

For more information about any CALS event, call the Campus Activities and Corey Union Office at 607-753-5574. 

CALS is funded by Cortland Auxiliary Services and the Cortland College Foundation. 

For information about upcoming concerts, follow SUNY Cortland CALS on Facebook and Instagram or check out the SUNY Cortland Campus Artist and Lecture Series website. 

Ways to encourage Cortland County folks to become more involved in their democracy on a local level will be discussed at a Community Roundtable on Thursday, Oct. 6, at SUNY Cortland.

The in-person program, titled “Getting Cortland County More Democratically Engaged,” will feature a panel discussion with local civic leaders.

Panelists will describe the challenges, actions and benefits of projects that they and others are developing to increase people’s democratic engagement — their voices — in Cortland County decision-making.

Panelists will include:

• City of Cortland Mayor Scott Steve
• John Suarez, director of SUNY Cortland’s Institute for Civic Engagement
• League of Women Voters of Cortland County President Sheila Cohen
• Cortland County District 3 Legislator Cathy Bischoff

“Low rates of voter registration and citizen engagement in government decision-making are hurting our community,” said Suarez, who also coordinates the university’s Office of Service-Learning and is co-managing editor of The Journal of the Scholarship of Engagement.

“To help bring more voices into civic decision-making, people in education, government, nonprofits and business are working to provide opportunities for people to become more involved,” he said.

The roundtable will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. in the Park Center Hall of Fame Room. Refreshments will be served at 7:45 a.m.

The Community Roundtable series provides programs on diverse intellectual, regional and cultural topics of interest to College faculty and staff and community members. Sponsored by the President’s Office, the Community Roundtable is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Parking in the Park Center lot is open to the public during the roundtables. To request accommodations, contact Special Events for the President at 607-753-5453.

For more information, contact John Suarez.

A news media specialist from Syracuse University will explore why many false communications — including fake news, campaign lies and digital deepfakes — are protected as free speech under the U.S. Constitution, on Wednesday, Oct. 12, at SUNY Cortland.

 Nina Brown, an assistant professor in the university’s Newhouse School of Public Communications will present “False Speech and the First Amendment” at 4:30 p.m. in Moffett Center, Room 115.

Brown’s lecture continues SUNY Cortland’s 2022-23 Rozanne M. Brooks Lecture Series on the theme of “The Culture of Truth.” Over the last decade, ‘truth’ has seemed to become a rare resource. This year’s series investigates why truth seems so fleeting in today’s world, but also where we might find it in the most surprising places.

The series’ talks and accompanying receptions are free and open to the public.

In her talk, Brown will discuss why the First Amendment often protects false speech, even when it causes harm.

Her talk, “False Speech and the First Amendment,” will explore what constitutes false, but protected, speech and whether current U.S. law can strike the right balance in preserving free speech rights.

“Even though they are false and often harmful, these types of speech are typically protected by the First Amendment,” Brown said. “Speech need not be true to receive protection under our laws.”

She  will explore whether that is the right framework and will examine the exceptions to rules on free speech.

“We will look at the impact of social media on false speech and at efforts to regulate both despite clear constitutional protections,” she said.

A faculty member at S.U. since 2015, Brown earned her law degree from Cornell Law School. There, she served as notes editor and associate editor of the Cornell International Law Journal and Moot Court Board member. She has a B.S. in advertising from the Newhouse School.

Brown teaches both undergraduate and graduate levels from freshmen through graduate and law students and has developed or co-developed courses, including a graduate Public Relations Law course and an online law course.

Her academic research has been cited in academic articles, creative publications, and the court system.

Editors of the 2020 Entertainment, Publishing and the Arts Handbook, an anthology published annually by Thomson Reuters (West), included and described her article in Va. J. L. & Tech., 1 (2020) on “Deepfakes and the Weaponization of Disinformation,” as “one of the best law review articles related to entertainment, publishing and/or the arts published within the last year.”

Brown was selected as a Fall 2019-2020 Kopenhaver Center Faculty Fellow and earned a 2018 Meredith Teaching Recognition Award from Syracuse University. The Newhouse graduating class of 2018 presented her with its Newhouse Award for Teaching Excellence.

She placed third in 2018 and 2017 for the AEJMC Law Division Teaching Award of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.

The talks all take place on Wednesdays and begin at 4:30 p.m. in Moffett Center, Room 115. Seating will be limited and cannot be exceeded so attendees should  come early to secure a seat. A reception to welcome each speaker one half hour before the talk may be announced. Events in the series are subject to change.

The 2022-23 Brooks Lecture Series is sponsored by the Cortland College Foundation and Cortland Auxiliary.

For more information, contact Brooks lecture series organizer and Brooks Museum director Sharon Steadman, a SUNY distinguished professor and chair of SUNY Cortland’s Sociology/Anthropology Department, at 607-753-2308.

SUNY Cortland faculty and staff members can score two free tickets and a free trip to this year’s historic Cortaca Jug game at Yankee Stadium in exchange for serving as a bus chaperone on game day.

Departure from campus will take place at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, with a return from the Bronx scheduled for 30 minutes after the game ends. Buses should to arrive back in Cortland the same day at approximately 8 p.m.

Volunteers will be expected to help load buses in the morning and account for all riders on the return trip to Cortland. Interested faculty and staff members should email Kevin Pristash, director of Campus Activities and Corey Union.

A limited number of tickets remain available on Ticketmaster to the popular rivalry game between SUNY Cortland and Ithaca College, and the Yankee Stadium match-up is within striking distance of the Division III national attendance record.

All students, faculty, staff and alumni who have not already purchased tickets are strongly encouraged to buy tickets as soon as possible due to limited inventory. A campus ticket sale took place exclusively online from Sept. 12 to 18. Charter bus tickets for students also sold out.

The Cortaca Jug game set a national NCAA Division III attendance record in 2019, with 45,161 people at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The final attendance number for this year’s game at Yankee Stadium could exceed that milestone.

“The response to this game is extraordinary,” SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum said. “The support and spirit shown by our students, alumni, employees and families is unlike anything else in Division III athletics.”

The 63rd edition of the annual rivalry game between Cortland and Ithaca College kicks off at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, in the Bronx. Ithaca and Cortland are ranked 13th and 14th respectively in the D3football.com Top 25 poll through Week 4.

Fans are encouraged to review the Yankee Stadium Reference Guide for information about Stadium policies and prohibited items. Additionally, fans should visit the 2022 Cortaca Jug website for more information about the historic game.

Six alumni recently joined the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association Board of Directors, a 30-member volunteer body that serves the university’s 84,000 living graduates in a leadership role.

The association’s mission is to cultivate positive and lasting relationships between the alumni and the university community, embracing the past, engaging the current and securing the future in support of SUNY Cortland’s educational mission.

The board, in tandem with Alumni Engagement, plans and organizes alumni programs, benefits and engagement activities; and establishes and maintains policies and procedures for the association, while working to build support for SUNY Cortland. The association also owns and manages the Lynne Parks ’68 SUNY Cortland Alumni House.

New members for 2022:

• Peter Kachris ’56 retired from educational administration in New York state and Missouri.
• Marilyn Stevens-Carter ’79, M ’85 serves as director of academic support services and commuter services at Manhattan College.
• Jennifer Villany ’94 is an award-winning marketing technology executive known for leading innovation and digital transformation.
• Daniel Martuscello ’96 is the executive deputy commissioner of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
• Donte Hewlett ’07, M ’12 is director of operations for Levy, a hospitality partner for major league sport teams.
• Therno Diallo ’16 is an assistant director of facilities/events/operations at Rutgers University.
  Here’s a little more about each new member:

Peter Kachris ’56

Kachris has spent his long career turning around failing school districts and special schools, first in New York state and later in Missouri.

The former Fulbright Fellow to Okinawa, Japan, and 2017 SUNY Cortland Distinguished Alum now will focus his considerable educational administrative experience to marshal Red Dragon alumni to effectively help current Cortland students bridge the gap to success in life.

“I often say ‘Cortland made me,’” said Kachris, a generous SUNY Cortland supporter who is retired and lives in Maitland, Florida. “I want to give back.”

He earned a master’s degree in history from University at Albany and a doctorate in educational administration from Syracuse University.

“I have good conceptual skills and a broad vision of education’s ability to advance social and economic justice,” he said. “I am a good listener, a critical thinker and a consensus builder.”

After his first attempt at retirement, Kachris was recruited in St. Louis, Mo., for his expertise in fixing that state’s equivalent to New York’s Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). He later assisted in the orderly shutdown of a private school for the deaf and then helped manage a set of newly created charter schools on an interim basis.

The Special Education Foundation of St. Louis County bestowed its first “Heroes with Heart” award on him in 2002.

Marilyn Stevens-Carter ’79, M ’85

Stevens-Carter of Garnerville, N.Y., joins the board with more than 30 years of experience in college student affairs advising and administration.

She directed academic support services at Manhattan College from 1988 until around 2017, when she began to direct commuter services, including transportation, meal services and emergency housing. Stevens-Carter has been a strong advocate for social justice, equity, access and inclusion. Recently, she has become an administrator and volunteer in the New York City Department of Education’s NY-Edge after-school program.

“I work tirelessly on the behalf of students,” said Stevens-Carter, who joined the alumni board after volunteering with the association for several years through the Alumni Supporting Students Committee.

“A good leader listens to all and tries to reach compromises,” she said. “My joining the board will benefit all.”

While at Cortland, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Science in Reading Education, Stevens-Carter had the opportunity to work for the late Thomas Newkirk during his transformational 21 years as director of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at SUNY Cortland.

Stevens-Carter would later earn professional diplomas in guidance and counseling and administration and supervision from Manhattan College.

A volunteer who is concerned with food insecurity on and off campus, she helped launch a food pantry at Manhattan College that features an alert system that notifies students when food is left over from catering events and invites them to pick up a meal.

Jennifer Villany ’94

A respected professional in marketing and engagement, Villany of Woodbridge, N.J., has served as managing director/operations for Omnicom Media Group/New York, N.Y., since March 2021.

Villany — who has earned an Emmy Award Nomination, two silver and three Bronze Lions in entertainment, music, radio and media, two Silver Clio Awards and a Grand Clio — now turns her attention to SUNY Cortland.

“I am very curious and inspired by the idea of how my skills and network related to fundraising, marketing, technology and innovation might support the already active Cortland College Alumni board,” Villany said.

After earning her degree in communication studies at SUNY Cortland, Villany obtained a master’s degree in media studies from the New School for Social Research.

“One of my goals as a board member would be in support of auditing technology and innovation, understanding where the needs are and potentially building programs to drive awareness and education in tech — specifically for women and diverse communities — to lead to career opportunities,” she said.

Balancing career and parenting is a full-time job in and of itself, noted Villany, the mother of two teenage boys.

“I believe the empathy I have for alumni who have done, or are doing, the same is a great asset and one that will bring value to the alumni organization,” she said.

An avid marathon runner, Villany hopes to leverage what she has learned volunteering on behalf of women’s empowerment for the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon. She founded Run 4 All Women, a grassroots organization born in the weeks leading up to the Women’s March in 2016.

Daniel Martuscello ’96

Martuscello has served as the second highest ranking individual in the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) since 2017.

He plays a key role in formulating policy guiding the operation of 50 prisons and 38 community supervision offices, and ensuring compliance with all federal, state and local laws.

He acts as the commissioner’s principal advisor in all department matters, provides supervision to seven deputy commissioners and specializes in labor relations and inter-government affairs.

In recent years, he’s earned two top state awards, for his support of professional development and for his leadership in public administration.

Martuscello has supported SUNY Cortland by visiting campus to recruit graduating student for positions in state government associated with DOCCS.

Now Martuscello can use his valuable administrative, fiscal, human resources and diversity and inclusion experience on behalf of his alumni association.

“I would like to continue to grow in my personal life by giving back to SUNY Cortland, to both the student body and the board, and uphold the traditions and stature of the college,” said Martuscello, a former sociology major who lives in Wynantskill, N.Y.

In his 25-year-career with the DOCCS, he played a key role in shaping the department’s diversity, equity and inclusion five-year strategic plan and also served on the steering committee for the Commissioner’s Diversity Management Advisory Council.

“As 50% of our incarcerated population are Black and brown individuals, it is important to recruit a diverse workforce and have an understanding of cultural differences,” Martuscello said.

Donte Hewlett ’07, M ’12

Hewlett, who currently directs concession operations for Levy in Louisville, Kentucky, can’t wait to use those sports world connections to up the game for SUNY Cortland alumni and current and prospective students.

“The Cortland brand travels far and I want to continue that growth,” Hewlett said.

Hewlett, whose current job responsibilities involve extensive dealings with non-profit organizations that receive a cut of concession sales, also serves on Levy’s Work for Change Committee, focusing on diversity with the aim to increase internal promotion of junior level staff of color.

Since the native New Yorker received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sport management, Hewlett’s greatest passion has been mentoring sport management students from various colleges and universities via skype.

“I want to continue to help C-State grow,” Hewlett said. “I want to continue to help students understand the real world post-Cortland.”

Hewlett previously served the alumni association on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and other committees. During the pandemic, Hewlett took part in virtual meetings to hear current students talk about their challenging year.

“The best way to advance diversity and inclusion is basically to listen and understand you are never done with advancing the issue,” Hewlett said. “Active alumni engagement is important because again we need to help show the students the way. In the real world nowadays, it truly is all about who you know.”

Therno Diallo ’16

As an African American Muslim male, raised by immigrant parents in Brooklyn, N.Y., Diallo brings a diverse perspective that allows him to connect with a broad range of constituents. As a board member, that ability could help him strengthen the connections of a very diverse Red Dragon Nation with SUNY Cortland.

“I want to be around folks who genuinely love Cortland as much as I do,” Diallo said.

Diallo, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, brings plenty of high-level collegiate administrative experience to the new board role as a key administrator at Rutgers. He fulfilled a similar title at DePauw University in Indiana and at two other employers during a rapid career advance.

He also has an M.S. in athletic administration from Canisius College.

“Whether it’s problem solving, brainstorming or personnel matters, I have been able to acquire those experiences by volunteering and getting involved,” the former sport management major said.

Diallo has already served the Alumni Association on the Alum From Day One Committee and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. He’s reached out to students as a “30-minute mentor,” and volunteered as a speaker on Sport Management Alumni panels and Black History Month panels, and on the Sport Management Advisory Board.

The former Red Dragon football player also served his team as an assistant coach during 2015 when the team earned the Empire 8 Championship and was awarded Coaching Staff of the Year after going 6-2 in conference play.

“He was the ‘ideal teammate’ who embodied our central traits of caring, commitment and trust,” wrote his former SUNY Cortland football coach and fellow Cortland alum, Daniel MacNeill ’79, in a letter supporting Diallo’s nomination to the board. “He continues serving our football program as mentor, his major on its advisory board and the alumni association.”

For questions regarding recruitment or how you can be part of the Alumni Association, please email Alumni Engagement at alumni@cortland.edu.

SUNY Cortland will hold several events to observe Latine History Month, also known at National Hispanic Heritage Month, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

The occasion was first federally celebrated in 1968 and was expanded into a month-long celebration in 1988. Sept. 15 is a significant date as the anniversary of independence for countries including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

For more information, contact event organizers AnnaMaria Omilanowicz, director of the Multicultural Life and Diversity Office, or Bekeh Ukelina, acting coordinator of Latinx and Latin American Studies.

Some 2022 Latine History Month events have already taken place, including Un Verano Sin Ti Karaoke on Sept. 20 and Chips and Salsa on Sept. 22. The following events are planned:

• Tuesday, Sept. 27: Sip and Paint your Flag, Corey Union Voice Office, 6 to 8 p.m. Hosted by La Familia Latina, Black Student Union and Know Your Roots.
• Monday, Oct. 3: (Re)Constructing Blackness: Afro-Mexican Racial Formation Across Borders, Corey Union Fireplace Lounge, 3 to 5 p.m. Presented by Roberto Rincon, assistant professor of Africana and Latinx Studies, SUNY Oneonta.
• Monday, Oct. 3: Gender Roles, Corey Union, Room 209, 7:30 p.m. Hosted by La Familia Latina and Men of Value and Excellence.
• Thursday, Oct. 6: Sandwich Seminar, Puerto Rico – United States Relationship, Old Main Colloquium, noon to 1 p.m. Presented by Lorraine Lopez-Janove, chief diversity and inclusion officer.
• Monday, Oct. 10: Mi Gente Happy Hour, Corey Union steps, 3 to 5 p.m. Hosted by Ritmo Latino and La Familia Latina. Rain location, Corey Union Exhibition Lounge.
• Tuesday, Oct. 11: Homophobia in the Black and Latino Communities, Corey Union Fireplace Lounge, 6 p.m. Hosted by La Familia Latina, Black Student Union and PRIDE.
• Wednesday, Oct. 12: Letters to My Son, Lastenia Larriva de Llona, Corey Union Fireplace Lounge, 5 to 6 p.m. Presented by Odalis Patricia Hidalgo, instructor, Modern Languages Department.
• Thursday, Oct. 13: Sandwich Seminar: Latin Jazz and the Big Bands, Corey Union, Room 209, noon to 1 p.m. Presented by Lewis Rosengarten, director of the Educational Opportunity Program.
• Wednesday, Oct. 19: Celebrating Latine History Month podcast, online via Soundcloud. Hosted by La Familia Latina, the Multicultural Life and Diversity Office and Counseling and Wellness Services.

SUNY Cortland has created a Campus COVID-19 Tracker that will post the number of student and employee positive tests it receives weekly through the Fall 2022 semester.

This tracker was created in part to replace SUNY System Administration’s COVID-19 tracker, which ended earlier this month as most SUNY campuses have shifted away from mass surveillance testing of asymptomatic individuals.

Students are asked to self-report positive test results through myRedDragon. They should forward the email receipt they receive to their associate dean to notify them of their absence from classes. Additional details on the self-reporting process were emailed to students on Sept. 19. 

Employees who test positive for COVID-19 should contact Human Resources and their supervisor to coordinate a plan for using leave accruals. They should also contact their medical provider and county health department for guidance. Additional details on this process were emailed to employees on Sept. 19.

The university encourages anyone who feels ill to stay home, take a COVID-19 test as soon as possible and follow self-reporting procedures if they test positive.

More information on SUNY Cortland’s policies is available on the COVID-19 Safety Information page, which is updated regularly.