Campus Champion

Senior early childhood/child-hood education major Elizabeth Quinteros leads by example in the Syracuse city school classroom where she is doing her field placement and as a Red Dragon. The Ritmo Latino dance club vice president taught a recent Salsa class and will guide a discussion about librarian and storyteller Pura Belpré at a Literacy Department read-aloud on Wednesday, Oct. 11 — all part of Latiné Heritage Month being celebrated through Oct. 15. Elizabeth shares her contagious enthusiasm as vice president of The Horaeziel Chapter of Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority as well as the public relations coordinator for Men of Value and Excellence. 

If SUNY Cortland seems a bit more cosmopolitan this fall, it’s not your imagination.

An apparent record number of international students from around the world are studying at the university.

It is a dramatic change from recent years, when international exchanges were first barred by COVID-19 lockdowns, and then tangled by pandemic-related red tape for continent hoppers.

At first, scholars from abroad returned to Cortland in a trickle. This semester, that became a river with the arrival of 50 new international students, who bring the total number of scholars from other countries on campus to 88.

Fifty will earn a degree from Cortland including three students who will receive an extra diploma through the Dual-Diploma Program with Anadolu University in Turkey; 17 international exchange students; 13 visiting students; and eight students who are on campus engaged in practical training. In addition to that, five research scholars are on campus during the semester. 

“In my nearly 12 years at SUNY Cortland, this is the highest number of new international students that we have had enrolled for a fall semester,” said International Programs Director Daniela Baban Hurrle.

“Students are more interested in studying abroad and feel more comfortable in traveling post-pandemic.”

Three newly represented countries among this fall’s overseas contingent are Chile, Dominica, and Turks and Caicos, Baban Hurrle said.

“When an international student from a new country graduates, President Erik J. Bitterbaum opens their flag at the Commencement ceremony,” she said. “This has been a wonderful tradition to showcase so many flags and cultures over the years.”

The largest numbers of international students this fall hail from Canada, Japan, France, Spain, China, Germany, Sweden and Turkey.

The International Programs Office created several new university partnerships abroad, swelling this fall’s campus contingent. Cortland is one of seven SUNY institutions that Kanda University in Japan selected as a partner, in an arrangement that places 10 Japanese students at Cortland this semester with an academic delegation arriving on Thursday, Nov. 9. Meanwhile, two South Korean students from Kwangwoon University are studying at Cortland in an agreement spearheaded by SUNY Cortland Economics Department assistant professor and Kwangwoon University graduate Sam Jung.

The international students favor the Cortland majors in sport management, healthcare management, exercise science, psychology, biomedical sciences, political sciences, teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) and communication and media studies.

“We are hoping to increase the international students’ numbers for the coming years,” Baban Hurrle said.

“I appreciate how every student is valued here, a contrast to my experience at my previous university in my home country,” said Fahima Aqtar, a newly matriculated graduate community health major from Dhaka, Bangladesh.

During her orientation curriculum, at a point where she was feeling lonely in a new country and at new school, Aqtar recalls that university President Bitterbaum approached and struck up a conversation, mentioning to her amazement both her husband and the institution where her husband is studying; something he remembered from a past conversation.

“This approach is a wonderful way to boost students’ confidence and ensure they feel valued rather than ostracized,” Aqtar said.

Baban Hurrle attributes some of the increase to a more streamlined visa process in some of the European and East Asian countries, which allows some students to mail their passports to the U.S. Embassy to obtain visas instead of traveling to the nearest U.S. embassy.

Cortland’s Admissions Office has found ways to make the English proficiency testing process easier for travelers who do not speak English as their primary language, for example, by offering Duolingo language testing.

“It’s more cost efficient and students can take it from their home or the local library, and don’t have to rely on scheduling tests at their local testing centers,” which sometimes were located hours away from students’ homes, Baban Hurrle said.

“The fact that English is not my native language means I have to work harder than others to follow and understand the professor,” said Samuel Birkner, a sport management major from Cologne, Germany.

He’s glad that at Cortland there are classes to help him work on his English language skills as well as the chance to play varsity men’s soccer.

“We need to go to the library three times a week with the soccer team, so we can get a lot of work done there,” Birkner said.

The International Programs Office introduces each international student to campus through a robust six-day orientation.

“Our office provides many intercultural events throughout the academic year, which gives students opportunities to better integrate into the Cortland community and experience a part of Americana,” Baban Hurrle said.

“The International Programs office has played a huge role in my academics,” said Axel Norbro, a junior transfer student from Vimmerby, Sweden. “(The staff) have been extremely supportive and always help me whenever it’s needed.”

Many offices and departments that engage with the general student population also collaborate to ensure that the international students make the most of their experience. These include the Modern Languages Department, the Learning Center and the Writing Center, Residence Life and Housing office, and the Advisement and Transition office.

Ziyang “Jennie” Guo of Zibo, China, first arrived as an exchange student. This fall, she transferred to SUNY Cortland, where she is a junior economics major who paid it forward as an International Student Orientation leader.

“I am very excited to give new international students the same kindness that I received when I first came to Cortland,” Jennie said. “When I talk to international students at other schools, I am always proud that I was well cared for at Cortland.”

Top image: International students at SUNY Cortland for Fall 2023 experienced the tradition of dining with the SUNY Cortland President earlier this semester.

Don’t like being the center of attention? View ice breakers as an unnecessary evil? Then come to Club Introvert, the hottest spot at SUNY Cortland for anyone who wants to embrace their quiet side. 

Access to the not-so-exclusive club is free every Tuesday from 4 to 5 p.m. in Corey Union, Room 209. No sign up is required. The goal, according to Prevention Educator Marissa Whitaker, is simple: let introverted students connect without the pressure of forcing friendships. 

It was Whitaker and Senior Counselor Jen Talarico of Counseling and Wellness Services — both self-professed introverts — that came up with and developed the idea this semester. The two first discussed it as a joke, and wondered how many introverts would be willing to join and talk with other people. 

“We decided on a whim to give it a shot,” Whitaker said. “The worst-case scenario was we would see each other for an hour and then no students would come. But much to our surprise, we actually had seven students at our very first one.” 

As facilitators, Whitaker and Talarico give an outline of possible topics to talk about before each meeting. In Whitaker’s experience, being prepared helps make a social setting more comfortable. Topics have ranged from Halloween movies to whether yellow Starbursts should stay in the pack with their better liked brethren. (Spoilers: In a divisive decision, no they do not.) 

Guests at Club Introvert can expect a place where it's easy to relate and feel comfortable with each other. Whitaker knows firsthand that, for introverts, silence can be golden but that they still want to make connections. It’s a topic that she and Talarico talked about as part of their university podcast, “Silver Linings.” In its first episode they discussed introvert myths, and the belief that they’re always shy and reserved.  

“That’s not the case at all,” Whitaker said. “If you find something that an introverted person wants to talk about, or you get them within their group of peers, you would never know that people are introverted in these club meetings. So, I think that’s a really big misperception is that introverted people can't socialize — they do.” 

An introvert may not wish to be alone, but socializing can still be difficult or exhausting. Whitaker and Talarico designed Club Introvert as a place where even the most reserved socializers won’t hit their limit quickly.  

“You can come whenever you want within that hour and you can leave whenever you want within the hour,” Whitaker said. “As an introvert, I also like to know what an exit strategy would be, so if you get there and you decide ‘I’m not feeling this, this isn’t my vibe,’ then you can go no questions asked.” 

Early results show the program is working. The first gathering in September welcomed seven students. Since then, meetings have had as many as 20. Whitaker said she’s even been asked if another Club Introvert could be opened for faculty and staff.  

It’s one of the rare times that an introvert like Whitaker appreciates a sudden flood of attention. 

“The program was a success after the very first one. Hearing the students ask, ‘Where have you been this whole time?’ made the whole thing worth it to me. After the first one, a few students exchanged phone numbers. We’re not facilitating the exchange of numbers, but if that’s happening organically, that’s exactly what we wanted to do — find ways for people to connect in a nontraditional format.” 

For more information on Club Introvert, or if you’d like to become a member yourself, email marissa.whitaker@cortland.edu. 

Perseverance. Sacrifice. Life experience.

These are just some of the traits that non-traditional and transfer students bring to SUNY Cortland. The university will celebrate both groups Monday, Oct. 23, to Friday, Oct. 27, with special events and campus community member features.

Dual non-traditional transfer students highlighted below include:

• Calvin “Clay” Barnett, an adolescence education: English major from Harlem, N.Y.
• Emily Fedrizzi, a criminology major from Genoa, N.Y.
• Melinda “Mindy” Gardner, a therapeutic recreation major from Cortland, N.Y.
• Michelle LaMorte, a graphic design and digital media major from Dryden, N.Y.

Additional faculty and staff spotlights call out advice from SUNY Cortland employees who transferred during their own college experience. 

SUNY Cortland currently enrolls approximately 200 non-traditional students, a population that the university defines as undergraduate students who are 24 or older or, regardless of their age, have dependent children, work full-time, have military experience or have made a break in education at some point after high school.

“These students are so often role models for their fellow undergraduates as they balance additional responsibilities outside the classroom, like families and jobs,” said Marinda Souva, associate director for transition programs and the advisor for the university’s Non-Traditional Student Organization. “I always enjoy learning from their experiences and perspectives.”

This fall, about 480 transfer students started their SUNY Cortland journey, with more than 200 expected to join this spring.

“Transfer students are a priority at Cortland,” said Greg Diller ’07, coordinator of transition programs. “Making the decision to start over at a new school can be daunting. We strive to create a strong support system for these students and help guide them through their transition.”

The week will feature stories about successful non-traditional and transfer students, highlights on faculty and staff who experienced the transfer process, opportunities to recognize non-traditional and transfer students as well as workshops and other activities.

Schedule of events

• Scholarship 101
  
  Monday, Oct. 23
  2 to 3 p.m.
  Old Main, Room B-17A
  
  Learn about the many scholarship opportunities available for non-traditional and transfer students and how to make your application stand out.

• Pizza and Wings
  
  Tuesday, Oct. 24
  Noon to 1:30 p.m.
  Non-Traditional Student Lounge (second floor of Cornish Hall)
  
  Grab lunch, chat with other non-traditional students and learn about resources offered through Clear Path for Veterans. This event is sponsored by a grant from Cortland Auxiliary Services.
  
  
• Transfer Tuesday Advising Prep
  
  Tuesday, Oct. 24
  3 to 4 p.m.
  Memorial Library, Room A-111 (Advisement and Transition Conference Room)
  
  Learn how to prepare for spring advising and registration.
  
  
• Study Abroad 101: Transfer Edition
  
  Wednesday, Oct. 25
  3 to 5 p.m.
  Old Main Colloquium
  
  Learn more about study abroad opportunities that may appeal especially to transfer students.
  
  
• Transfer Fall Festival
  
  Wednesday, Oct. 25
  4 to 6 p.m.
  Corey Union Exhibition Lounge
  
  Enjoy fall crafting fun for transfers and non-traditional students. This event is sponsored by Tau Sigma Honor Society, a national honor society specifically for transfer students.

• Planetarium Show **
  
  Wednesday, Oct. 25
  6:30 p.m.
  Bowers Hall Planetarium
  
  Non-traditional students and their families can enjoy a break from studying and watch the stars.
  
  
• Take a Transfer Student for Donuts
  
  Oct. 26
  11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  Newmark Pavilion
  
  Donuts and cider will be available for transfer and non-traditional students who are recognized by SUNY Cortland faculty and staff members.
  
  
• Non-Traditional Students Organization Meeting
  
  Thursday, Oct. 26
  6:30 p.m.
  Webex
  
  
• Door Decorating Contest Winners Announced
  
  Friday, Oct. 27
  
  Tau Sigma Honor Society will award prizes to offices across who decorate their door following this year’s theme for National Transfer Student Week, “Full Steam Ahead.”

** Sign-up required prior to event.

Faculty and staff transfer spotlights

Matthew Madden
Associate Professor, Physical Education Department

Transfer path: San Joaquin Delta Community College to California State University, Chico

Advice: “Get involved in some form of student activities beyond your coursework — student government, Greek life, academic clubs or club sports or intramurals.” 

Krista Natale ’11
Technology Support Specialist in The Help Center 

Transfer path: Tompkins Cortland Community College to SUNY Cortland 

Advice: “Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if it is in class or just in general. It is the best way to advocate for yourself. By doing so, you will make connections along the way that will be lifelong resources even after college.”

Justin Neretich ’17
Assistant Director for Operations, Residence Life and Housing Office

Transfer path: SUNY Purchase to SUNY Cortland

Advice: “I separated from my first institution knowing it wasn’t the right fit for me and had a better understanding of what I was looking for in my college experience by the time I transferred. Go find what you were looking for all along but were hesitant to do!”

Non-traditional transfer student spotlights

Calvin “Clay” Barnett

Adolescence Education: English

Harlem, N.Y.

When he’s feeling stressed or anxious, Clay Barnett reminds himself that he’s already persevered to earn an associate degree. He’s committed to going even further.

“For a long time, I didn’t think I would amount to anything,” said Barnett, a non-traditional student who struggled to complete high school in New York City before he eventually enrolled at SUNY Sullivan in his late 20s. “Earning that degree gave me a sense of belonging.”

Now 31 years old, Barnett tries to motivate younger classmates and help them see that they belong at SUNY Cortland. He’s the director of diversity, equity and inclusion for the university’s Student Government Association as well as a resident assistant and a scholar in Cortland’s Urban Recruitment of Educators (C.U.R.E.) program. This February, he will lead activities for Abraham Lincoln DeMond 1889 Day, celebrating the university’s first Black graduate.

“Community is really important to me,” said Barnett, explaining that he has transformed since his high school days more than a decade ago.

He juggled jobs in the food service industry in New York City and Springfield, Mass., for several years, eventually working up to a manager’s role. But Barnett said he remembers feeling unsatisfied most days and wanting more for his life.

Multiple times, he fell just short on an entry test to SUNY Sullivan, a community college in Loch Sheldrake, N.Y., roughly two hours from Cortland. But after he eventually passed the exam, Barnett said a switch flipped and he committed to earning a college degree.

“I remember crying on the bus (to SUNY Sullivan),” he said. “I knew that my life was going to change forever.”

He succeeded at SUNY Sullivan and came to Cortland because of an Open House bus trip from New York City led by Khalia Banks ’13, a senior admissions advisor. Barnett found inspiration in Banks and her husband, Eric Banks ’13, M ’16, who he saw as an example of successful young alumni living and working near New York City.

In a similar way, Barnett aspires to teach after graduating and eventually become the dean of students at a high school who helps struggling students see their potential.

“I came to Cortland and I started to thrive,” he said. “I want to do that for other people.”

Emily Fedrizzi

Criminology

Genoa, N.Y.

Emily Fedrizzi said she tends to look up to fellow non-traditional students in her classes because they’re often the ones setting a good example. A criminology major and 26-year-old veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Fedrizzi is proof herself. 

“I think that non-traditional students add fieldwork and life experiences,” she said. “They’re very wise.”

Fedrizzi’s own military service reflects her personal commitment to education and her identity as a non-traditional student. After graduating from Southern Cayuga High School in 2015, she enrolled at Cayuga Community College and saw the benefits of enlisting in the U.S. Air Force.

“I wanted to further my education and that was a way to do it,” said Fedrizzi, who was stationed in Ramstein Air Base in Germany and served for four years from 2017 to 2021. “I loved it.”

In the Air Force, Fedrizzi was a member of Security Forces, which meant she was part of the military police working on flight lines to guard fighter jets and bomber planes. She traveled to 13 different countries, and the experience gave her practical experience tied to her academic interests.

Ultimately, the reputation of SUNY Cortland’s criminology major led Fedrizzi to enroll at the university in 2022. While many institutions may offer criminal justice, she explained the appeal of a criminology program.

“You’re thinking about what factors are playing into the criminal justice system, so it goes a little bit deeper here,” said Fedrizzi, a Dean’s List student who will graduate in May.

On campus, she serves as the vice president of SUNY Cortland’s Student Veterans and Military Club and recently joined the university’s new Fishing Club. After graduating, Fedrizzi plans to pursue a master’s in criminology through her G.I. Bill benefits and eventually hopes to earn a Ph.D. in the discipline.

She credits the university’s support for non-traditional students, especially from faculty members.

“Professors are not only knowledgeable but they’re willing to help if you need it,” she said. “They’re very empathetic, which isn’t the case everywhere.”

Melinda “Mindy” Gardner

Therapeutic Recreation

Cortland, N.Y.

For her entire professional life, Mindy Gardner has worked to improve the lives of children and teenagers. She came to SUNY Cortland to earn a degree that will officially underscore the value of the hands-on experience she brings to the community.

Gardner balances her studies with working a full-time job and raising a young family of four — two commitments that some of the most dedicated non-traditional students juggle. A local Cortland resident, Gardner has built a meaningful career spanning 13-plus years at YWCA Cortland, first as a preschool teacher for eight years and now as a mentor director overseeing youth programming.

“I love my job and I want to elevate it to the next level,” said Gardner, 38, a therapeutic recreation major who also serves as president of the university’s Non-Traditional Student Organization. “Having SUNY Cortland in our backyard has allowed me to do that, using a lot of the things that I’ve learned in my current position.”

Gardner explained that she chose therapeutic recreation as a major because she wants to expand the possibilities for children, in the same way that others in the discipline work with the elderly or people with disabilities. Her current role at the YWCA includes hands-on group mentoring as well as lunch therapy in schools.

“I think working with youth is where I’m at my best,” Gardner said.

Originally from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., she began her studies after high school at Duchess Community College, but paused them after moving to the Binghamton area to care for her grandmother. Gardner and her husband settled in Cortland in 2010, and she eventually resumed coursework through a tuition exchange program between the YWCA and Tompkins Cortland Community College.

When Gardner found out she was close to earning an associate degree in human services, she decided to keep going for a bachelor’s that could provide career advancement. Despite having two young boys at home — now 7 and 4 years old — Gardner jumped in and now takes three classes each semester.

In addition to their life experience, Gardner mentioned non-traditional students bring an important element of collaboration to the classroom.

“When today’s students graduate from college, they’re going to be thrown into a workforce where they have to work with different people of different ages — not just their professor, not just their boss, but their co-workers,” she said. “And they might even be the supervisor of someone who’s older.

“So that aspect of learning how to collaborate and work with different age groups right off the bat can be a huge asset.”

Michelle LaMorte

Graphic Design and Digital Media

Dryden, N.Y.

It’s easy to wonder when Michelle LaMorte finds time to sleep.

The mother of three takes a full-time schedule as a graphic design and digital media major. She serves as a teaching assistant in a multimedia course. She works at Tompkins Cortland Community College both as a professional tutor and lab manager. And she contributes her artistic talent to the Ithaca Times as a part-time photographer.

“I do a lot of different things,” said LaMorte, 43, who lives in Dryden.

That much has been true since long before she started her studies at SUNY Cortland. LaMorte grew up in Dryden and attended Tompkins Cortland Community College and SUNY Delhi in the late 1990s, at a time when course planning and degree progress wasn’t easily accessible online.

That led her to enlist in the U.S. Navy in 2000 and serve two years as an aviation support equipment technician, before starting a family. Over the next two decades, LaMorte and her husband would reside in both New York and North Carolina, raising three daughters — now ages 21, 18 and 12.

Her studies stayed on hold while she worked and cared for her family. But LaMorte’s husband faced several serious health complications that eventually forced her to reconsider her long-term career goals.

“I had already been thinking that I really wanted to go back to school,” LaMorte said. “I didn’t like working in factories, and I needed something more sustainable.”

In 2019, she resumed her studies at Tompkins Cortland Community College and earned her associate degree in 2021. Many nearby jobs in the graphic design field required a four-year degree or similar experience, so SUNY Cortland made sense.

“I wanted to be an example too,” said LaMorte, whose second daughter recently began her studies at Elmira College.

She is on track to earn her bachelor’s degree in May and has considered pursuing a master’s degree down the road. LaMorte said she has appreciated her Cortland experience because she feels like she belongs on campus, even if many of her classmates are younger in age.

“I think non-traditional students have life experience that they can lend to traditional-age students,” LaMorte said. “They’ve seen things and experienced things that they can share with others.”

On Oct. 2, members of the community were invited to join a roundtable talk on the state of local news hosted by SUNY Cortland’s WSUC student radio club at the Cortland Free Library, Cortland, N.Y.

The event was thanks to the Community News Project, a recent creation at the university and part of a larger national effort to help address the decline of local news across the country. Although Cortland is served by several local news organizations, a growing number of communities now exist in “news deserts”: areas that lack local media coverage and must are forced to rely on national news sources that don’t provide the kind of focused, in-depth coverage a local newspaper or radio station does. WSUC recorded the talk for a later broadcast. 

Caroline Kaltefleiter, professor in the Communication and Media Studies Department, is leading the local initiative to see how student reporters might help support local news organizations.

"We had a good turnout, including students, some of whom grew up in Cortland," Kaltefleiter said. "Other community members offered suggestions for stories needing further coverage including housing, particularly housing for seniors, continued coverage on the unhoused, the closing of Parker School and future use of the building, ongoing discussion of drug use in the city."

The meeting was a first step in a long-term project, Kaltefleiter said, with more community discussion to come. Eventually she and Paul Arras, assistant professor of the Communication and Media Studies Department and advisor to the Dragon Chronicle student newspaper, want the project to help local news organizations and find ways to give students real-life experience in a possible career path

“In Cortland we're fortunate that we have a newspaper that has been around for over 100 years in the Cortland Standard,” Arras said. “And we’ve got the Cortland Voice and the radio station (WXHC) so we're not a news desert like some other communities — even some nearby. But it's a hard ecosystem out there right now for local news and we're trying to figure out how we can use our resources in the department to help fill in some of the gaps.”

Kaltefleiter noted that student help can be a valuable resource for media companies at a time when the economics of journalism is less forgiving than in past decades.

“Having worked in a newsroom, people are already spread thin, so the goal is not to give any of the media partners more work,” Kaltefleiter said. “But if people are doing data-driven journalism and you need an assist in terms of research assistance or there's a need to go out and get background interviews this can be an opportunity.” 

Cortland’s Community News Project emerged from a campus workshop created by SUNY Cortland alum Richard Watts ’85, a professor and lecturer at the University of Vermont. He is the architect of the national Center for Community News, which encourages local journalism. The organization named Kaltefleiter to be one of 33 faculty champions for the initiative nationwide, providing $1,000 to each to fund the start of their own local media projects.  

Kaltefleiter credits the ongoing support of the university’s provost, Ann McClellan, and Cortland Free Library Director Jen Graney, but stressed that this is a long-term effort with an ambitious goal. More than just helping media companies survive, she wants people engaged with them, which she views as a core element of a healthy democracy. 

"I think having strong checks and balances on the government really comes back to the press,” said Kaltefleiter, a former journalist for National Public Radio and current executive producer and host of The Digital Divide on WSUC, who said she’s seen the importance of local news and the damage caused by its decline.  

“For people to be able to feel that their concerns are being covered — and being able to see how they tie into the community — is crucial.”

Kaltefleiter cited a law enforcement raid on a small Kansas newspaper, the Marion County Record, as an example of what happens when interest fades to a point that powerful individuals feel they can take advantage of weakened news outlets. There's also the important need of citizens to know clear facts, like how taxes are spent. 

“I truly believe that the loss of journalism has been accompanied by a spread of misinformation and disinformation,” she said. “It's also contributed to political polarization. We've seen that in the eroding of trust in the media. And so, I feel that if you can bring people together, get them in person, and then give them the microphone to participate then perhaps we can begin to address some of these issues in terms of the digital and the economic divides.” 

Throughout October, SUNY Cortland’s entry lights will shine purple to highlight National Domestic Violence Month, drawing attention to an issue that claims victims across all age, gender, race, sexuality, religion, education and economic levels.

But that’s not all the university is doing to help combat domestic and sexual violence.

Members of SUNY Cortland’s It’s On Us Action Team will join the student club Students Active for Ending Rape (SAFER) to raise awareness about interpersonal violence and offer resources to individuals seeking support. Prevention Awareness, Health Promotion and the Title IX Office are also involved in the awareness campaign.

The effort includes a variety of campus activities and events:

• Domestic Violence Awareness chalking. Wednesday, Oct. 11 from noon to 4 p.m. on the front steps of Corey Union. The campus community is invited to write encouraging messages for students impacted by dating violence. A rain date is set for Thursday, Oct. 12.
• Take Back the Night March. Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. at the steps of Corey Union. The campus march is part of an international event aimed at encouraging people to actively fight to end sexual and domestic violence in all forms. The keynote speakers include SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum, Title IX Coordinator Maggie Wetter and a selected student speaker.
• Purple Shirt Day. Wednesday, Oct. 25, all day. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to wear purple shirts to draw attention to that evening’s Take Back the Night campus march. Participants are encouraged to wear stickers that state “ask me why I am wearing purple.” Purple stickers are available from the Counseling Center, the Title IX Office, the Health Prevention Office, the Residence Life and Housing Office, Athletics Department and Advisement and Transition.
• Consent Carts. Students tired of walking around campus should keep an eye out for Consent Carts. These are golf carts that offer to drive students to on-campus destinations in exchange for a discussion about consent and sexual violence prevention. One Consent Cart program occurred early this month and at least one more is planned.
• “An Empty Seat at the Table.” Tables in the Student Life Center and in Van Hoesen and Cornish halls will offer a symbolic reminder of the cost of abuse. “An Empty Seat at the Table” display features an empty seat and place setting as a reminder of the lives lost to domestic violence. On the plates and silverware are facts about domestic violence and resources for those who need it.
• “Red Flag Campaign.” There is also an ongoing social media “Red Flag Campaign” that illustrates how to recognize the different warning signs in relationships. Signs about unhealthy relationships are posted on the Its On Us Instagram account in collaboration with the Aid to Victims of Violence. Also, Red Flags have been placed around campus to illustrate unhealthy signs of relationships.
• “Relationship Jenga.” Nov. 1 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Neubig Hall lobby. This Wellness Wednesday Series event is cosponsored by the It’s On Us Action Team and Conley Counseling and Wellness Services. Play Jenga to understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships.

Good news for anyone who was thinking of giving a presentation at November’s 2023 SUNY Cortland 13th Annual Student Diversity Conference, but hasn’t signed up yet.

The Call for Presentations registration deadline has been extended until Wednesday, Oct. 11, and the registration link is live.

Presentations should be 50 minutes in length. Submissions are open to all undergraduate and graduate students. Successful sessions must support participants in their development in at least one of the following areas:

• Articulating the advantages and impact of a diverse society
• Exhibiting respect and preserving the dignity of others
• Recognizing social systems and their influence on people
• Affirming and valuing the worth of individuals and communities

Proposals must include:

• Name(s) of presenter(s)
• Departmental and/or organizational affiliation
• Connection to learning outcomes, listed above
• Method of presentation
• Abstract (minimum of 250 words)
• Works-cited references

The annual student-led conference, on Saturday, Nov. 4, seeks to promote open-mindedness, celebrate diversity and promote awareness of divergent views on the university campus and within its communities.

The deadline to register to attend the conference is Saturday, Oct. 21.

Anyone can attend the conference. There is no registration cost for the SUNY Cortland Community. The registration cost for non-SUNY Cortland students is $25. The registration cost for non-SUNY Cortland faculty/staff, alumni and community members is $30. 

Those who wish to attend should visit the campus community registration website, a second site for groups or individuals who aren’t affiliated with SUNY Cortland, or the virtual registration site, which will only feature the welcome address and keynote speech. Terrance King will give the keynote speech at 1:30 p.m. on the topic of “We Shall Overcome: White Privilege and Spirit Murder in Higher Education.”

According to organizers, the conference allows participants to problematize, conceptualize, research and present across a wide range of disciplines. Diversity-related topics may involve but are not limited to race/ethnicity, class, gender, culture, sexuality or orientation, disabilities/abilities, religion, or age, explored through the prism of the presenter.

The conference aims to explore the dedication that the SUNY Cortland Community has to diversity in all its aspects, including the celebration of various identities, inclusion, and pathways to creating meaningful ways of coming together and celebrating one another.

For more information, contact multicultural.life@cortland.edu.

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

Dear campus community members,

Like many of you, I have watched the escalating violence in Israel and Gaza in horror and increasing concern. These attacks have killed more than 1,500 people, including innocent children, while many others have been kidnapped and remain fearing for their lives. The images of destruction break my heart.

I know many students and employees share connections to this region, on both sides of the conflict. They may know people who are missing or fighting or displaced from their homes. Colleagues have shared that they are struggling to focus on the work in front of them. I encourage you to be there for them, whether it is through listening, providing comfort or attending an educational event.

Please know that none of our SUNY Cortland students are traveling in these regions through university-sponsored programs. That does not lessen the pain that many are feeling from thousands of miles away. I encourage you to remember the following outlets and resources on campus:

• Students can find support through the Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office, Multicultural Life and Diversity Office, Counseling Center or Student Government Association. SUNY Cortland Hillel offers a close-knit community for Jewish students on campus.

• Employees can contact the Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office or utilize services through the Employee Assistance Program.

• All campus community members can use the bias-related incident form to report any incidents related to antisemitism or Islamophobia.

The cycle of conflict currently affecting the Middle East is a complex and deeply rooted issue, resulting in many innocent lives lost due to senseless violence. As a campus community, we must continue to support others who are hurting.

Sincerely, 

Erik J. Bitterbaum
President

The Ethics of Mandated Reporting Workshop, geared for preservice teachers, will be held online at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 30.

This workshop will ask participants to think critically about the impact of child welfare and child protective services on children and families. Attendees will learn strategies from practitioners and family advocates about culturally competent approaches, supporting parents and what is in the best interest of the children. Special attention will be paid to positive role modeling by teachers.  

The workshop is free. Register by Friday, Oct. 27, using this online form. A confirmation and Webex invitation will be sent to registrants on Monday, Oct. 30. 

Keynote speakers will be Tiffany McFadden, adjunct professor at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and the Logistical Lead for the New York City March for Justice and Zoe Russell, policy counsel with the Bronx Defenders.

Questions about registering for this event can be directed to Katie Silvestri, Literacy Department.  

The workshop is hosted by Sophia’s Garden Institute and Black Lives Matter at School Committee. Co-sponsors include Education Club, Social Justice Committee, Childhood/Early Childhood Education Department and the Center for Ethics, Peace and Social Justice.