Campus Champion

Exercise science major Reza Afkhami, a graduate assistant to Health Educator Lauren Scagnelli, works to ensure that all students have equal access to campus resources. As part of that, Reza was instrumental in the creation of the West Mini Cupboard, a food pantry on West Campus that provided food and hygiene products during Winter Break to residents without transportation. After Reza graduates, the international student originally from Iran wants to help discover the next generation of U.S. soccer stars, believing this country’s size and diversity makes it a potential hotbed for his favorite sport. 

Althea "Faith" Shaw-Hester ’88, whose do-what-it-takes approach to teaching New York’s most disadvantaged youth was highlighted in a 2013 Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times article and subsequent book, will deliver the keynote address at SUNY Cortland’s third annual Abraham Lincoln DeMond 1889 Day.

Shaw-Hester, who currently teaches older, under-credited students at Mott Haven Community High School in the Bronx, N.Y., will address “How to Finish What You started” on Saturday, Feb. 1.

Her talk, at 6 p.m. in Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge, will focus on how today’s first-year students can get off to a great start.

“I’ll just be giving them some practical steps to finishing what they initiated in order to give them a smoother ride,” Shaw-Hester said. “The ride is not going to be bump free but it doesn’t need to be as tumultuous as for me.”

The event, which marks the official start of SUNY Cortland’s 2025 Black History Month event series, is free and open to the public. An RSVP to attend the event is requested.

Refreshments will be served, courtesy of the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association. Event sponsors include the Student Government Association, SUNY Cortland Alumni Association and the Institutional Equity and Inclusion office.

“I chose Faith as our keynote speaker for Abraham Lincoln Demond Day because she is a Cortland alum from Brooklyn, N.Y., where I grew up,”" said organizer Dwayne Jones, the SGA director of diversity, equity and inclusion and a senior biology major. “Also, her dedication to giving back to the community as a teacher made her the perfect fit. I hope that other students can see themselves in her and use her as a role model.”

Shaw-Hester’s story began with her fleeing New York’s mean streets for SUNY Cortland’s lifeline, only to return to Brooklyn years later as a dedicated educator, determined to help lift her old neighborhood’s children out of poverty, danger and tragedy.

“Invisible Child: Dasani’s Homeless Life,” a gripping tale of both hope and despair, was first published in 2013 as a five-part series focusing on Dasani, a homeless girl who was a student of Hester’s. At the time, Shaw-Hester was a humanities teacher at Susan S. McKinney Secondary School of the Arts. The story, by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Andrea Elliott, served as a lens into the lives of the approximately 22,000 homeless children living in New York City.

The story was lauded by readers, and Hester stood out as one of its most inspiring heroes — the veteran teacher brimming with energy and creativity despite challenging circumstances, the one who treats an entire classroom of students as if they all are her adopted children.

Shaw-Hester earned renewed attention for her classroom style in 2021, when Elliott  released Invisible Child, a 624-page, highly rated National Bestseller book encompassing the groundbreaking series, described by The New York Times reviewer as a “vivid and devastating portrait of a young girl.”

“She’s still living in the city,” Shaw-Hester said of Dasani. “I don’t think she’s finished college yet. They (her family) are definitely out of the shelter. When I last met with her mom, she was doing better.”

Shaw-Hester herself grew up near where Dasani’s story takes place in Brooklyn’s notorious Marcy public housing project, where she witnessed brutal assaults and learned first-hand the devastating impact of widespread heroin and crack cocaine addiction on her neighbors. As a child, she saw people being wheeled out from her family’s apartment building on ambulance gurneys, the victims of shootings.

College in Cortland was her ticket away from there for good.

“I was running away from home ’cause I grew up in the projects too,” Shaw-Hester said. “My guidance counselor promised to get me an ‘away school’ because my parents didn’t want me to leave.

“My journey at Cortland was not linear,” she said. “If I had been more strategic, it wouldn’t have been as hard for me.”

At Cortland she met like-minded people with big-picture aspirations. She also discovered the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), which allowed her to travel across the state and lobby for important social causes like an end to apartheid in South Africa. Shaw-Hester would later earn two master’s degrees in education.

Her current employer serves a similar population as McKinney. Hester still goes the extra miles, meeting with parents and stepping in sometimes to make sure kids can get adequately fed during school breaks. Some of the students have children themselves or live in shelters. More of them have special needs.

“They need love, they need people to listen to them, they need people to set boundaries for them until they can set them for themselves,” Shaw-Hester said.

Several former students were lost to violence during her career.

“Two years ago, we buried a student who was trying to get out of the game,” she said. “I know it was his birthday the next day, and he and his brother went out and got shot in front of his building.

“I do sometimes get visited by the ones who made it. It’s awesome,” Shaw-Hester said. “They say, ‘Look Ms. Hester!’ and they show me their college diploma. … One said, ‘I want you to be there when my child is born.’”

Abraham Lincoln DeMond 1889 Day was initiated in 2023 to honor DeMond, Cortland’s first Black alum. He graduated  just 24 years after the Civil War and became a leader in the national fight against the prejudicial policies and segregation that were enforced across much of the United States, and calling for full rights as American citizens.

Born in Seneca, N.Y., he attended the Cortland Normal School — the institution that later became SUNY Cortland. After graduation, DeMond studied theology at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and became pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, the same church from which Martin Luther King Jr. would one day help launch the civil rights movement.

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President Erik J. Bitterbaum started the Spring 2025 semester by sharing recent successes and discussing student needs at SUNY Cortland’s annual State of the University Address for faculty and staff members.

During his hourlong remarks on Jan. 23, Bitterbaum discussed four leading student concerns, according to national data: college affordability, future job prospects, safety and mental health. He encouraged faculty and staff members to be aware of the trends, and to consider ways to keep students engaged during their SUNY Cortland experience.

Bitterbaum recounted a short but powerful student compliment recently shared with a faculty member: “I came to class because you make me feel like I matter.”

“I would say this is a principle of higher education,” Bitterbaum said. “And it can be simple sometimes.”

The president gave the example of memorizing student names and learning details about them, a common practice he observed in SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus Steven Broyles. Recognizing the new experiences and challenges faced by first-generation students also proves important, Bitterbaum said.

“I like to call this intrusive advising — getting to know (students) and caring about them in your own special way,” Bitterbaum said. “What I have noticed over time is that a faculty member who does this leads to increased persistence to graduation. 

In addition to discussing challenges faced by college students nationally, the president noted trends in higher education such as people questioning the value of a college degree and enrollment shortfalls due to the declining number of high school graduates in many areas of the U.S., especially the Northeast.

Bitterbaum was quick to highlight encouraging signs as well: greater economic mobility for bachelor’s degree recipients, strong public support for investment in higher education and increased earning potential for future college graduates. He urged faculty and staff members to recognize the “soft skills” sought by many employers — communication, critical thinking, collaboration — and weave them into experiences that engage students.

“Learning is not a spectator sport,” Bitterbaum said. “Genuine learning is not passive, but active. ... It’s the process of discovery where the student is the main agent.”

The role of higher education in a democratic society also inspired updates, with Bitterbaum highlighting the SUNY system’s new required general education core competency in civic discourse starting in Fall 2026. Discussion of civic engagement initiatives included a mention of the university’s Cortland Applied Learning Practitioners’ Community of Practice, which provides up to five fellowship awards for faculty members who incorporate civic decision-making in their syllabus. 

Additional campus updates and achievements covered a range of topics:

• Faculty excellence: Recent individual honors included several fellowships. Teagan Bradway, associate professor of English, earned the Cornell Society for the Humanities Fellowship; Kathleen Burke, SUNY distinguished teaching professor of economics, was awarded the Business-Higher Education Forum Innovation Fellowship; and Carrie Rood, assistant professor of foundations and social advocacy, was recognized with the SUNY Accessibility Advocates and Allies Faculty Fellowship.

• New accreditation: The university’s School of Education recently earned a new national accreditation from the American Association for Quality in Educator Preparation, ensuring that the largest comprehensive teacher education program in the SUNY system meets high standards.

  
  

• Study abroad participation: The number of SUNY Cortland students pursuing an international academic experience has increased by approximately 20% annually since the COVID-19 pandemic. During winter session, students traveled to Belize, Germany, Mexico, Ireland and Thailand. SUNY Cortland students are studying in 14 countries during the spring semester.

• Naming academic spaces: Two dedications in honor of generous alumni were shared from the fall semester: the Barbara A. Galpin ’68, M ’74 Institute for Civic Engagement and the Phylis D. ’58 and Fredric R. Fralick ’59 Teaching Materials Center.

• West Campus Mini Cupboard: During winter break, the SUNY Cortland Cupboard offered a small, temporary offshoot to provide a food pantry for residents of West Campus Apartments without access to transportation during break.

• Construction progress: Van Hoesen and Cornish halls continue to be renovated as part of a $27 million upgrade scheduled to be completed in January 2026, bringing multimedia facilities for the Communication and Media Studies Department as well as new space for space for Conley Counseling and Wellness Services, the Disability Resources Office and the Educational Opportunity Program. A major $60 million renovation of Corey Union, the university’s meeting spot for many student organizations, is expected to begin in Spring 2026.

Bitterbaum also addressed important topics related to technology in higher education, including artificial intelligence and new national standards related to web accessibility. He discussed efforts taking place on campus that address both. A SUNY Cortland Generative AI Pedagogy and Student Learning Fair is expected to take place later in the spring, and efforts to make web-related content accessible for all continue.

The president concluded with uplifting notes recognizing the work of the university’s faculty and staff members.

“We are a remarkable place,” Bitterbaum said. “Each of you in your own way are doing unique things —advising, doing workshops, leading undergraduate research, affecting students.

“When I talk to our alums, it’s a faculty or staff member who inspired them or changed their lives. We forget that sometimes. … These stories remind me how extraordinary our faculty and staff members are.”

SUNY Cortland Associate Professor Carrie Rood is among 11 educators selected across the SUNY system for a new fellowship focused on improving accessibility for the more than 10% of SUNY students who self-identify as having a disability.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. Thursday announced the educators picked for the yearlong SUNY Accessibility Advocates and Allies Faculty Fellowship Program, which was created to explore models and strategies to build and expand a culture of access across the largest comprehensive higher education system in the nation.

“There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, and we are committed to excellence and inclusivity across our 64 SUNY campuses,” King said. “The work of our inaugural Accessibility Fellows is crucial to ensuring our faculty have the support to consistently adopt inclusive teaching practices to guarantee student success and upward mobility.”

In the coming year, Rood and the other fellows will play an important role in helping SUNY campuses significantly enhance adaptations to allow fuller participation by students with disabilities who have made themselves known to their campus disability services or accessibility resources offices.

SUNY invests $10 million in annual recurring state funding to increase support to students with disabilities at all state-operated campuses.

“We know if we design things or create things for people with a disability in mind, we find that it often benefits others,” said Rood, an associate professor in the School of Education’s Foundations and Social Advocacy Department with a background in special education and accessibility in teaching.

“Universal design for learning … really asks us how we do that in the classroom,” Rood said. “How we design our materials, how we consider students and their backgrounds, how do we consider the goals of the course and how we share those goals with students.”

The 11 Accessibility Fellows met Jan. 8 and 9 to begin their work expanding digital accessibility and design practices across their campuses.

Through the end of 2025, the group will:

• Share their expertise and experience as they identify obstacles and work towards solutions to broaden adoption of accessibility practices
• Connect with other communities of practice and campus leaders with a shared vision, including disability and accessibility directors, electronic and information technology accessibility officers, chief diversity officers, chief information officers, teaching center directors, directors of online learning, the SUNY Faculty Advisory Council on Teaching and Technology members and instructional designers
• Grow as faculty leaders as they coordinate with campus leadership to design and execute a plan to engage their campus community in their work

The program is co-sponsored by the SUNY Office of Student Success in partnership with the Office of the Provost and supported by the Universal Design for Learning at SUNY project. SUNY Oswego Professor and Associate Dean Rebecca Mushtare is facilitating the fellowship project.

Rood, in her ninth year on the faculty and as the new director of the Cortland’s Urban Recruitment of Educators (C.U.R.E.) program, has an expansive philosophy about universal educational access. Curb cuts, elevators and push buttons to open doors are examples of this theory in practice.

In her own classroom, Rood has developed a process for her students to support multiple and flexible points for accessing course content. For example she uses a shared online notebook, where students take turns submitting typed or handwritten class notes.

“So, if a student is absent, they can go back and read the class notes,” Rood said. “Or if a student prefers to listen to the lesson first and then go back and look at the notes, they can do that. That’s the crux of universal design for learning. It creates different access points, both for those with documented accommodations and others, for example, if a student is absent because a family member passed away.”

“(Rood) makes excellent use of technology to enable students to learn course content in multiple ways and also allows for students to demonstrate their learning through various modalities,” said Andrea Lachance, dean of SUNY Cortland’s School of Education.

Anne Burns Thomas, professor and chair of the Foundations and Social Advocacy Department, echoed that support.

“She will bring needed change to the SUNY Cortland community and will be an excellent collaborator for others across the SUNY system who are beginning this important work,” Burns Thomas said.

Rood graduated from LeMoyne College with a degree in history and a concentration in adolescent history education and special education. She later studied at Syracuse University and earned a master’s degree, a certificate of advanced studies (C.A.S.) in disability studies, and a doctorate in special education with a focus on disability studies and inclusive education. Rood taught special education classes at public schools in Syracuse and Fulton.

She has served on many key committees involved in researching and designing solutions to inclusion for marginalized students, including the Faculty Committee on Inclusive Practice, the President’s Council of Inclusive Excellence, the Disability Resources Committee, the Inclusive Education Club and various disability interest groups and the Academic Advising Committee.

Beyond the 10%, Rood is aware that many of her students will never self-identify to a student disability office, either because they do not know they are eligible or have chosen not to disclose due to a wide variety of reasons, including stigma, which is why it’s important to include everyone.

“The goal is to embrace those parts of their identity that make up who they are,” she said.

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SUNY Cortland’s Literacy Department has assumed leadership of an influential, peer-reviewed journal read by practicing teachers and literacy experts across New York state.  

Department chair Katarina Silvestri, an associate professor, and Nance Wilson, a professor in the Literacy and Jewish Studies departments, have taken on the top editorial roles for The Language and Literacy Spectrum.  

The annual, online journal is published by the New York State Reading Association (NYSRA), and is focused on Most articles focus on classroom practice, research and theory in literacy. 

For years, Keli A. Garas-York, a professor at Buffalo State, served as lead editor, but the nonpaid, volunteer position added a lot to her workload. She thought it was time for others to take on this important role, which offers an opportunity to impact the field of literacy education. The change was announced in June. 

“We knew that we have a strong department team and that it wouldn’t be an overwhelming task,” Wilson said. “So, we saw a way to collaborate with a colleague at Buffalo State and help them to relieve a responsibility that they had been dedicated to for years, while at the same time providing an opportunity for SUNY Cortland’s Literacy Department.” 

Silvestri and Wilson said that the exceptional reputation of their department helped lead to the editorship. Additionally, the fact that the Literacy Department has their own resources as a full department at Cortland rather than just a program in another department, added to the ability to take on the role. 

“Our (the Literacy Department’s) expertise as scholars and academics was definitely a part,” Wilson said. 

Other department members will support the work reviewing, organizing and providing mentored feedback for potential authors. 

“We work well together, and I think that on top of that we can consider our colleagues as well as they’re able to support in reviewing and being a second set of eyes on something,” Silvestri said. “We’re making a decision editorially to also provide our department the opportunity to maybe coauthor the opening of the journal.” 

The latest edition of The Language and Literacy Spectrum is accepting potential articles until Feb. 1. Content from K-12 practitioners, literacy researchers and presenters from the annual New York State Reading Association conference is all encouraged. 

“I hope that we can provide a good, robust experience for anyone new to publishing so that they can get mentored into that,” Silvestri said. “I think it’s important to contribute that kind of mentorship to the field and it doesn’t necessarily happen in a lot of places. My hope and dream for this is that we can create the structures that we want to see in publishing. Hopefully (we) talk about it and write about it and maybe other publishers will follow.” 

That the journal is readily available to any interested readers makes Wilson see it as an opportunity to encourage discussion on an important topic in education. She said that one of their goals is to emphasize a wider depth of literacy that includes reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing and creating in different modes, and for different purposes. 

“Because it’s an open access journal that anyone can download and get from the web, I hope to contribute to the actual research-based considerations about what is literacy,” Wilson said. “Because right now across the field there are a lot of people talking about what literacy is but they’re not in the schools and they are defining a very narrow nature of literacy. I hope as an open access journal we can have some impact.” 

The NYSRA describes itself as an all-inclusive volunteer organization of members who are passionate about literacy, with a goal to share and support efforts to improve literacy education for people of all ages on local, state and global levels 

Some of SUNY Cortland’s biggest events take place in Park Center and the Student Life Center.

Denise DuBrava, a supervising janitor with Facilities Operations and Services, for the past six years has ensured that the events taking place there — Commencement, major sports contests and other momentous university occasions — come off successfully.

It’s one reason why DuBrava was honored on Dec. 13 with the prestigious 2024 President’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service.

Since 2017, this 10-year university employee has also managed maintenance staff members who clean and maintain the Professional Studies Building, Lusk Field House, the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex, West Campus Apartments, the Service Group and Whitaker Hall. She will retire on Dec. 31.

Evenings, weekends or when staff under her management can’t be there, DuBrava regularly can be found inspecting event setups and offering organizers insights from previous events she’s handled. Her manner in dealing with colleagues is invariably pleasant.

“This award routinely recognizes one of the many unsung heroes on our campus, and that’s who Denise DuBrava is,” said SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum. “Denise plays a crucial, behind-the-scenes role in our largest events, from Open House to Academic Convocation to Commencement, and she always goes the extra mile.

“Her work quite literally impacts all of our students at key milestones of their Cortland educations, and she represents the very best of our classified staff members.”

The President’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service was created in 2002 to annually spotlight one SUNY Cortland full-time classified service employee “for extraordinary achievement and to encourage the continuation of excellence.” Nominees must have at least three years of continuous service. Supervisors, co-workers or other university community members nominate workers considered for this honor.

The honor traditionally is presented at the annual Service Awards Ceremony, a 55-year-old event for classified employees with a holiday luncheon in Corey Union sponsored by the Human Resources Office.

At this year’s event, Bitterbaum presented DuBrava with a plaque to acknowledge her outstanding service to the university.

DuBrava joined SUNY Cortland in 2014 as a cleaner and was promoted to supervising janitor in 2018. She previously worked at Graphics Plus.

Daniel Dryja ’04, director of Facilities Operations and Services, convinced an at first reluctant DuBrava to accept the promotion. DuBrava had been a custodian in Bowers Hall for four years, where Dryja noted that her strong work ethic and excellent communication skills quickly earned her the respect of her colleagues and supervisors.

“Her opinions and ideas are always held in high regard as Denise has shown repeatedly that she has the best interests of the university in mind,” Dryja said of DuBrava. “She has also repeatedly demonstrated that she is a team player, and truly cares about her staff.”

“From day one, Denise demonstrated the leadership, organizational skills and dedication that have made her an invaluable member of our team,” Dryja said.

DuBrava helps coordinate custodial services for one of the busiest sections of campus. Her area of supervision includes academic buildings and athletics facilities hosting hundreds of events each year.

“Not only does Denise oversee close to 20 custodians and manage a wide range of responsibilities, but she also must effectively communicate with the various constituents utilizing the facilities regarding their needs,” Dryja said.

DuBrava’s calm but warm demeanor not only allows her to work well with students, faculty and administrators, but she has a great reputation and relationship with the whole facilities team, Dryja said.

“Denise responds to employees on every shift,” according to nominator Jennifer Elmo, associate director of Facilities Operations and Services, and DuBrava’s immediate supervisor. “She is a great resource even when she’s not here.”

Two associate directors of athletics in Park Center supported DuBrava’s nomination.

“Denise routinely goes above and beyond for athletics,” added Courtney Wormuth. “I’ve come to her with last-minute requests, and she always finds a way to make things happen. She has developed tremendous working relationships with all our coaches and is always willing to help in any capacity.”

“Denise has been a pleasure to work with over the years,” said Jaclyn Lawrence ’12. “She is always helpful, solution orientated and cares to do a good job for our events.”

“She will take on any task and complete it without any hesitation,” observed Jesse Frost, an environmental health and safety specialist at the Service Group Physical Plant. “She will help anyone who needs or asks for assistance. She is very understanding and is willing to listen to all staff members and coworkers.”

Outside of work, DuBrava is an enthusiastic bowler, and she enjoys nature and plants. She has a big heart for animals, especially dogs, and owns two rescued Great Danes.

DuBrava has one daughter, Elissa; three grandchildren; and a partner, Paul. She resides in Cortland.

2024 Service Awards presented

As is customary this time of year, 24 classified staff and Research Foundation employees who met milestone years of service with SUNY Cortland were recognized for their dedication and commitment. The 2024 Service Awards honorees are:

25 YEARS

Douglas Adsit, Facilities Operations and Services

Lucinda Compagni, Development Office

Heather Hurteau, Child Care Center (Research Foundation)

Christine Newcomb, Cortland College Foundation (Research Foundation)

* Kathleen Hudson, International Programs

* Laurie Matthews, Child Care Center (Research Foundation)

20 YEARS

Ryan Kleveno, Motor Pool

Tanya Lowie, Facilities Operations and Services

Robert Maarberg, Heating Plant

Jennifer Stiles, Communication Disorders and Sciences Department

* Lou Anne Simons, Library 

15 YEARS

Heather Drew, Information Resources

Charles Greenman, Fleet Operations

* Christina DiGiusto, Communications Office

* Tammi Vassalotti, Facilities Operations and Services 

10 YEARS

Brian Bennett, Maintenance

Denise DuBrava, Custodial Services

Lee Gokey, Maintenance

Jeanenne Hall, Extended Learning Office

Heather Hammond, Physical Education 

Patrick McLorn, Residence Life and Housing

Kevin Wellings, Maintenance 

Michael Wood, Maintenance

* Michael Gregory, Mail Services/Central Warehouse 

* Retired in 2024

SUNY Cortland will continue to celebrate Black History Month (BHM) throughout February with a series of events that includes historical and cultural lectures, panel presentations, a Gospel Choir performance, a black-tie social event and a kick-off event featuring noted educator and graduate Althea "Faith" Shaw-Hester ’88.

SUNY Cortland will open BHM month on Feb. 1 by celebrating the university’s third annual Abraham Lincoln DeMond 1889 Day, honoring a groundbreaking graduate and enshrining his legacy.

For the remainder of February, BHM campus events will be posted online on the Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office webpage. Events are open to the public and free unless otherwise noted.

Still to come include:

• Shaw-Hester, whose do-what-it-takes approach to teaching New York’s most disadvantaged youth was highlighted in a 2013 Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times article and subsequent book, will deliver the keynote address at SUNY Cortland’s third annual Abraham Lincoln DeMond 1889 Day at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, in Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge.
• Also earlier on Feb. 1, Tracy Hudson ’89, M ’93, a SUNY Cortland diversity faculty fellow and assistant professor of physical education, will address “Black Sororities: Legacy and Impact At Predominantly White Institutions” from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Corey Union Fireplace Lounge.
• On Thursday, Feb. 6, Bekeh Ukelina, SUNY Cortland professor of history, will present a sandwich seminar on “From TVA to Kainji? Damming Nigeria’s New Deal Vision for National Transformation” from noon to 1 p.m. in Old Main Colloquium.
• Sim Covington Jr., the chief diversity officer and dean of student athlete development at the Finger Lakes Community College, will discuss “Mental Health and Men of Color” from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, in Corey Union Fireplace Lounge.
• Also on Feb. 7, from 6 to 7 p.m., SUNY Cortland junior adolescence education: social studies and history major Josiah Carnegie will address “The Free Huey Movement and Its Effect on Black Nationalism” in Corey Union Fireplace Lounge. The “Free Huey” Movement lasted from Oct. 28, 1967, until August 5, 1970, which is the day Huey P. Newton was released from jail. He co-founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense (BPP).
• The Feb. 7 concert with the Gospel Choir, The Blues Ensemble and Africana dance group, has been cancelled.

Events in BHM will be continued in the next Bulletin.

Events during BHM are sponsored by the Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office, President's Office, Student Government Association, SUNY Cortland Alumni Association, Multicultural Life and Diversity Office, Multicultural Male Initiative, Black Student Union, Women of Color, NAACP and Africana Studies Department, Conley Wellness Center, Health Promotion, Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies, Men of Value and Respect, Caribbean Student Association, and Pride.

Fumble-stitched girl scouting patches. Throwaway factory frame inserts. Illustrations for Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s 100-year-old lost novel Herland. Collective tombstones of the Shakers.

Studio artist Mara Baldwin finds props to express the human experience everywhere.

“I make work about people without depicting them by scrambling found objects, textures and highly rendered surfaces to create lonely interiors and blueprints of remnant or newly imagined worlds,” said Baldwin, of Ithaca and Red Hook, N.Y., who has taught at Bard College since 2022. “I pay attention to the historically under-recognized depth of female experience.”

Her intricate patterns elegantly drawn in ink will be displayed at SUNY Cortland’s Dowd Gallery starting on Monday, Feb. 3. Her exhibition, titled “Parts & Labor,” will run through Friday, March 7, at the gallery, in the Dowd Fine Arts Center at the corner of Graham Avenue and Prospect Terrace.

All Dowd Gallery events are free and open to the public. An opening reception is set for 5 p.m. on Thursday, ​Feb. 6, in the gallery.

Baldwin will give an artist talk in the gallery at 5 p.m. on Thursday, ​Feb. 20.

“My work focuses on the impossible dream of utopia and asks if a perfect life can include feelings of failure, loneliness and dissatisfaction,” Baldwin said.

Working in a multi-disciplinary, research-based studio practice, Baldwin uses paper and textiles to create serial and narrative forms. Through labor-intensive mark-making, textile manipulation and sculpture, she examines the roles of imagination and effort as necessary tools of both the artist and the utopian. Her pieces explore the ghostly trace of women’s past lives, the earnestness of present-day feminism/feminisms and queerness, and the aspirational hopefulness — and often contradictory aims — of utopian liberation.

“While all utopias fail, I find solace and value in the queerness of utopian dreaming,” she said. “Drawing serves as a perfectly imperfect medium for this pursuit, welcoming flaws, drafts and deviation.”

'From the Vault: Chapter I'

In conjunction with and concurrent to “Parts & Labor,” Dowd Gallery will showcase works of art from the SUNY Cortland permanent collection in an exhibition titled “From the Vault: Chapter I.”

The display, selected by Allison DeDominick, who teaches at SUNY Cortland and Ithaca College, will include pieces by the following artists represented in the permanent collection: John Wood, Jim Thorpe, Evan Summer, Kent Rush, Joan Miro, Marini Marino, Le Corbusier, B Kummart, Michael Heizer and Robert Goodnough.

The works were selected as examples of abstraction in contrast to Baldwin’s meticulous and mesmerizing drawn works on paper.

Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday. Walk-ins are welcome, or to schedule a visit or arrange group tours, contact gallery Director Scott Oldfield at 607-753-4216.

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SUNY Cortland will host the Spring 2025 Conley Wellness Wednesday Series featuring speakers, presentations and other programs intended to help students adjust to college life and maintain healthy habits.

Primarily sponsored by the Health Promotion Office, the series will take place each Wednesday. Events are free and open to the public.

Presentations are planned on topics such as indoor and outdoor fitness, healthy eating habits, mental health and relaxation, interpersonal relationships, having a safe spring break, body awareness and the benefits of gardening.

A Spring 2025 Wellness Wednesday poster listing all the events can be found at the Conley Wellness Wednesday webpage.

Also during the spring, Health Promotion has planned four Safer Sex Express events in different locations on Thursdays, as noted. Each event will offer a chance to pick up a free pre-made bag or make up one’s own bag of external condoms, internal condoms, lube and dental dams as well as an opportunity to ask questions about safer sex, getting tested, abstinence and more.

Events include:

Noelle Fox, yoga instructor, and Ali Marriott, meditation instructor, will lead introductory Yoga and Meditation classes on Wednesday, Jan. 29 in the Student Life Center Mind Body Room. The yoga session will take place from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. and the meditation will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Wear loose and comfortable clothing. Yoga mats are provided. Attendance is first-come, first-served and is open to the first 40 participants.

On Wednesday, Feb. 5, a team of health experts will help attendees experience Outdoor Winter Wellness from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. at the Student Life Center Outdoor Pursuits. Dress warm to try snow shoeing or cross-country skiing (if there is snow). Cold weather gear and weekend rentals for snowshoe and cross-country ski equipment will be raffled. The event will be led by Andrew Abrams, coordinator of outdoor pursuits; Natalie DiMeglio, a physical education lecturer; Lauren Scagnelli, health and wellness program coordinator; and Chloe Zeeuw, outdoor pursuits graduate assistant.

A Safer Sex Express will take place from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, in the Neubig Hall lobby.

Learn Your Love Language on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Individuals are welcome to stop by the Student Life Center Lobby from 1 to 3 p.m. to learn what one’s love language is and how to show love to others in a way they want to receive it, or just to munch on Valentine’s Day candy.

International motivational speaker Tobey Gifford is deeply committed to embracing body neutrality and redefining self-worth. She will offer thoughts on how to Embrace Strength Beyond the Gym on Wednesday, Feb. 19 from 7 to 8 p.m. in Corey Union Exhibition Lounge. A gymnast and aerobic athlete, Gifford’s practices and methods aim to truly promote health and appreciation for the body each of us have been given.

Learn how Assumptions and Opinions can cause harm on Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Neubig Hall lobby. Explore scenarios of what someone might say, how their words could cause harm, and what they might say or do instead. Examples will include various aspects of diversity.

Series keynote speaker and comedian Vince Fabra will explore Why Our Members Make Risky Decisions on Wednesday, March 5 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Corey Union Function Room. Fabra’s humor-filled and judgment-free program will discuss the forces that can cause students to burn out and how to help individuals find a guiding purpose rather than obsess with ego and identity.

A Safer Sex Express will take place from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, in the Student Life Center lobby.

Various health educators including members of the It’s On Us Action Team will offer a Safe Spring Break table on Wednesday, March 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Student Life Center lobby, complete with free giveaways.

Jennifer Kelly, health and wellness promotion graduate assistant and Lauren Scagnelli, health and wellness program coordinator, on Wednesday, March 19 will release their Interview with Students Podcast about their thoughts and plans for spring break. The podcast is available on SoundCloud.

A Cortland Auxiliary Services dietitian along with health and wellness promotion and wellness peer educators will talk about what is inside the wrapper on Wednesday, March 26. The event, Nutrition Facts Unwrapped, will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. in Neubig Hall lobby. Learn things like what a serving size means and how to tell if a food is whole grain. Snacks will be provided.

On Wednesday, April 2, stop by the Neubig Hall lobby between 1 and 3 p.m. for five minutes to Make a S’more and Learn About Consent.

A Safer Sex Express will take place from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, on the Corey Union steps.

Learn about menstrual health and sustainability on Wednesday, April 9. The program, Period., will explore eco-friendly period products, break stigmas and promote well-being for a healthier planet and body, from 1 to 3 p.m. on the Corey Union steps. Free period cups will be given away.

Panel of staff and community members will address Higher Awareness: Safer Cannabis Use from 6 to 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16 in Corey Union Exhibition Lounge. The panel will discuss packaging, methods of consumption, potency and safety to help make informed choices and use cannabis responsibly.

Grow Your Own Vegetable Plant when you stop by Corey Union steps between 1 and 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23. Health promotion and Wellness PEER interns will share the benefits of this activity and how to care for vegetable plants. Participants will leave with a free plant.

A Safer Sex Express will take place from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, on the Corey Union steps.

For more information or accommodation to attend an event, contact Lauren Scagnelli, health educator, in Corey Union, Room 202, or at 607-753-2066.

Mark Weidman, wellness peer intern, demonstrated how much reaction times slow when someone is texting, during a Wellness Wednesday Party Smart Before Cortaca health education event at the Student Life Center in 2022 as part of Cortaca Week.

In December, SUNY Cortland’s School of Education was accredited by the American Association for Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) to keep the largest comprehensive teacher education program in the SUNY system — and one of the largest in the U.S. — at the head of innovation. 

All New York state teacher preparation programs are currently required to be nationally accredited, and SUNY Cortland has been continuously accredited since 2004. Before AAQEP, Cortland was accredited through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

In addition, institutional accreditation by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized agency is required for all colleges and universities seeking federal funding.  SUNY Cortland as an institution is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. 

Earning recognition through a national accreditation process of any kind is an on-going, labor-intensive process, according to Andrea Lachance, dean of Cortland’s School of Education.   

“If you're offering programs that you claim are going to prepare candidates for the teaching profession, you need outside folks looking at those programs and asking if those programs really do what they intend to do,” Lachance said. How are the program’s candidates prepared to teach? What do graduates and their employers think of their preparation? What impact do graduates have on their student’s learning?  

“The process of external review ensures programs remain current, up to date and responsive to the needs of our candidates and our school partners.  Earning national accreditation in teacher preparation signals to all our stakeholders – particularly school partners - that Cortland’s teacher preparation programs are of the highest quality.”  

AAQEP's model for accreditation takes a collegial approach sensitive to the context a school operates in rather than requiring strict compliance with set standards, according to its website. It incorporates both traditional features and new ones that offer flexibility and encourage innovation. 

Aside from its recent completion of the AAQEP accreditation process, Lachance noted other efforts to make sure Cortland’s teacher preparation programs keep their place as a top choice for education majors. Grants from both the SUNY system’s Transformation Fund and the New York State Department of Labor will help build pathways for non-traditional students to become teachers through alternative programming. 

Lachance said there is added demand right now for special education, English as a second language and math and science teachers, along with a general need for more educators in high-need areas. 

“We're working right now with folks on campus, our regional BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services) partners and colleagues at TC3 (Tompkins Cortland Community College) to help build ways for non-traditional students to access teaching credentials and degrees,” Lachance said. “This is exciting and innovative work in our region, and we’re looking forward to seeing its impact.”

Update: A memorial service for Regina Grantham, associate professor emerita of communication disorders and sciences, will take place Saturday, Feb. 15, at 1 p.m. at Grace & Holy Spirit Church, located at 13 Court Street in Cortland.

The following message was sent to faculty and staff members on behalf of President Erik J. Bitterbaum

Dear campus community members,

It saddens me deeply to share that Regina Grantham, associate professor emerita of communication disorders and sciences, passed away Jan. 13. Regina was an icon on our campus — someone who made a positive difference in many lives because of her excellence in speech-language pathology and her service to others and the greater Cortland community.

I will always remember Regina as a trusted and welcoming mentor to countless members of our campus community. Featured in the university’s Beloved Community Narratives project, Regina was a passionate advocate for antiracism, equity and social justice at SUNY Cortland, in the community and in her profession. She was inquisitive and reflective, and she always had heartfelt advice for anyone in need.

When Regina served as a keynote speaker at SUNY Cortland’s Commencement in 2023, she told our graduates: “You’re valued every moment, so value the lives of others.” Regina exemplified that advice in all her life’s work.

She was an innovative leader in speech-language pathology for more than 50 years at the local, regional, state and national levels. A member of the university’s faculty since 1993, she served 17 years as department chair. Regina spearheaded the creation of a master’s degree program in speech-language pathology in 2013 and contributed to the success of the Center for Speech, Language and Hearing Disorders, which serves the entire Cortland community.

Regina participated in many university-wide committees and initiatives, including Faculty Senate. She also was a founding member of Women of Color and the Cortland County Community of Color, a collaborative venture between SUNY Cortland and Tompkins Cortland Community College. Her extensive involvement in the community included serving on the boards of the Tompkins Cortland Community College Foundation, YWCA of Cortland, Cortland Loaves and Fishes and Grace & Holy Spirit Episcopal Church.

The American Speech Language and Hearing Association honored Regina with the title of fellow, one of the highest awards given by the profession’s international organization. She was recognized with honors by the Central New York Speech Language and Hearing Association, the New York State Speech Language Hearing Association and was named Zonta’s Woman of Achievement in 2014. She also received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service in 2004.

Regina was very fond of the work of American memoirist and poet Maya Angelou, and I will always recall a quote that she shared with our graduates: “The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious, but the desire to reach hearts is wise.” Regina touched many minds and hearts. I hope you will join me in supporting her colleagues and loved ones, and always remembering her legacy at SUNY Cortland.

SUNY Cortland Auxiliary Services (CAS) is now accepting Program Grant applications for the 2025-26 academic year. Applications are submitted online and must be sent by midnight on Friday, Feb. 21. Applicants are asked to read the grant guidelines carefully before applying.

Each year the CAS Board of Directors allocates funds to support grants for a wide range of purposes and projects that enhance the life of the SUNY Cortland community.

Although CAS is willing to consider a wide range of ideas, it seeks to avoid duplicating other funding sources or funding projects more properly supported by state funds. Therefore, applicants should first seek funding from primary funding sources.

CAS grant funds may not be used for salaries, honoraria, travel normally funded by the College's budget, or scholarships for SUNY Cortland faculty, staff, or students. Funds may not be used to purchase computers, related hardware or software. All purchases will be processed in accordance with CAS’s financial and related GAAP policies.  In general, Program Grant funds may not be used exclusively for food for SUNY Cortland students, faculty or staff. Funding for food may be considered if the food is deemed integral to the success of the program or event. All food shall be provided by CAS. Other grant guidelines are described in the application package and online.

For more information or assistance, contact Judy Standish by email or phone at 607-753-4325.