As we welcome our new and returning students and begin another academic year, I’m pleased to offer this update on recent activities and college initiatives.
Enrollment Update
Enrollment: As of Friday, Aug. 30, our enrollment data indicates that our FTE headcount is up slightly, at 0.9% over where it was last year at this time. A schedule drop for unpaid students scheduled for Friday afternoon may impact these numbers slightly in the short term. However, this year the college has taken the additional step of reopening registration in WIReD at 8 a.m. on Saturday, August 31. In the past, registration has been closed until the college reopens on Tuesday morning after Labor Day, but this change gives our students the chance to register for classes and make payments online during the holiday weekend. We anticipate enrolling hundreds more students by the end of the first week of classes.
New Class Sections: In addition to registration adjustments, we have proactively added new class sections in some popular courses and programs. Notably, the successful opening of the Gene F. Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills has positioned us to double enrollment in the Advanced Manufacturing Technology program. There is already a nearly 30 percent increase in enrollment within that program for this semester. In addition, we have taken the step of expanding our capacity in the Electrical Construction and Maintenance program by opening up three new course sections for this fall at TEC-SMART.
Student Support: As a friendly reminder, while there are signs of a positive trend for fall enrollment, we must continue to remain diligent and active in our support for all students, new and returning, who are seeking to enroll and join our college community. Student retention is one of the driving forces behind what makes a good college become a great college, so it is vital that we do everything within our collective power to assist those who may need a helping hand, or feel lost or uncertain about their academic future at the college. And as always, please feel welcome to share with me any ideas you may have for optimizing enrollment.
Welcome Week
Student Activities, Clubs, and Organizations: As you know, first impressions are important. As Welcome Week begins, we will be making hundreds of first impressions on new students. The Student Activities office has planned a full schedule of entertainment, activities, food, games, prizes and more for Welcome Week, and many clubs and organizations on campus will be participating and promoting themselves. Research has shown that students who feel more socially engaged on their campus are far more likely to persist in their studies, so I encourage all faculty and staff, especially those involved in student clubs and organizations, to promote and showcase the variety of social, cultural and academic organizations we offer.
Extended Service Hours and Campus Navigators: Our students also need extra assistance in finding their way around or learning about what the college has to offer. This is a critically important time to lend a hand — even a simple interaction can make the difference between a student feeling lost and confused and feeling supported and confident in their future at Hudson Valley. In order to help these students, we have set up information tents around campus to assist those who need help finding their way.
We are in need of volunteers to staff these tents throughout the week, so if you are able, please consider giving an hour or two of your time to act as a campus navigator. You may choose a time slot and sign up on the college website. Please also make a point to be aware of your surroundings, and if you encounter students around campus who need help finding their way, take a moment to point them in the right direction. There are also “Ask Me” buttons available in the Office of Human Resources and the President’s Office, to help students identify employees they may ask for help. These small actions can make a real difference for a student who may be lost or struggling.
We have also extended service hours for enrollment offices until Sept. 6; you can find more information about this on the college website. And of course, thank you to all those who have gone the extra mile to help our students, especially during this important time!
Campus Updates
Classroom Technology Upgrade: Chief Information Officer Jon Brennan has communicated with all college faculty on training for the new classroom technology system implemented this summer. As I mentioned in my last update, this comprehensive classroom technology update has addressed a variety of issues, from outdated technology to inconsistent configuration to technical problems. This semester, instructors will enjoy more modern features, ease of use, standardization across spaces, and central management capabilities for proactive maintenance. The majority of this project has been completed, but classrooms in Brahan Hall will be updated over the intersession before Spring semester begins. Thank you to Jon and his team for their work in this endeavor.
Guenther Renovations: I’m sure many of you are aware of the ongoing construction activity in and around the Guenther Enrollment Services Center as the roof is replaced and brought up to new energy codes. That project is expected to be completed by mid-September. As I mentioned in my last update, additional construction in Guenther includes the renovation of office space for Academic Affairs administrators, as well as expansion and repairs of the board room. The majority of construction activity for that project will be carried out during evening hours to minimize the impact on college operations. Thank you for your patience as we continue to improve our campus facilities.
Campus Safety: On Thursday, Aug. 29, the college completed an annual test of our emergency communication systems, ALERTUS. ALERTUS is one of two notification systems that allow the campus community to receive important communications in the event of an emergency; the other is SUNY NY-Alert. Both systems are used to share non-emergency weather-related college-wide closing and class cancellation information as well. Please download the ALERTUS and SUNY NY-Alert apps to be notified in the event of an emergency or unexpected closure. Public Safety will be reaching out to students early in the semester to share this information as well.
Parking: If you have not done so already, please take a moment to register your vehicle on our new electronic parking system. As mentioned in the all-employee email sent in May, the college is using this new license plate recognition system to ensure that only registered vehicles are parked on campus. All students and employees, even faculty and staff who have parking permits, are required to register on the new system to avoid ticketing. Please also note that the overflow parking lot across Route 4, behind Panera, has been completed, adding 92 parking spaces for our students.
College Leadership
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs: Please join me in welcoming our new Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, Ronalyn Wilson, to the college. Ronalyn comes to us from Fulton-Montgomery Community College, where she served as associate dean of academic affairs and chief diversity officer. She has a significant amount of teaching and administrative experience from positions at SUNY Schenectady, the University at Albany Research Foundation and SUNY. Ronalyn will be temporarily located in Amstuz 109 until we complete renovations of academic office space in Guenther.
Upcoming Events
All College Meeting: The Fall All College Meeting will be held on Monday, Sept. 23 and will again be focused on the college’s strategic planning process. Dr. Will Miller of Campus Labs will be in attendance to present the latest version of the plan and update the campus community on its progress and timeline. Your participation is requested and input is encouraged as we continue to shape the future of our college.
As always, please reach out to me with your thoughts or questions, and have an excellent semester!
Published: Tue, 03 Sep 2019 12:38:24 +0000 by r.ramsammy