I hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving break. As the fall semester begins to wind down, I’m pleased to provide this update on campus activities and initiatives.
Enrollment Update
Last week’s spring semester enrollment report showed a decline of 10.4% in full-time equivalent (FTE) students compared to last year at this time. With just a few weeks before our winter break, please continue to reach out to students you know to ensure that those seeking to return are advised and scheduled as early as possible. I know that direct and proactive outreach now will make a significant difference. Also, please continue to promote intersession as an option, if appropriate. The college is offering 25 different intersession courses beginning Jan. 2, so there are many options to consider.
I’d like to thank everyone who helped make our recent Admissions events so successful. At Open House on Nov. 16, we welcomed 378 prospective students to campus, along with hundreds of family members and friends. Faculty and department chairs presented in classrooms across campus and student service offices were open, with staff members available to answer questions. I was pleased to be able to attend several of the sessions and meet many of our guests. In addition, our latest Instant Admission Day on Nov. 20 yielded 64 accepted students, an increase of 39% over last year at this time. We will host additional Instant Admission Days at the Albany Center for Education on Dec. 4 and on campus Dec. 11.
Strategic Plan
At our Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 26, new college mission and vision statements were unanimously approved. See below. My thanks to our Strategic Plan Steering Committee, the Academic Senate and its Planning Committee and the many employees and students who offered input along the way.
- Mission Statement
Hudson Valley Community College provides transformative, student-centered and high quality educational opportunities that address the diverse needs of local and global communities.
- Vision Statement
Deliver what the future demands. Hudson Valley Community College will meet the educational needs of a rapidly transforming world by leading today and anticipating tomorrow.
College Leadership
The Board also approved Judy DiLorenzo as our permanent vice president for Academic Affairs. During her 25+ year career at Hudson Valley, Judy has served as a faculty member, department chair and, most recently, as interim vice president. I look forward to continuing to work with her to advance our academic offerings and the college as a whole.
Master Plan
In addition, the Board approved a $4 million capital project, Facility Master Plan Implementation – Phase I. Essentially, this allows the college to seek $2 million in capital funding from New York State in next year’s budget with a funding match by the college’s Faculty Student Association. If approved, the Phase I project will allow us to begin smaller capital projects and critical maintenance efforts next summer. JMZ, our facility master plan consultant, will share preliminary recommendations with our planning team in late December.
International Activities
In November, Executive Director of External Affairs and Government Relations Regina LaGatta, Coordinator of International Student Services Jay Deitchman and I met with United Nations Ambassadors from the Caribbean and Latin America at a luncheon meeting at the SUNY Global Center in New York City. The meeting was very productive and outlined the many ways in which Hudson Valley can be of assistance in the Caribbean and Latin America by providing instruction in the building trades, clean energy management, electric vehicle repair and maintenance, and English as a Second Language. The next step is for the ambassadors to identify offices or agencies in their countries that Hudson Valley will need to connect with to move initiatives forward.
In other news, SUNY is launching a strategic planning effort entitled Global Learning for All: Educating for a Sustainable Future under the leadership of Provost Tod Laursen and the management of the Office of Global Affairs. I was pleased to accept Provost Laursen’s invitation to join the strategic planning work group, which begins meeting on Dec. 13.
Season of Giving
Since I arrived here at the college, we have actively sought ways to connect with community-based organizations, including the United Way of the Greater Capital Region. As a member of its board, I’m an ambassador for the United Way Campaign Kick Off, which has been underway for the last several weeks. This year, annual gifts raised on campus can be designated to benefit the student food pantry, student emergency fund, and/or the Viking Child Care Center. Today is the last day to participate; employees interested in contributing can either set up a payroll deduction or make a one-time or recurring gift using a credit or debit card, and can donate via the United Way website as well. My thanks to Professor Andy Schott, a.schott@hvcc.edu, for again serving as our campus campaign coordinator on this effort.
As you may know, Giving Tuesday is also today. The college’s Office of Institutional Advancement has set a goal of $18,000 to be raised in honor of Giving Tuesday. (Members of the Foundation Board of Directors have pledged to match up to $9,000 in donations.) Any contributions are welcome and appreciated; you can donate online on the college’s giving webpage. Because Giving Tuesday is driven by a strong social media presence, please feel free to share the college’s Giving Tuesday hashtag #GiveBoldly to encourage others to give as well.
The annual Giving Cup Challenge has officially begun. The campus-wide competition challenges offices, departments, clubs and organizations to form teams and compete to see who can collect the most non-perishable items for donation to the college’s food pantry. Though it’s kicking off during the holiday season, this challenge runs until May, at which time the team with the highest collection totals and best participation will win prizes. This year’s efforts are being coordinated by Laurie Conroy, program assistant for the School of Health Sciences; interested groups can contact her to sign up for the challenge at (518) 629-7887 or l.conroy@hvcc.edu.
Please note that many of the college’s offices, departments, clubs and organizations are organizing their own charity drives and collections to help the less fortunate during this season of giving. I’m very pleased to see so many members of our campus community focusing on generosity and giving back to the community, especially as the holiday season gets underway! If you’re able to contribute to any of these wonderful initiatives, it will surely be easy to find a cause you want to support.
Finally, I’d like to give thanks to all those who joined us to share a meal last Tuesday for the college’s Thanksgiving luncheon. I am so pleased to see that this new tradition is being embraced by so many members of our campus community. In addition to coming together to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season, we were able to collect many nonperishable items to benefit the college’s food pantry. Many thanks to all who were able to contribute!
As we close out the fall semester and approach finals, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season. Please plan to attend at our annual Holiday Open House on Thursday, Dec. 19 from 8 to 10 a.m. in the President’s Executive Suite.
Published: Tue, 03 Dec 2019 13:40:04 +0000 by d.kennedy1