President Wheeler’s Dec. 2024 Report to Faculty

Dear Colleagues,

As we enter the final weeks of the semester, I write to share fall semester milestones for our campus community, to provide updates on key initiatives, and to invite you to special end-of-year and holiday events to recognize employees and their contributions and celebrate our community. But, first, some bragging points about our students:

Women’s Soccer Championship
Congratulations to the Women’s Soccer Team on winning the SUNY Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) championship Nov. 9 against SUNY Cortland and being named second in the Commissioner’s Cup rankings. Being present with the team, coaches, athletic staff, parents and fans for that victorious moment on home turf on Nov. 9 stands out as a highlight of my fall semester!

Every New Paltz team made the postseason this fall for the Hawks, including SUNYAC Finals appearances for women’s soccer and field hockey. Both men’s soccer and women’s volleyball went to the semifinals and several student athletes received All SUNYAC honors in their sport. Go Hawks!

National Student Voter Engagement Recognition
I’m pleased to share that SUNY New Paltz has been recognized as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting, by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.

The ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting recognizes colleges and universities that go above and beyond to increase nonpartisan student voter participation. The strong culture of voter participation at SUNY New Paltz is a testament to the collaboration between student groups, faculty, and staff who volunteered for a months-long get-out-the-vote effort. Several students held voter registration efforts and signed up to work the polls.  You can read more about the 2024 voter turnout efforts here.

Additionally, our campus community demonstrated their commitment to our democratic principles with the post-election activities offered that support our role in fostering civic engagement among our students, who we hope will become lifelong contributors to their communities who engage in the democratic process.

My gratitude to all who planned and managed the pre- and post-election activities, including the Center for Student Engagement-sponsored Election Night Watch Party and the “Dinner and Discourse: We Voted. Now What?” event on Nov. 12, the Student Association and Honors Program collaboration to offer Civil Conversations throughout the fall, including one on Election 2024 on the day after the election, and the “Post-Election Expression thru the Creative Arts” with the Psychological Counseling Center on Nov. 6, too. Thank you to Sociology Professor Brian Obach and Leslie Gutierrez-Saldana ’20 (Black Studies), our civic and community engagement coordinator. These types of events are critical to our Campus Climate and Culture, one of our three priorities for this academic year.

Enrollment Management
Our fiscal sustainability, another one of our three priorities for this academic year, is critically dependent upon robust enrollments, one component of which is strong retention of current students. To date, more than 5,000 students have registered for spring 2025, slightly higher than last year at this time. There are still more than 500 continuing students who have not yet registered. Please encourage students to register as soon as possible but certainly before the end of the semester. Records & Registration is surveying unregistered students and reaching out to provide assistance.

Winter session registration is looking very positive—it’s currently ahead of where it was last year at this time. Winter courses can help keep students on track for degree completion, provide a needed GE course or a prerequisite for a key class. Please encourage students to review the offerings and register.

New student enrollment is also critical to our fiscal sustainability. The Graduate School Open House on Nov. 21 hosted by Graduate Admission was attended by 120 students, 73 of whom were New Paltz students. Many thanks to the Graduate program coordinators, department faculty and staff and the Office of Communication & Marketing who promoted these programs to prospective students and encouraged students to attend. Admission will be assessing the outcomes of this event and similar ones to inform graduate recruitment plans.

The Office of Admission continues to accept transfer students who will start in spring 2025. The number of deposited students compares favorably to spring 2024. We anticipate we will reach our goal of 250 new transfer students. Transfer orientation advisors, faculty and staff are preparing for transfer registration days in January.  For additional information and the schedule, go to my.newpaltz.edu > Faculty Services > Advising Menu > Onboarding Information.

Strategic Planning
Our third priority for this academic year is strategic planning. I thank the Strategic Planning Committee members for giving of their gifts of time and talent in this critical phase of the planning process—work that will continue into spring semester. I’m grateful for their time and commitment to this critical process for our future success as a University. It was so exciting to see the attendance and robust engagement at the “Defining the Student Experience Workshop” on Nov. 14. The workshop outcomes sit at the heart of our mission—to provide each day the ideal student experience to our undergraduate and graduate student populations.

I also wish to remind everyone that you are all invited to participate in the Strategic Planning Future Summit on Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Your presence and participation are vital to the success of this summit and our strategic planning endeavors. Whether you’re a student, faculty member, staff, or part of our broader community, your voice is crucial in shaping our future. Please RSVP here (by Friday, Dec. 6) for this half day mini-conference of innovative discussions and collaborative thinking designed to bring together the minds of institutional and external stakeholders to forge a path forward for SUNY New Paltz.

President’s Listening Learning Community
The 15-members of the President’s Listening Learning Community represent tenured or tenure/track faculty, non-tenure track faculty, part-time faculty (adjuncts), UUP professionals, Classified staff and Management Confidential staff. I am grateful to this group for their time and contributions to the listening and learning that continues to prove so worthwhile for me as we continue to work to support the pillars and success of this University. I look forward to further sessions in the spring semester and our shared work to take SUNY New Paltz to the next level.

External Contributions
In addition to campus and regional activities and appearances, I have been engaged this fall in meetings and events in my roles on the SUNY Research Council, the SUNY Transfer Initiative, SUNY Legal Accountability Committee, and SUNY’s Black Leadership Institute. I also led a Middle States site team visit for The College of New Jersey’s reaccreditation this fall and participated in meetings of the federal committees on which I serve. These activities help bolster the awareness and reputation of our institution within SUNY and at the national level and provide the opportunity for me to speak with other higher education leaders on critical issues facing our industry. A win-win for the University.

Science of Reading Center
Kymyona Burk, Ed.D., a widely recognized educational leader who has a record of building teacher capacity and improving student literacy outcomes and who recently joined the Science of Reading Center at SUNY New Paltz as Visiting Senior Fellow, presented a compelling public talk on campus on Wednesday, Nov. 20, about equity, access and opportunity in literacy education, titled “The Science of Reading as a Catalyst for Change.” In addition, Dr. Burk was joined that day by Sarah Holbrook, ’05 (Elementary Education) ’06g (Special Education) ’17g (Literacy), director of humanities in the Kingston City School District for  a virtual webinar, attended by 130 educators, and moderated by the Executive Director of the Center, Rose Else-Mitchell, titled: “Reading Realities: A Conversation with Dr. Kymyona Burk and Sarah Holbrook on Science of Reading Policy.” To date, the Science of Reading Microcredential has enrolled close to 12,000 educators in both New York and Maryland – a major method of increasing our national prominence. I appreciate the many members of our campus community across several divisions who have made all of this success at the Center possible.

Hudson Valley Future Summit
This year’s event, titled: The Multigenerational Business: Charting a Course for Success, held on Nov. 13, attracted 75 registered guests (including 21 alumni) and four major sponsors. Kimberly Eddleston, a Schulze Distinguished Professor at Northeastern University, and founding editor of FamilyBusiness.org, served as a moderator and presenter. Session/workshop topics included succession planning, communication challenges and entrepreneurship through acquisition. The event, which supports the pillar of our mission that we be a value added to the community, the region and the state of New York, served the region’s family-owned business community, and we will continue to offer workshops and other educational opportunities.

Development
Planning continues for our next comprehensive campaign, Beyond the Ridge—The Campaign for SUNY New Paltz. The newly-assembled Campaign Cabinet—comprised of alumni, donors, and friends of the University—met for the second time in late November. These campaign leaders continue to make significant, individual commitments to the University, as they begin to engage fellow alumni and donors in ways to support the University during this next campaign.

Fall appeals for the Fund for New Paltz (FFNP) began in late November, featuring a letter from SUNY New Paltz Alumni Council President Keisha Parker ’00 (Black Studies & Communication Studies) with another appeal penned by Jennifer D’Andrea, assistant director of alumni relations and parent of a SUNY New Paltz senior, sent to parents of both alumni and current students. The Fund for New Paltz supports students, faculty, and programs throughout the entire campus. Please share this link widely and consider making a gift to the Fund for New Paltz or a fund of your choice!

Impact reports have been sent to scholarship donors; these reports are an important part of our annual stewarding of scholarship donors. Included in these reports are personal testimonials from students expressing gratitude to donors of their scholarship funds.

Additionally, the Development team is proud to welcome alumna Laura Murphy ’20g (Computer Science) who begins her work as the new stewardship and scholarships coordinator in early December. Please join us in welcoming Laura back to campus.

Alumni Relations
After a robust Alumni Weekend and staffing Open House, the Alumni Relations team has been planning a series of events for Winter and Spring 2025. These include:

• New Paltz in California Week: Alumni Relations will host five alumni gatherings across California from Jan. 12-18. Events will take place in San Diego (Jan. 12), Newport Beach/Orange County (Jan. 14), Menlo Park (Jan. 15), Oakland (Jan. 16), and Palm Springs (Jan. 18). In Menlo Park, alumni are invited to attend the New Paltz v. Menlo College Men’s Volleyball Game in addition to a networking dinner with the players, and the Palm Springs gathering is being generously hosted by Richard ’77 and Donna ’77 Adler. Please contact Janet Rossbach at rossbacj@newpaltz.edu if you know an alumnus/a in California who should be invited to attend!
• 100 Days Kick-Off: This annual event will take place in Elting Gym in celebration of the Class of 2025’s 100 Days left until graduation. Colleagues across campus are invited to table and share resources with graduating students. For more information, please contact Jen D’Andrea at dandreaj@newpaltz.edu.
• New Paltz in Washington, DC: Save the date of Monday, March 17, for our annual alumni and student mixer in Washington, DC, with Professor of Political Science Nancy Kassop.

The Alumni team is also planning a New Year messaging campaign around how alumni, students, faculty and staff can use the Orange & Blue Network to:

• Volunteer to mentor current students/source alumni mentors across majors and industries
• Search for experienced hire jobs/Post open positions for New Paltz alumni
• Join industry and affinity-based groups
• Promote alumni-owned businesses and discount options
• Offer to host regional events

Please contact Alyson Hummer at hummera1@newpaltz.edu with any questions about the Orange & Blue Network and how you and/or your students might get involved with this virtual Alumni Network platform.

Holiday Traditions and Celebrations
As we enter the holiday season, I want to remind you about dates for our traditional holiday celebrations:

• Classified Staff Appreciation & Recognition Holiday Luncheon – Friday, Dec. 13, 12-2 p.m. In Elting Gym for all Classified Staff, including those on Research Foundation grants and University Police, as well as supervisors of those employees being recognized for milestone years of service.
• Holiday Open House – Saturday, Dec. 7, from 2-4 p.m. (for those with last name beginning A-L) and 4:30-6:30 p.m. (for those with last name beginning M-Z).

I will be happy to respond to any questions you may have about my report or any other topics at this week’s Faculty Senate meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

As this is my final report for the calendar year 2024, I wish you joyous holiday celebrations with friends and family consistent with your traditions and beliefs, or, alternatively, some well-deserved down time. I also wish for you a wonderful, restful, contemplative winter break that recharges you for the important work ahead of us in the new year.

Darrell P. Wheeler
President