SUNY New Paltz establishes new fund supporting adjuncts, lecturers thanks to anonymous donation
Adjunct professors and lecturers at SUNY New Paltz are celebrating an additional opportunity to receive support in their scholarly pursuits.
An anonymous donor has committed $150,000 to the SUNY New Paltz Foundation to establish the Katie Geneva Cannon Fund for Contingent Faculty to support non-tenure-track faculty in pursuing meaningful professional projects.
“This fund recognizes that the intellectual vitality of our institution depends on nurturing the potential of all our faculty members, particularly those who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to our academic community,” said William McClure, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at SUNY New Paltz. “Contingent faculty play a critical role in our University’s mission, and we are committed to investing in you and continuing to seek ways of supporting you going forward.”
The fund is named in honor of the late Rev. Dr. Katie Geneva Cannon, a pioneering scholar and educator whose life’s work embodied the principles of justice, liberation, and empowerment. Cannon was the first African American woman to be awarded a Ph.D. at Union Theological Seminary and the first African American woman to be ordained in the United Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Her story is an inspiration to the anonymous donor in their commitment to anti-racism and the lives of people often ignored or marginalized.
“The donor’s generosity will have a huge impact on the lives of so many of our faculty members,” said Kimberly Ruth ’08 (Photography), a contingent faculty member who teaches Digital Journalism and Photography at New Paltz. “Not only will it help financially, but it will also give us a sense of confidence and responsibility to continue our creative work.”
This new resource will distribute $20,000 annually for the next five years to support adjunct professors and lecturers pursuing projects that further their careers, a significant investment in the scholarly and professional development of our contingent faculty and in the educational experience of the students they serve.
“All too often contingent faculty have not had the time or financial resources to finish the degree that will give them the credentials they need in academia,” said the donor. “Teachers from various marginalized communities may also have the additional burden and joy of providing emotional support to students ‘like them’ facing personal and institutional challenges. I am grateful to be able to offer some help.”
An additional $50,000 endowment is being created so that this funding resource can continue to support our academic community in perpetuity.
“The Katie Geneva Cannon Fund embodies our deepest institutional values of support, equity and academic excellence,” said Erica Marks, Vice President for Development & Alumni Relations at SUNY New Paltz. “By investing in our contingent faculty and supporting them in scholarly pursuits and professional growth, we are creating a ripple effect that enriches our students’ educational experience.”
More information about the Katie Geneva Cannon Fund for Contingent Faculty, including how the funds will be awarded and what kinds of projects qualify, can be found at this link.
The fund further builds on infrastructure at SUNY New Paltz aimed at helping faculty advance their scholarship, their pedagogy and their professional goals. Most recently, the Faculty Development Center announced a new Teaching Innovations Awards, which provides up to five awards of up to $200 each for teaching materials, training and support. And Campus President Darrell P. Wheeler created the Presidential Fund for Innovation in Public Higher Education upon assuming office, in recognition of sustained creative commitment and innovative thinking and activities in higher education.
About the SUNY New Paltz Foundation
Founded in 1976, the SUNY New Paltz Foundation works to enrich the quality of academic
life at New Paltz by raising private contributions. The mission of the SUNY New Paltz Foundation is to seek, secure and manage gifts and grants to fund scholarships and programs that enrich and support the academic, cultural and community life of SUNY New Paltz, and to build a lasting endowment for the University’s future. Learn more here.