September 24, 2025
SUNY Oneonta Extended and Community Learning (ExCL Center)
Dietz Street
DRAFT
Present
Mr. Joe Bernier
Dr. Diane Georgeson
Ms. Stacie Haynes
Mr. Gary Herzig
Ms. Debra Parisian
Mr. Will Rivera
Mr. Daniel Sniezek
Presiding
Mr. Gary Herzig
University Administrators
Mr. Paul Adamo, Vice President for College Advancement
Ms. Karen Brown, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment
Dr. Alberto Cardelle, University President
Dr. Tracy Johnson, Vice President for Student Affairs
Ms. Lisa Miller, Senior Communication and Marketing Officer
Dr. Enrique Morales-Diaz, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Bernadette Tiapo, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion
Ms. Karyn Wendrow, Chief of Staff and Director of Executive Communications
Ms. J. Caroline Williams, Director of Community and Government Relations
Presenters, Invitees, Observers
Mr. Mark Farrell, Instructional Support Technician
Ms. Misty Fields, Director of Extended and Community Learning
Mr. Michael Kush, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Call to Order
Mr. Herzig called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m.
Approval of Minutes
Mr. Bernier made a motion to approve the minutes of April 16, 2025. Dr. Georgeson seconded, and the minutes were approved by unanimous vote.
Chair’s Report
Mr. Herzig mentioned that he was excited to have recently learned more about the initiatives of the ExCL Center and was looking forward to today’s presentation by ExCL Center Director Misty Fields. He also congratulated everyone on today’s local news headlines, about SUNY Oneonta’s high national “Best Colleges” rankings by U.S. News and World Report and Forbes.
President’s Report
Dr. Cardelle started his report with a summary of the State of the University, with updates in several areas:
- Academic Excellence and Equity: 4+1 MPH pathway with U Albany for anthropology students, PharmD program with U Buffalo, new degree programs in Marketing BS and Crime, Justice and Community MA, and new modalities – a hybrid option for Lake Management M.S. and a fully online School Counselor MS.Ed. program. He also highlighted recent faculty awards and research.
- Enrollment and Retention: For Fall 2025, the university is 200 students ahead of last year in total enrollment (5,514 compared to 5,337). The first-year retention rate is tracking similar to last year but is expected to have a slight increase.
- Student Success: Dr. Cardelle gave several examples of noteworthy student accomplishments, including two students accepted into a renowned paleoanthropology summer field school, two physics students who launched a rocket into space during a summer internship at NASA, a gold medal for the iGEM team, and Communication and Media student media placements through SUNY Oneonta’s participation in the SUNY Institute for Local News.
- Advancing our Community: Dr. Cardelle gave an overview of professional and leadership development programs for SUNY Oneonta employees, inclusive campus efforts including the new interfaith prayer room and a national award for work to promote inclusivity, and Facilities work to improve campus buildings and infrastructure.
- Institutional Relevance: Dr. Cardelle highlighted recent external recognition for academic excellence, affordability and sustainability, including rankings and accolades by Forbes magazine, Money.com, U.S. News and World Report, Billboard, and the Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges, and recognition of the university’s participation in statewide programs including the Empire State Service Corps, SUNY ACE (Advancing Completion through Engagement) and New York State Association for Reduction Reuse and Recycling. On the financial side, he reported that the university is fiscally sound, with a $92 million endowment, 34 new funds created, over $6 million raised, and 140 new or recommitted alumni-connected internships established through the Strive for 135 initiative begun last September at the start of the university’s 135th academic year.
- University of the Community: Dr. Cardelle mentioned several recent community partnership initiatives, including a business pitch competition, Oneonta Area Housing Summit, and recognition of the first cohort to complete the new Direct Support Professional microcredential offered through the ExCL Center.
He closed by saying that “our momentum is strong, commitment to our mission is clear and the spirit of innovation is greater than ever before,” and that this momentum, commitment and spirit will empower SUNY Oneonta to rise to the challenges and uncertainties ahead.
Dr. Cardelle then gave an overview of some of those challenges, including:
- Increased emphasis by SUNY on experiential learning and retention;
- Federal policies: greater number of Pell-eligible students; disenfranchisement of key populations; impact of the Reconciliation Act of 2025, which includes a graduate earning outcome test and reduction/elimination of student loans; and social and economic challenges including greater racial and ethnic diversity of the student population, rapid proliferation of AI and sustained mental health needs of the campus population;
- Anticipated reduction of SUNY funding starting in 2026 due to federal Medicaid cutbacks;
- Smaller undergraduate incoming class – cascading effect of enrollment at larger institutions;
- Recessionary/inflationary/stagflationary pressures; and
- Fluctuations in the resilience of other anchor institutions in the region.
Focusing the Strategic Plan: Dr. Cardelle summarized efforts to focus the Forward Momentum Agenda goals to best position SUNY Oneonta to remain strong and address current and emerging challenges. Following an employee survey and open forums, several specific priorities were identified: Strengthening transfer enrollment through community college partnerships, developing new academic programs in high- and regional-demand areas, reimagining the Red Dragon Seminar experience for new students, continuing to assess and develop our new advising structure, developing a plan to address bottleneck course impacting student progress, expanding experiential learning opportunities, expanding regional leadership and community partnerships, expanding employee leadership development and wellness programs, increasing externally funded faculty research to $1 million, and developing a university-wide plan for the integration of AI across the campus.
Mission Moment
Dr. Cardelle introduced Ms. Misty Fields, Director of Extended and Community Learning, for a university “mission moment” about the Extended and Community Learning (ExCL) Center’s work to expand workforce development training opportunities and build community partnerships.
Ms. Fields gave an overview of programs serving non-degree students, visiting students, auditors, College in High School programs, microcredentials that provide professional training, workforce training, and personal enrichment workshops. In its inaugural year, the ExCL Center served 2,300 learners and secured over $2 million in grant funding. New microcredentials in College and Career Counseling Advanced Skills, Addictions Counseling and Direct Support Professional 3 have been developed and the ExCL Center has worked with more than a dozen community partners to develop free and low-cost programs and to offer space for nonprofit organizations to host events.
Regional partnerships include:
- a four-week, fully funded Advanced Manufacturing Boot Camp offered in partnership with SUNY Broome and three local manufacturing businesses: Ioxus, Brooks Machine Products and Custom Electronics;
- a Mohawk Valley Community College collaboration to develop a six-week brewing series in partnership with Muddy River Brewery, NYS Security Guard Training and NYS Teaching Assistant Prep;
- a SUNY Cobleskill ACHIEVE proposal that may lead to five new microcredentials to support the tourism industry (Culinary, Event Management, Hospitality Management, Sustainable Tourism and Brewing Fermentation and Operations); and
- workshops and classes on topics such as financial literacy, lifeguard training and babysitting.
Ms. Fields Introduced Rhiannon Ham, Assistant Director for Employment Services at Springbrook, a 25-year employee who is enrolled in the Direct Support Professional II workforce development microcredential and plans to complete the DSP III in the spring. She plans to apply the coursework toward a bachelor’s degree in Human Services, with a long-term goal of earning a master’s degree in counseling. “Our professors have been amazing,” she said. “The information that they have provided has just been phenomenal.”
Enrollment and Retention
Dr. Morales-Diaz gave an overview of university retention efforts. including:
- National Institute for Student Success: SUNY Oneonta was selected to work with this national organization about a year ago. Key NISS recommendations centered on strengthening new student onboarding and the first-year experience; using academic data to identify critical barriers to student progression; standardizing academic advising systems, training and practices; and strengthening financial support for students.
- SUNY Academic Momentum Campaign: SUNY is launching a systemwide plan aimed at improving retention and completion for all undergraduates, with a focus on Pell-eligible, first-generation and underrepresented students
- SUNY Oneonta Retention Plan: The university’s plan addresses both SUNY’s goals and the NISS recommendations and focuses on improving the first-year experience, strengthening academic advising systems, offering targeting tutoring in gateway courses, improving financial wellness and assessing progress by monitoring several key success metrics.
Mr. Bernier asked about early efforts to make sure new students are happy and successful at SUNY Oneonta. Dr. Johnson summarized six weeks of holistic programming, starting with move-in day, that helps students make connections, get acclimated and learn about campus resources and support services. This programming culminates in Family Weekend in October, and Dr. Johnson said she was pleased to share that a record number of participants were expected this year. Dr. Cardelle mentioned efforts to integrate academic and co-curricular events and support services and co-curricular onboarding to create a cohesive first-year onboarding experience.
Mr. Bernier asked where SUNY Oneonta ranks for retention in our sector and Dr. Cardelle said we are in the middle.
Ms. Haynes asked why the university needs to do all of this work with NISS. Dr. Morales-Diaz said none of the recommendations were surprising but it was validating to hear, and the action plan will be helpful. There is also an opportunity to receive moderate financial support from SUNY to implement some of the new initiatives.
Hazing Policy
Mr. Michael Kush, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, presented changes to the campus’ current Hazing Policy to meet a federal mandate. The changes, which were discussed in more detail at a previous University Council meeting, were approved by the President’s Cabinet and SUNY and are now part of the university’s Student Code of Conduct.
Mr. Bernier asked when the last hazing incident occurred. Mr. Kush said hazing incidents are very rare and reports are usually about lesser infractions that don’t rise to that level. Mr. Sniezek asked if students were involved in discussions about the changes to the policy; Dr. Johnson said students were informed of the federal mandates and impact on the university policy, and Ms. Wendrow said the Student Association president is a Cabinet member and had the opportunity to provide input. Mr. Rivera pointed out two more details that he would like to see in the policy and said he appreciated the opportunity to provide input.
Mr. Snizeak asked if this should be a voting item. Mr. Herzig asked for a motion to endorse the revised policy. Mr. Rivera made the motion, it was seconded by Ms. Parisian, and the motion passed by unanimous vote.
Naming Opportunity Approval (voting item)
Dr. Cardelle introduced an opportunity to name the Human Ecology Industrial Kitchen the “Brooks Family Commercial Kitchen,” following a $100,000 charitable gift by Joan and John Brooks, in addition to the endowed scholarship they have already established. Mr. Adamo said John Brooks has been deeply involved with SUNY Oneonta, including serving on the University Foundation Board of Directors. He provided details on SUNY’s policy for facility naming opportunities, which stipulates that the gift must be at least 25% of the commercial cost of replacing the facility being named, and said this gift surpasses that threshold.
Mr. Bernier made a motion to approve the naming, Mr. Snizeak seconded, and the motion passed by a unanimous vote.
University Council Vice Chair Selection (voting item)
Mr. Herzig nominated Mr. Bernier as the vice chair, Mr. Snizeak seconded, and the motion was passed by unanimous vote.
ACT Representative Selection (voting item)
Mr. Herzig nominated Dr. Georgeson to continue her work as the ACT Representative; Ms. Parisian seconded, and the motion was passed by unanimous vote.
Good of the Order
Dr. Georgeson reminded everyone about the ACT Conference in Albany in October and reported that a SUNY Oneonta student, Elizabeth Vogl, a Biology major in the pre-veterinarian program, was selected to receive the ACT Scholarship for Excellence and Student Initiative.
Adjournment
Mr. Herzig adjourned the meeting at 5:35 p.m.