The Institute for Civic Engagement Service-Learning · Community Outreach · Research and Economic Development
AFFILIATED WITH THE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY PROJECT AND NEW YORK CAMPUS COMPACT
October 2007 Newsletter
Richard Kendrick, Director
Amy Williams, Graduate Assistant
Contact information: kendrickr@cortland.edu or (607) 753-2481
Institute for Civic Engagement
Director: Richard Kendrick
Contact Information: 607-753-2481, kendrickr@cortland.edu
Cornish D311A
Upcoming Housing Confab and a Note from the ICE Housing Policy Intern: Greetings to all who have a passion for making our community the best it can be. My name is Shawn Smith. I am a graduate student at Binghamton University, studying Public Administration, as well as being a resident and native of Cortland, NY. This summer, I had the honor of conducting research on housing policy and best practices through SUNY Cortland's Institute for Civic Engagement, to determine what can be done - by way of public policy or practice - to enhance the quality of housing stock in the city of Cortland. I was able to interview an extensive array of community stakeholders, who thoughtfully answered my questions and shared their ideas. I also scoured the internet, attended meetings, and delved into existing bodies of research on the subject. I am proud to say that we have many great things already happening here in Cortland, with even more in the works, and lots of new ideas to share. Please join me for Housing Confab V at the Ramada Inn in Cortland on October 15th at 7 p.m. to hear about some of the more interesting approaches I came across, and have the opportunity to share some of your own thoughts on the subject! My data analysis will continue throughout this semester and will culminate in my spring 2008 capstone project, bringing a couple of strategies to life. I hope to see you all on October 15th, 2007!
- “Congressman on the Corner” Saturday October 20th at noon at Main Street SUNY Cortland (9 Main St.) Congressman Michael Arcuri will be present to answer questions and talk to the public.
- Student Poll Worker Project: Sophomore Mollie O’Brien (Business major) is the Student Coordinator for the second year of the SUNY Cortland Poll Worker Project. Mollie is identifying the most effective ways of recruiting students to be poll workers; this year, she is examining the effectiveness of Internet-based methods and in-person approaches. One in-person approach is the 5-minute in-class presentation; if she or the NYPIRG Project Coordinator, Damien Tilliman, ask you to let them address your class, please give them permission to do so.
- Community Based Research: An emphasis this year is on promoting community based research. It will be a theme of our campus spring semester opening event on Tuesday, January 22, 2008. However, there is an event coming up this week that is related to this theme – the Health Department’s Poskanzer Lecture, “Visible Voices, Changing Lives: Experiences of Working with Migrant Communities in Brazil, Kyrgyzstan and the UK,” on October 3, 2007, 7 p.m. in Jacobus Lounge, Brockway Hall. The lecture will be presented by Vincent O’Brien, Senior Lecturer in Public Health, University of Cumbria, Lancaster, England.
- Institute for Civic Engagement at SUNY Faculty Senate: The Institute for Civic Engagement has been invited by Senate President, Dr. Carl Wiezalis, to make a presentation on service-learning (along with New York Campus Compact President, Christopher Dahl of SUNY Geneseo, Executive Director Jim Heffernan, and a SUNY Cortland student) on October 26.
- Book Chats in the Spring: The Institute for Civic Engagement is partnering with the Faculty Development Center to offer Book Chats in March 2008 on the forthcoming book, Educating for Democracy. The chat leaders will be Richard Kendrick (Sociology/Anthropology), Randi Storch (History), and Joy Mosher (Childhood/Early Childhood Education).
Office of Service Learning
Coordinator: John Suarez
Contact Information: suarezj@cortland.edu or 607-753-4391
The Office of Service-Learning is located in the Learning Commons, which is on the first floor of the library just beyond the Bookmark Café.
- Shop Talk: Participants discuss topics that they themselves raise. Shop Talk has no agenda, no minutes, no committees; it is a relaxed time in which folks can share community service ideas, challenges, and successes. Previous sessions have helped students do well in their community service efforts; sessions have also helped faculty and agency supervisors design service-learning projects. Shop Talk will meet in Corey #209 on Tuesday, October 24th from 2:50 to 4:00pm
- Call for Papers: Please consider submitting a proposal for a presentation at the April 10–13, 2008, Northeast Modern Language Association Conference. One of the sessions (described below) involves English composition and service-learning. The due date for this session’s submissions is October 10, 2007. You can find information about the conference at http://www.nemla.org/.
The session, “Service-Learning and Community Involvement in Composition Classes,” invites abstracts that examine service learning as part of composition classrooms. Questions to consider include: How do service-learning composition sections differ from traditionally-taught sections (re design and outcome)? In what way(s) can we teach and apply reflection? How do students apply specific skills (i.e., paraphrasing) while conducting their community service? To what extent do you collaborate with agency partners as you design your syllabus and specific assignments? How do you promote a service-learning composition class? Papers can be geared for novice and for seasoned service-learning composition instructors.
Research & Economic Development
Coordinator: Lloyd Purdy
Contact Information: Lloyd@cortlanddowntown.com or (607) 342-6460
The Research and Economic Development activities are operated from Main Street SUNY Cortland at 9 Main Street downtown (directly across from the Community Restaurant).
- Collaborations in Economic Development: Friday September 21st, Cortland’s Center for Economics Education kicked off a collaboration with Homer High School and the Cortland Downtown Partnership. SUNY Cortland economic students will be mentoring Homer high school economic students as they learn about entrepreneurial economics first hand through a business model competition. This is an initiative that leverages the combined strengths of our campus, community, and classrooms. The project began when Lloyd Purdy, Director of the Cortland Downtown Partnership, approached Joe Cortese about using high school students to brainstorm new business ideas for historic downtown Cortland.
Community Outreach
Coordinator: Kathy Gallagher (VISTA member)
Contact Information: gallagherk@cortland.edu or (607) 597-9212
The Community Outreach activities are operated from our SUNY Cortland Main Street facility.
- Get Connected to the Community in the Learning Commons – Visit with Kathy Gallagher, Community Outreach Coordinator on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. until noon. Want to get connected with a service or volunteer opportunity? This is the place to go – directly behind the Bookmark Café in the Library.
- Youth Assist and Community Connections Programs - The Institute for Civic Engagement has been coordinating with Leslie Wilkins at Family Counseling Services of Cortland to promote the Youth Assist and College Connection programs. These programs are designed to serve the young people of the Cortland community and provide them with the opportunity to benefit from group and one-on-one mentoring from SUNY Cortland students and members of the Cortland community. If you have any questions or would like to express interest email: lesliew@cnymail.com.
- AmeriCorps Fall Conference - Kathy Gallagher attended and presented at the AmeriCorps Fall Conference September 26 -28. Topics included The Institute for Civic Engagement, Service-Learning, the Community Outreach Partnership Center, and SUNY Cortland's commitment to community service.
- Main Street available for meetings - The SUNY Cortland Main Street Facility would like to remind faculty, staff and community members to consider holding meetings, discussions and events at the facility. To schedule a reservation, please contact Kathy.
Upcoming Events of Interest to the Cortland Community
Relay for Life
Sat., Nov. 17th-18th @ Lusk Field House, 7 p.m.-7 a.m.
Contact: sunycortlandrfl@yahoo.com
Register at http://www.acsevents.org/relay/ny/cortlandstate
Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to bring together those who have been touched by cancer in our community. At the event, we celebrate survivorship and raise money to help the American Cancer Society in its mission to save lives, help those who have been touched by cancer, and empower individuals to fight back. Register today via the on-line site, begin recruiting members to your team, fundraising both on-line and as a team. We encourage each team to have at least 10 members, and each member to raise $100. Join the fight against cancer today and help SUNY Cortland reach their goal of 75 teams and $55,000!!!
Civic Education Panel Discussions
On September 17, students joined faculty, staff, community leaders, and panelists in a discussion that explored questions surrounding a proposed NY State law that deals with the citing of electric generators. In October, the Institute is sponsoring 2 more Panel Discussions (listed below); please join us.
- “Free Speech and Campaign Finance” on Tuesday, October 16, from 2:50 to 4:05 in Fireplace Lounge (Corey Union)
- Joan Mandle (Executive Director, Democracy Matters, and Professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies, Colgate University)
- Lauren Caruso (Regional Campus Supervisor, New York Public Interest Research Group [NYPIRG])
- Chris Farkas (Director of CAPCO, retired), current candidate for Town of Cortlandville Councilman
- “Activism” on Tuesday, October 30, from 2:50 to 4:05 p.m. in Fireplace Lounge (Corey Union)
- Karla Alwes (English Dept. Chair; Coordinator of the "Take Back the Night" campaign)
- Adrian Hull (Associate Professor, SUNY Cortland’s Political Science Department)
- Bob Comenole (Member of Veterans for Peace, John Kerry campaigner; former English Department faculty, SUNY Cortland)
Housing Confab V
October 15th at 7 p.m. in the Ramada Inn, Cortland
Cultural & Intellectual Climate Committee:
The “Earthly Matters” series on the environment presents Chris Shaw, Adirondack Singer & Songwriter, October 19th at 7:30 p.m. in the Exhibition Lounge, Corey Union
Public Action Meeting for Moving In Congregations, Acting in Hope (MICAH):
Contact Marie Agen, agenm@cortland.edu
MICAH’s public action meeting will be held Sunday, October 28, at 4 p.m. at St. Margaret’s Church in Homer. MICAH’s current project is to partner with Cortland County to achieve 100% enrollment of all eligible children in the Child Health Plus insurance program of the state of New York.
Students Advocating for a Valuable Environment (SAVE):
Thursdays 7 p.m. (Corey 204)
New York Public Interest Research Group Meetings (NYPIRG):
Mondays 5 p.m. (Corey 215)
The activities of the Institute for Civic Engagement and Main Street SUNY Cortland are made possible through the support of the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Associate Provost, the Office of Sponsored Programs, the Faculty Development Committee, the MacDonald Foundation, the New York State Music Fund, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, the Division of Institutional Advancement, and the Auxiliary Services Corporation.