News feed for SUNY System Administration's Campus News Section http://www.cortland.edu/news/ Mon, 06 Feb 2006 14:20:54 -0500 KORYZNO@cortland.edu pelusoj@cortland.edu The State University of New York Board of Trustees honored the late SUNY Cortland Professor William Griffen with the 2008 Distinguished Citizen Award at its regular monthly meeting on June 17. The award was established by the Board in 1980 to "honor citizens of the State of New York who exemplify the highest standards of public service." "Bill Griffen's life's work and legacy make him most deserving of this posthumous honor," said SUNY Board Chairman Carl T. Hayden. "This man was my seventh-grade teacher. He was an extraordinary human being. He stood for what is good and right and always acted upon it." Interim SUNY Chancellor Dr. John B. Clark also praised Griffen, who was Professor of Education at SUNY Cortland from 1955 to 2007, when he passed away from cancer. "Bill Griffen leaves behind a distinguished record of more than 50 years of research, teaching and service to SUNY Cortland. Perhaps is greatest legacy, however, are the students who benefitted from his knowledge, generosity and dedication to teaching" Clark said. "It is our honor to recognize his exemplary career." SUNY Cortland President Erik Bitterbaum said, "Bill kept meticulous records. In his 51 years, he taught more than 11,000 students – he actually counted them. And what's more is that he inspired 11,000 students. I think that's very important. I'd like to thank the Board for honoring him and thank his colleague and friend, Henry Steck, for seeing to it that this honor be made today." Griffen was the author of two books, numerous journal articles and is also recognized as a master teacher. His former students submitted testimonials in support of the award that highlighted his devotion to teaching and the selfless way in which he educated and inspired them. Griffen's areas of teaching and research specialization were philosophy of education, social foundations of education, technology and education and race, class, and gender and education. He received his BS in PE and Health from SUNY Cortland in 1950 and his MA and Ph.D. from Cornell University in Education and Sociology in 1957 and 1967 respectively. He joined SUNY Cortland as assistant professor in 1955, was tenured in 1961, and promoted to full professor in 1974. Griffen was recognized during the board meeting for his life of service as a citizen, taking courageous and principled stands in support of civil rights and non-violent opposition to the war in Vietnam. His research and teaching infused his public involvement, and the values that guided his activism during some of the most tumultuous times in history, in turn, motivated his academic pursuits. http://www.cortland.edu/news/article.asp?ID=611 Elizabeth Davis-Russell, the SUNY Cortland provost and vice president for academic affairs since 2001, will retire on June 30. She will earn the designation of provost and vice president emerita for academic affairs and professor emerita of psychology. Since announcing her retirement, she has received a follow-up request from the president of Liberia to return to her native country to help in the reconstruction of its higher education system. She has accepted the position of president of Tubman College of Technology in Maryland County, Liberia. During her tenure as SUNY Cortland's chief academic officer, Davis-Russell has led the development of strategic planning for the division of academic affairs resulting in the creation of six new academic departments and several new programs. Her main areas of focus were on enhancing academic excellence through initiatives to improve student writing, civic engagement and quantitative skills; internationalizing the campus, enhancing the first year programs and increasing both the diversity of the campus and the number of graduate programs. Faculty development was a particular emphasis, especially the nurturing of new faculty through an extended orientation, retreat and seminars during the first year. She supported the recognition of faculty and staff through an annual awards luncheon and the acknowledgement of book authors though an annual reception for these published faculty and staff members. Davis-Russell provided leadership for the College's long-range planning process resulting in several new initiatives being institutionalized. She oversaw the development of the College's core values clarification process, while her efforts to re-organize the College led to the formation of a new School of Education, an integration of all field placement and internship efforts under a new Field Placement Office, and the integration of athletic facilities under a single structure and management. Davis-Russell initiated the efforts to enhance the intellectual climate of the institution through more focused, planned activities that brought faculty and students together outside of the classroom. For example, she supported the creation in 2003 of an Academic Convocation, now an annual tradition that launches each academic year in August, and a year-long speaker series. Under her leadership, faculty have more aggressively pursued outside research funding. Grants managed by the Research and Sponsored Programs Office increased from $1.5 million a year to $3 million a year. Her efforts also led to the development of articulation agreements with community colleges and an initiative that increased the visibility and rigor of the Honors Program. During her tenure, she has maintained a prolific volume of scholarship. Davis-Russell edited the 2002 textbook, Handbook of Multicultural Education, Research, Intervention, and Training, which was published by Jossey-Bass of San Francisco, Calif. She co-edited a second book and wrote many book chapters and numerous scholarly articles. Davis-Russell presented nationally in her field, including twice during 2007 for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities at its meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Her topics were "Recruiting, Orienting and Socializing Faculty" and "Entrepreneurial Universities: College-Community Partnerships." She currently serves the American Psychological Association (APA) as a member of its Committee on Accreditation Appeal Panel and is the president of the APA's Society for the Clinical Psychology of Women (APA Division 12, Section 4). In 2007, she visited the Republic of Liberia to advise the government there on how to rebuild its shattered higher education system as part of a small contingent on behalf of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). The National Association of University Women's Central New York Branch honored her in 2005 with its Outstanding Service Award. Davis-Russell was a founding member of the branch in 2002 and has served as past president and organizer. In 2004, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities bestowed on her the title of Millennium Fellow. Davis-Russell was a 1998 Fellow of the American Council on Education and is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Society for the Psychology of Women, and Society for the Study of Ethnic Minority Issues). Prior to joining SUNY Cortland, Davis-Russell was a presidential associate at Alliant University in California, formerly called the California School of Professional Psychology, where she became a professor in 1992. Davis-Russell also served in administrative roles as coordinator of continuing education, director of cross cultural psychology proficiency and dean of academic and professional affairs at the Fresno campus.She served on the core faculty at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in the mid-1980s. In 1991, the school presented her with a Doctor of Humane Letters. Previously, Davis-Russell was a tenured associate professor and coordinator of psychology at City University of New York's LaGuardia Community College in Long Island, N.Y., between 1973-1980. Davis-Russell grew up in Harper, Liberia, and then moved to the capital of Monrovia, where her father was an associate justice of the Supreme Court. She went to a tutorial college in London, England, and received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich. She earned a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from New York University and a doctorate in education in counselor education, from Yeshiva University. Davis-Russell has a second doctorate, Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology from New York University. She also completed post-graduate training in certification in psychoanalytic psychotherapy with the Institute for the Study of Psychotherapy in New York City. She has held a wide range of clinical jobs, including internships at Brooklyn Veterans Administration Medical Center and Harlem Hospital and Medical Center, and employment as a psychometrist-remedial specialist with the YMCA of Greater New York. Davis http://www.cortland.edu/news/article.asp?ID=608 Four SUNY Cortland students have been awarded inaugural Cortland County Emergency Medicine Physicians Ltd. (EMP) Sponsored Scholarships to assist them in their continuing academic pursuits within the biological sciences. The recipients, who must have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, are: Kevin Stimson, a senior biology major from Cicero, N.Y.; Jeanne Dippel, a junior from Mechanicsburg, Pa., with double major in biology and kinesiology; Katelyn Molzan, a junior biology major from Plattsburgh, N.Y.; and Mark Morrell, a senior from Farmington, N.Y., majoring in adolescence education: biology. Stimson and Dippel received $1,000 scholarships and Molzan and Morrell each received $250 scholarships. All four are planning to pursue medical school, while Morrell would also like to teach high school biology, said Theresa Curtis, an assistant professor in the SUNY Cortland Biological Sciences Department and the premedical advisor. Created in 2007 by the EMP Ltd. staff at Cortland Regional Medical Center, the scholarships are awarded annually to qualified SUNY Cortland sophomore, junior and senior premedical students. Preference is given to students with an interest in emergency medicine and involved with the Scribes Program. An outstanding opportunity for premedical students to get primary exposure to medicine, the Scribes Program was initiated in 2005 by the Emergency Department at Cortland Memorial Hospital. Scribes assist the Emergency Room (ER) physician with the documentation of each patient’s visit to the ER. "We have taken care of many SUNY Cortland students over the years and our involvement in these young peoples’ lives is crucial,” said Russell Firman. M.D., director of the EMP staff and head of the scholarship selection committee. “We want to support their future endeavors so they perhaps one day will return the favor to the local community." EMP has staffed the emergency room at Cortland Regional Medical Center since 1999 and is committed to quality emergency medical care and patient satisfaction, he added. http://www.cortland.edu/news/article.asp?ID=609 For only the second time, one SUNY Cortland staff member, one student and a student organization are recipients of regional awards for April 2008 from the Northeast College and University Residence Halls (NEACURH). The “Of the Month” (OTM) awards are given monthly in several categories to students and staff connected to residence life on college campuses. Each of the winners received a certificate acknowledging their contribution to residence life at the College. On campus, SUNY Cortland students who make up the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH), a nationally recognized organization, vote each month on which nominees are submitted to be judged at the regional NEACURH level.SUNY Cortland was honored in October 2007 with four regional awards, for the first time. This time Lori Schlicht, assistant director of Advisement and Transition, received the Faculty/Staff of the Month Award. She was nominated by Jared Foro, a junior adolescence education: earth science major from Greenfield Center, N.Y. “Lori has undoubtedly been the most influential person in my college career,” Foro said. “From making me feel welcome as a first semester freshman to helping me excel as a campus leader, Lori has always been there for me. Never have I met someone who cares about those around them as much as she does.”Mindy Jacobs, a freshman childhood education major from Binghamton, N.Y., was awarded “First Year Student of the Month.” She was nominated by Amanda Schoepflin, a junior childhood education: social sciences major from Saugerties, N.Y. “Throughout the year, Mindy supported Hayes Hall tremendously by attending floor meetings, programs and campus events,” said Schoepflin. “During the month of April, Mindy went above and beyond. On top of her busy schedule of swimming club, yoga classes and general education classes she enthusiastically found time to help her resident assistant put on a hall program that highlighted her hobby and talent of scrap boxing. Mindy arrived with her own scrap book materials that she shared with other residents and helped them create their own scrap box.” Cortland Students Advocating for a Valuable Environment (CSAVE) was given the Organization of the Month Award. The club was nominated by Ashley Hudson, a junior childhood education: English language arts major from Victor, N.Y. CSAVE was organized in Fall 2007 to seek change on the SUNY Cortland campus to become more sustainable. On April 28, CSAVE held a campus and community-wide conference called “A Green IDEA (Individuals Demanding Environmental Action)” to spread knowledge and the importance of becoming sustainable. The conference consisted of several educational workshops, visiting author and environmentalist Bruce Barcott and music by SUNY Cortland’s Jazz and Blues ensemble. “Being the first conference ever held by this organization, this was a huge success,” Hudson said. “Several members from the community, college professors, the president of the College and Cortland students attended the conference. While they worked endlessly in the weeks of April, they still worked on outside projects such as getting reusable mugs, making reused notebooks and distributing fluorescent light bulbs to the residence halls.” For more information, contact Sarah Gingrich, assistant to the director of Residential Services, at (607) 753-4723. http://www.cortland.edu/news/article.asp?ID=610