President’s Newsletter

Friday, March 15, 2024

Dear Colleagues:

As we get ready for Spring Break, I wanted to start by thanking you for steering our students through the first half of the semester. I know that many of you will be off next week, and I will pause my weekly newsletter as a result. I will be spending Spring Break polishing an article for publication and attending a few virtual board meetings and external events.

This week saw me in Albany with the rest of the 64 SUNY presidents. We received updates on the New York State budget negotiations, and discussed a variety of topics including the FAFSA delays, Title VI, and civil discourse. We were joined by Assemblywoman Pat Fahy, who is the State Assembly Higher Education Committee Chair. The two house bills look favorable for higher education, but there is still a long ways to go before the state budget is finalized on or about April 1. SUNY Brockport’s final legislative visits will occur this week. Once the final budget is announced, I will share with you the details as they affect SUNY Brockport.

We were also joined by Lara Schwartz, from the American University Project on Civic Dialogue, who gave a truly engaging talk about how to speak across differences. She started by asking us, “What is the most commonly correct answer in the history of the known universe?” The answer? “I don’t know.” She challenged us to be comfortable with this answer, and to encourage it in our students, as well, since we are imperfect individuals who can nevertheless keep learning. I was grateful for the opportunity to hear her speak.

On campus, we hosted Garth Fagan Legacy Day on Wednesday, which included a screening of the documentary Prelude: The Legacy of Garth Fagan Dance by Carvin Eison. I am delighted that SUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus Garth Fagan was able to attend the celebration, which also included a proclamation by New York State.

With the daffodils blooming across campus, it feels like spring is definitely on its way! Enjoy next week, whether you are away or here on campus. My newsletters will resume on Friday, March 29.