Dear Smitties,
As you review all of the accomplishments from across campus for the month of March, you will find an overarching theme of collaboration. This is a major characteristic as we put the final push on in the last five weeks of the spring semester which leads up to Commencement on Saturday, May 8.
Collaborations start in the first year for our students ranging from living/learning laboratory interactions to senior year capstones. Our professors, researchers, and administrators know that collaboration is a synergy that makes us Smitty strong! Opportunities to work together for common causes and goals constitute an attribute for many of us at Paul Smith’s College. You should be very proud of the work accomplished during the month of March that you will read below.
As you know from the letter you received from Trustees Kathy Welling and Fred Beltz this week, the search is underway for the next college president. They will update us periodically on the search process between now and the Trustee’s appointment of our new president.
Jean and I wish you a very happy mini spring break which starts today! Enjoy your time away from the classroom and your offices and we’ll see you on Monday, April 5th!
Jon C. Strauss, Ph.D., Interim President
Academic Affairs
Each spring the SOC 200: Social Issues course, taught by Professor Joe Henderson, analyzes controversial issues in modern American society. The students invite you to listen to their public podcast The Bobcat. Topics which have been addressed so far include wealth inequality, college costs and student debt, health care, gender inequality, and labor/capital tensions. Upcoming topics include such issues as gun rights, gun violence and public safety, covid inequalities, and the mental health crisis. Please listen and comment if you’re interested in hearing members of the PSC community discuss these complicated issues.
As reported in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Joe Henderson has also help to launch a research collaboration on climate change education: Adk Daily Enterprise — Dr. Joe Henderson.
Glenn McClure, co-founder of the Antarctic Artist and Writers Collective, is one of the featured eco-artists in the online exhibition Adequate Earth. This is the first public exhibition by recipients of the National Science Foundation Artist and Writers Fellowship which promotes polar science by placing professional creators in Antarctica. Available until May 22, 2021, the exhibition can be seen at https://www.aawcollective.com/.
Lee Nellis published an essay, “Four Provocations: the Shape of a New Western Myth,” in Mountain Journal Lee Nellis essay.
Rebi Romeo attended the Kalamazoo Public Library virtual event 2021 Reading Together Author: Jacqueline Woodson’s reading from Brown Girl Dreaming.
Students in Professor Deb Naybor’ s EST 320 Global Environmental Seminar sorted through old camping gear from the recreation department. They cleaned and fixed such items as tents, bulky winter jackets, old boots and sleeping bags. The old gear was donated to two organizations: a local scout troop and a group that helps the homeless.
Deb Naybor has been selected as an application reviewer for the prestigious 2021-2022 Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Research program.
This week Northern Woodlands magazine photographed the good work of the Forestry Micro-Enterprise Crew for an upcoming story on sustainable forestry.
In collaboration with Student Affairs, the ongoing Smitty Lecture series had two events this past month: Dr. Rebecca Lave from Indiana University Bloomington spoke on “Streams of Revenue: The Restoration Economy and the Ecosystem it Creates.” And Dr. Jeff Hall, from Queensbury Community College spoke on “A Prison in the Woods: Environment and Incarceration in New York’s North Country. Both events are available on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knAJt3kYA9Q and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj-5831qVPI.
Professor Sara Favargiotti and 4 graduate students from the University of Trento’s Landscape Architecture Program joined PSC’s Virtual Study Abroad Course with Kelly Cerialo and Eric Holmlund to present their project Branding4Resilience (B4R). B4R is an innovative project involving four Italian universities and 26 graduate students that aims to improve tourism infrastructure in a way that enhances small villages and builds community resilience.
AP Smith’s Bakery in Cantwell Hall is now providing an option for students and faculty to purchase fresh local food during bakery hours in Cantwell Hall. Our local partners include: Juniper Hill, Moonstone Farm, Auger House Creamery and Tucker’s Farms. A minimal mark-up has been added to cover costs of operations. Products offered will vary per season. AP Smith’s will add more farms as products become available. Current offerings include Honey Crisp and Gala apples, pea tendrils, carrots, sweet potatoes and chicken eggs.
There is more exciting news about the bakery! CUL 462 Baking Capstone students will showcase their “signature items” in the A.P. Smith’s Bakery in the coming weeks. The BAK 280 Retail Practical Experience course, under the direction of chef Marlyse Waskiewicz, has begun the student-manager-of-the-week for the rest of the semester. Each student-manager-of-the-week design the menus, order food, and direct their peers to execute the menu. Thank you for stopping by the A.P. Smith’s Bakery to support their learning! Check back every week for new goodies!
PSC Business & Hospitality Department had two student teams participate in The North Country Regional Business Plan Competition (NCRBPC) on Friday, March 26. The competition brought students from schools across the region to compete for monetary awards to help develop their ideas and concepts. Students pitched their ideas and ventures to a group of esteemed judges who evaluated student proposals. Stay tuned for the next Day One (Day One May One) for the results!
Sven Vetter, a Sustainability Officer at Nestle and father of a student at PSC, spoke with Professor Jamie Wilson’s Sustainable Practices class. Sven was the global head of sustainability at Kodak prior to joining Nestle. He offered a high-level perspective on what it’s like to develop sustainability initiatives for a large-scale corporation.
Just published! Stager JC, Wiltse B, Cumming BF, Messner TC, Robtoy J, Cushing S (2021) Hydroclimatic and cultural instability in northeastern North America during the last millennium. PLOS ONE 16: e0248060. Free online access at PLOS One.
PSC and the Adirondack Research Consortium just finished up a very successful Spring Webinar Series: Landscapes and Legacies. There were between 147 and 249 registrants for each of the webinars. Recordings are available at: http://www.adkresearch.org/conference/specialty/.
Previous webinars:
March 5: Enduring footprints in the Adirondacks (In honor of Dr. Bruce Selleck). Legacies of geology and forest history in the ADK, and how those legacies shape the future of the Adirondacks. Moderator: Dr. Ellen Percy-Kraly, Colgate University and panelists: Dr. William Peck, Colgate, and Dr. Charles Canham, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.
March 12: Dams and Aquatic Connectivity: Eco-systems, Communities, Energy, and Infrastructure. Human infrastructure in ADK waterways such as dams, culverts, train corridors, and highways. As aged infrastructure deteriorates over time should we build back better, or restore systems to their past existence? Moderator: Dr. Stephen Bird, Clarkson, and panelists Steve Langdon, Single Shanty Preserve & Research Station, Tony David, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and Michelle Brown, The Nature Conservancy.
March 19: Adirondack Hikers 2020: What We Learned, And What We Need To Know For Management. How hikers have impacted the Adirondacks and what we can do to mitigate the impacts. Moderator: Julia Goren, Adirondack Council and panelists: Dr. Heidi Kretser, Wildlife Conservation Society and Dr. Jill Weiss, SUNY ESF.
March 26: Linking Past to Present: A look at Diverse Peoples within the Adirondacks, “An Understanding of How Far We Have Come in Confronting and Addressing Bigotry and Discrimination”. Moderator: Dr. Donathan Brown, RIT and panelists: Dr. Nicky Hylton-Patterson, Adirondack Diversity Initiative Director, and Amy Godine, Author and Historian.
Enrollment and Admissions Team
Admissions counselor recruiting continued domestically and internationally with 30 virtual guidance visits, classroom visits, fairs and classroom presentations scheduled throughout March.
Counselors are continuing to review Fall 2021 applications, processing acceptances, deposits, and reviewing financial aid offers with prospective students.
Jodi Rossi completed the Military Times Best for Vets annual survey. A big thanks to Jeff Walton, Registrar and Elyse Relyea, Financial Aid, for their data and contributions.
In compliance with updated PSC safety guidelines, campus visit limits were extended to allow 3 prospective students per tour. Admissions booked 59 prospective students for in-person tours and 9 virtual visits during the month March.
Admissions partnered with A.P. Smith’s Bakery to provide prospective touring students a treat from the bakery. Many thanks to Amy Coddington-Burnett for the arrangements and overseeing the implementation on a daily basis.
Jodi Rossi and Eric Holmlund hosted a Spring Graduate Virtual Open House on March 16 and welcomed 9 attendees, including a couple who are PSC alumni!
Besides on-site tours, Admissions hosted the following virtual events during March:
- Undergraduate Open House – March 27
- Parent 101 hosted by Center for Academic and Career Success in partnership with Admissions, March 29
- Student Panel via UniBuddy – March 30
Five students and one staff member (Bob Visicaro of HEOP) participated in social media takeovers this month. Anyone who is interested in collaborating with the admissions social media channels please contact Cori Barnard at cbarnard@paulsmiths.edu.
Institutional Advancement and Marketing
Smitty Story Hours during March included: Kate Glenn (March 11) and Bethany Garretson,’09 (recording forthcoming, or check in with the Alumni Office c/o htuttle@paulsmiths.edu). Hot off the press: Check out the latest Smitty Story Hour collection on the Alumni website page: https://www.paulsmiths.edu/alumni/.
After a one-year pause, due to the pandemic, we are optimistically tentatively planning our Fifth Annual St. Regis Neighbors Get-Together/Cocktail Reception on Wednesday, July 28 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This popular occasion brings our St. Regis neighbors together for an engagement and cultivation event, allowing us to showcase all things Paul Smith’s College, as well as entertain and enlighten our guests. The event format includes a few relevant interactive stations and we are looking for your ideas and involvement! We also hope to have students involved either at a display or helping out at the event. We’re so grateful for the annual help we receive from the PSC AWI and the Watershed Stewards, and we really encourage student presentations/involvement from other areas. Past stations topics include Winter Sports Initiative, Farm to Table, PSC Adventure Guide services, Bird Safe Adirondack, Meet our Draft Horses, Pete’s Rock Archeological Dig, Dillon Park, and the ever popular beer tasting station. So, put on your thinking caps, and please contact Mary McLean x6343 or mmclean@paulsmiths.edu with your thoughts, comments and interactive station ideas by early July.
Advancement hosted a press conference to announce the $100,000 gift from Casella.
In collaboration with our Sustainability program across campus here are some recycling tips:
Before you recycle, remember to ensure that:
- All containers are empty, rinsed, and dry
- Cardboard is flattened
- There are no items smaller than 2 inches in size
- Items that are NOT accepted (such as plastic bags, liquids/food waste, electronic waste items, etc.).
For more information, visit Casella’s website and guide here.
PSC VIC
The PSC VIC waived trail fees on the weekend of March 20 and 21 for an advertised “Free Ski” weekend. The event was well attended with over 100 skiers each day. Two fun races were held on Saturday and students from the Nordic team represented the school.
Trail conditions have deteriorated and skiing is no longer advised. No trail fee will be required should we get new snow and the trails are once again skiable this season.
We have had a great exposure platform for our Sports Initiatives in the last month including a PODCAST via Cross Country Magazine with Billy Demong, Tim Burke and John F. Morgan discussing the accomplishments of the PSC Nordic Initiatives in the last 18 months: Cross Country Skier Podcasts.
We also had a full page on PSC Nordic on the back cover of Cross Country Magazine and also a full page in Backpacker Magazine. These magazines run a Test Weekend of all new products coming into the marketplace related to everything from Mt Biking, X-Country and back country ski equipment to new hiking tools and apparatus and we are in discussion to use the PSC VIC as a testing site in March 2022. We will keep you posted!
Business / Finance / Sodexo Dining Services
Over $550,000 in Federal HEERF funds in direct student grants were sent out to our students this past week thanks to the combined efforts of Financial Aid, Student Accounting and Accounts Payable. These funds are to assist in offsetting costs for our students due to COVID-19 and we know they are making a difference!
Our COVID-19 Management Plan has been updated to reflect changes in the Dining Hall and recent updates from the CDC on testing and quarantine for fully vaccinated individuals.
Big News from Sodexo Dining Services! Greta is pleased to announce that the dining hall is rearranging some of the seating to allow 4 people to sit together at one table! The other sections of the dining hall will remain as single seating only for those that prefer to sit alone. Please continue to wear your masks when not seated at a table and socially distance wherever possible.
The Health Assessment Form has also been updated.
The Campus Climate Survey required every other year by NYS Education Article 129-B has been completed for Spring 2021. This is a completely anonymous survey that helps us understand how effective we, Paul Smith’s College, have been in communicating with students and employees on the topic of sexual violence, gauge which efforts are working and which can be improved, and identify new needs that have yet to be addressed. The current survey was designed to capture feedback and perspectives on subjects related to sexual misconduct, including experiences of sexual assault and related misconduct, the likelihood of engagement in bystander intervention, and knowledge of Paul Smith’s College’s processes, response and support services. The analyzed results, when returned, are required to be published on our website. They will be found here.
Center for Academic and Career Success (CACS) and Student Affairs
Collaborative Professional Development: The SafetyNet Committee participated in a professional development virtual training for leading BIT/BAIT teams (Behavior Intervention Teams) as a Risk Management Tool on March 17.
The Student Leadership Team participated in a professional development virtual training for establishing Student Honor Codes and Honor Councils as a means of supporting the student conduct process on March 2.
The CARE Team participated in a professional development mini conference featuring guest speaker Jorge Vidal from Caminar Latino to lead discussion on empowering men in support of addressing SDDVS (Sexual Violence, Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, and Stalking) on campus.
The CARE team launched a stories project in which we are providing students with a platform to share their stories anonymously.
TRIO SSS: The raffle continues for the Apple AirPod Pros. Students can earn up to 11 chances to win by signing up for our brand-new financial literacy tool, Financial Avenue, and completing any or all of 11 courses offered. www.financialavenue.org. Contact Amanda Vincent for more info! Drawing for AirPod Pros will be on April 28!
Residence Life: Lydia Martin Smith (LMS) and Currier RA’s made mid semester goodie bags to deliver to their students during midterms. RA Angela Flores hosted a Tik Tok glass painting tutorial program and RA Jaden Sanborn hosted a bird feeder program for Blum House residents. RA Ryan Luzzi hosted a March Madness bracket tournament for residents and RA Cassidy Lucia hosted a “Bob Ross” painting night for Currier residents.
Student Activities hosted the following event in March: Curt Stager’s presentation on the “Deep History of the Native American Presence in the ADKs”.
Upcoming Events
- Check out the events listed on the Student Activities Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psc_studentactivities/
- Upcoming Virtual Admissions Events / Details and links to registration: www.paulsmiths.edu/visit
- Athletics Meet & Greet – Thursday, April 1, 2021 (6:00 p.m. EST)
- Residence Life Information Session – Wednesday April 14, 2021 (3:00 p.m. EST)
- Graduate Virtual Open House – Tuesday, April 20, 2021 (7:00 p.m. EST)
Additional events across campus:
- April 7: Tunnel of Oppression co-hosted with CARES Team, Residence Life, and Student Counseling
- April 8: Smitty Story Hour with Jorie Favreau (registration link forthcoming from College Advancement/Alumni Affairs)
- April 17: Sugarbush video forthcoming from College Advancement
- April 17 & 18: PSC Alumni Board of Directors Meetings
- April 18 – 24: Earth Week Events
- April 22: Blood Drive (hosted by Student Activities)
- April 22: Smitty Story Hour with Joe Conto ’85 & Jamie Brydalski ‘05 (registration link forthcoming from College Advancement/Alumni Affairs)
- April 26 – 30: Student Government Association Elections – get out and vote!
- April 29: Student Leadership Recognition Event
Looking ahead…
- May 8 – could it be……Yes, it is…..Commencement at 11 a.m.!
- May 12 – End of the Semester Meeting (Employees) via Zoom at 9 a.m.
