Farmingdale State College ■ 2350 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale, New York 11735 ■ telephone: 631-420-2000 ■ www.farmingdale.edu

Pay Dirt: Construction Begins in Earnest On Long-Awaited Campus CenterGroundbreaking kicks off project to be completed in fall 2012

Construction has begun on a new Campus

Center which will include new dining facilities

for students, faculty, and staff, a bookstore, a

multi-purpose room for lectures and special

events, a student lounge, and several unique

architectural features. The groundbreaking

in October was attended by State Senator

Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., and Assemblymen

Bob Sweeney and Jim Conte, members of the

College Council and the Farmingdale College

Foundation, faculty, and students.

“This new Campus Center will be a hub

of activity for the College,” said President

Keen. “It also will serve as a symbol for the

unprecedented growth and progress we are

making in all the critical areas—applications,

enrollment, quality of students, and the

importance of our research enterprise.”

The Campus Center is the leading element

of a $185 million construction and renovation

project that will last several years and

includes a building for the School of Business,

a new Information Commons, renovations

of academic buildings, expansion of athletic

facilities, and reconfiguration of roadways.

The Campus Center, which is scheduled

to open in fall 2012, will have several unique

architectural features, including an oculus—a

rounded skylight—to provide sunlight into the

lobby of the building, as well as an energy-

efficient roof and windows. The student

lounge will protrude toward the center of

campus and the multi-purpose room is

designed to be divided into smaller spaces and

have a capacity of about 200 for dinner-style

seating and 400 for lecture hall-style seating.

thecampus times News & Information for the Farmingdale State College Community

Volume IX, Issue III · Nov/Dec 2010

Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., Assemblymen Bob Sweeney and Jim Conte join President Keen and campus officials at ground-breaking ceremony.

Look for the next edition of the Campus Times in

February 2011.

Veteran Affairs Office to be Established

An Office of Veterans Affairs will be

established at the College, according

to Vice President of Student Affairs Dr.

Tom Corti. The office will assist students

who are military veterans in such areas

as admissions, registrar, financial aid,

housing, government aid, and other

student service areas. Among the

objectives will be to hire student veterans

to staff the new office.

“Studies have shown that student

veterans are more likely to remain and feel

connected to a college or university if they

can network with other veterans who may

be employees,” Dr. Corti said. “With this

in mind we are establishing an employee

veteran database to network with student

veterans.” The veterans affairs office is

scheduled to open in spring 2011.

Like many colleges across the

country, Farmingdale is experiencing

an increase in the number of student

veterans returning from wars in Iraq,

Afghanistan, and other military service.

There are approximately 110 Farmingdale

students who are military veterans.

The College has

received a $1.1 million

grant--its first ever from

the TRIO program of

the U.S. Department of

Education--to establish a

Student Support Services

(SSS) program. The funding – which began this

Fall – will enable the campus to develop and

provide supportive educational experiences to

a cohort of students over the next five years.

The program will be known as the

“Farmingdale First Program” and will serve

and engage students who are first generation

college students (as well as students who are

low income and / or have disabilities). The

Farmingdale First Program will be located in

the new Learning Integration Center (LINC) in

Laffin Hall. About 180 eligible students will

participate in the program each semester.

The grant was submitted by project

director Dr. Beverly Kahn, professor of political

science and special project coordinator for

the Office of the President, who said “Far

from being a silo devoted to advisement,

remediation, and tutoring, the College’s

program will take a holistic approach to

student support and success by providing

academic support, social integration, creative

pedagogy, financial support, and improved

operating systems and services.”

$1.1M Grant from U.S. Department of Education Establishes Farmingdale First Program

Theresa Santmann was honored at the Farmingdale Foundation Business Gala on November 4. Presenting her the Ram's Horn Award are President Keen, Foundation President Richard Overton and Chief Development Officer Henry Sikorski.

■■ Dolores Ciaccio gave a workshop on “How to Conduct a More Successful Job Search” to school counselors at the Long Island Counselors Annual Conference on October 29.

■■ Dr. Sheldon P. Gordon, professor emeritus, and his wife, Dr. Florence S. Gordon of NYIT, are the authors of a new text,

Functions, Data and Models: An Applied Approach to College Algebra that has just been published by the Mathematical Association of America.

■■ Lucille Wesnofske, SBDC, was installed as president of WEDLI (Women Economic Developers of LI) in June.

People in the News

At the October meeting Charles Lauer (L) and Mary Fallon were honored by President Keen and the College Council for their years of service.

Jennifer Bryer, PhD, has been appointed chairperson

of the nursing department. Dr. Bryer has been a member

of the department of nursing since 2006.

As chair of the department, Dr. Bryer will

guide curriculum development for all programs

within the nursing department. An exemplary

assistant professor of medical surgical theory and

clinical research since 2006, Dr. Bryer was awarded the 2007 Theresa

Santmann Faculty Development Award.

Dr. Bryer recently defended her dissertation on an area of research

concerning the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Policy, earning her

doctorate at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Previously, she earned

her MS in nursing education at Molloy College and her BS through the

Regents College in Albany.

Dr. Bryer was a pediatric neonatal intensive care nurse for North

Shore University Hospital from 1977 to 1982 and became a classroom

instructor at the School of Practical Nursing then a school nurse for

Hewlett-Woodmere School District and Parkway Elementary School

in East Meadow. She began adjunct teaching at Molloy College, then

moved to Adelphi University before joining the College.

Nursing Department Announces Appointment of New ChairDr. Jennifer Bryer Receives Promotion

Small Business Development Center advisor

Walter Reid has been selected a 2010 Association

of Small Business Development Centers State Star.

The award was given for his work for the New York

State SBDC.

“I am delighted to make this announcement,

and to recognize Walter for his extraordinary

contributions to the work of small business on Long Island,” said Lucille

Wesnofske, director of the SBDC.

Reid was chosen by the Central Office of SBDC in Albany for being

an outstanding performer, making a major contribution to the state

SBDC program, and showing a strong commitment to small business on

Long Island.

“It is an honor to accept this award,” said Walter Reid, “and to have

the opportunity every day to assist so many entrepreneurs achieve the

dream of starting and succeeding in their own business.”

A resident of Farmingdale, Reid is a two-time winner of the State

Star award, having previously won in 2007. The Farmingdale State

SBDC has won the State Star award two times, with Lucille Wesnofske

receiving the award in 1997 and John Narciso in 2004.

SBDC Advisor Wins National AwardWalter Reid Recognized as 2010 New York State Star

Farmingdale State College again has been cited as one of the

Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the North and scored impressively in

two key categories—freshman retention and racial diversity—in the

2011 annual edition of the US News & World Report’s "Best Colleges

and Universities."

The College was ranked 17th in freshmen retention rate among

baccalaureate colleges in the North at 76 percent. Retention rates for

freshman are typically considered a key indicator of student satisfaction.

The College was ranked 17th in racial diversity among baccalaureate

colleges in the North with a 0.35 "diversity index," ranking among

the top institutions in SUNY in the category, as well as leading all

baccalaureate colleges, public and private, in the Long Island region.

"We are extremely proud of the progress that Farmingdale

State College has made," said President Keen. "Our students tell us

that they feel welcome on the campus, no matter what their ethnic

background. By returning for their sophomore year in high numbers,

they also tell us they are pleased with the quality education they are

receiving. We have made great strides in these areas, and we will

strive to make even more."

Farmingdale Again Cited by US News & World Report

Atomic Tom’s First College Campus Appearance

Friday, December 10 at 7:30 PM, Roosevelt Little Theatre. See events calendar on page 4.

A Publication of the

Office for Institutional Advancement at Farmingdale State College

Patrick Calabria, Vice President

Kathryn Coley, Director of Communications

Jonathan Goldstein, Creative Director

Eileen Hasson, Director of Alumni Affairs

Amy Michelin, Communications Associate

Sylvia Nicosia, Alumni/Web Manager

Jennifer Wilbur, Graphic Designer

If you have comments or story ideas, please email campustimes@farmingdale.edu.

Printed on recycled paper (100% post-consumer).

thecampus times

■■ Faculty and Staff Holiday PartyThe annual Holiday Party will be held on

Thursday, December 16 from 3-5PM.

To create a comprehensive video

retrospective of 2010, the Office for

Institutional Advancement needs your

candid photos of campus life. Photos

of scholarship ceremonies, unusual

lectures, campus sights and events are

all welcome. Please email your photos

to Communications@farmingdale.edu. ■■ Atomic Tom’s First College Campus Appearance Friday, December 10 at 7:30PM

Roosevelt Little Theatre

This is a rare opportunity – and a

chance to see a band in a small venue

before they break big. The band gained

international fame after they performed

their single "Take Me Out" on four

iPhones on the New York City subway

B train. Sponsored by the Islander Club

and the Alumni Association, admission is

$15 for students and $20 for staff. For

tickets contact x2369.

■■ Winter CommencementWednesday, December 22 (snow date is 12/23), 6PM Nold Hall

■■ Great American SmokeoutFree oral cancer screenings Thursday, November 18, 9AM-noon and 2-4:30PM Dental Hygiene Care Center, Gleeson hall In recognition of The Great American Smoke Out, which is celebrated on November 18, Farmingdale's dental hygiene students will offer free oral cancer screenings for the campus community. It's important to note that the screenings are important for everyone, NOT just persons who smoke or chew tobacco.

DH students will also host an information table in the lobby of Gleeson Hall to provide educational material and resources for anyone interested in "kicking" the habit.

No appointment is necessary; open to the campus community. Contact Sharon Struminger or Maureen Capone for more information.

Events

Dr. Pearl Kamer, the

highly-regarded Chief

Economist for the Long

Island Association (LIA) and

a key figure in academics,

public finance, and

government service, has

been appointed Chair of the College Council

by Governor David Paterson. Dr. Kamer, who

became a member of the College Council in

July, 2008, chaired her first meeting of the

group last month.

Besides her work for the LIA, Dr. Kamer

is an experienced educator, having taught

urban and regional economics, global trade,

and public finance at numerous area colleges,

including New York University. She has also

directed Global Trade Research Institutes at

Long Island University and Adelphi University.

“Dr. Kamer is a professional of the

highest caliber who has brought her valuable

experience and perspective to our governance

system,” President Keen said. “I forward to

continuing to work with her, especially as we

approach the 100th anniversary of Farmingdale

State College in 2012.”

In addition to welcoming Dr. Kamer, the

College Council also presented certificates of

appreciates to outgoing Chair Mary Fallon and

outgoing Vice Chair Charles Lauer, who had

served on the council for 12 years and nine

years, respectively.

“We have been exceedingly fortunate to

have great leadership on our College Council

and we are indebted to Mary and Charles for

the service and support they have provided to

the College over the years,” Dr. Keen said.

Pearl Kamer Named Head of College CouncilP. Lind-Gonzalez Named Chief Institutional Research Officer

Patricia Lind-

Gonzalez has recently

joined the Department

of Institutional Research

as chief institutional

research officer.

Previously,

Patricia Lind-Gonzalez was lead

instructor and director of The Stevenson

Academy Program, where she developed

curriculum for a young artist program at

the Art League of Long Island. Her prior

experience includes research analysis at

SUNY College Old Westbury where she

was director of the Office of Institutional

Research & Assessment.

Lind-Gonzalez’ prior experience

includes ten years of marketing research

analysis. She will support Farmingdale

State College’s decision-making process

by providing data services and analysis.

With an extensive background in

communications and statistics, Lind-

Gonzalez earned her BS in statistics

from SUNY Oneonta and an MA in

communications from NYIT.