ALBANY, N.Y. (December 7, 2007) -- The SUNY Office of University Life today announced the recipients of the 2007 Outstanding Student Affairs Awards. Created in 2006, the award recognizes and encourages outstanding educational programs that engage students and have a positive impact on campus life.
"These programs are excellent examples of initiatives designed to facilitate student learning and development in all aspects of campus life," said Ed Engelbride, assistant vice chancellor for University Life. "It is our pleasure to recognize these programs and to encourage additional SUNY campuses to use them as models in the future."
Each of the five recipients will present to their peers so that other SUNY campuses may consider implementing the programs.
D. Ekow King; University at Albany
Recreation and Intramurals - Danes After Dark
Danes After Dark is a late-night programming initiative that provides students with something constructive to do at night and on weekends that promotes healthy and positive lifestyles, intellectual growth, social responsibility, meaningful interpersonal relationships and an appreciation for diversity. The main objective of the program is to provide an alternative to drinking establishments as a primary source of entertainment on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
D. Ekow King, UAlbany's associate director for Student Activities & Multicultural Affairs, is a graduate of the University at Albany ('90, '95) with a master's degree Africana Studies. He has served as a residence hall director, area coordinator and assistant director for the Department of Residential Life. King has performed throughout New York State as an African Storyteller and motivational speaker, and is a senior trainer for the National Coalition Building Institute, International (N.C.B.I.) a Washington, D.C. based organization that conducts leadership training throughout the world. He is a member of Men for Relationship Education and Change, (Men REACH) a group of university faculty and staff who conduct workshops on sexual harassment, assault and date rape on college campuses. King is also an adjunct professor in the Liberal Arts and Science Department at SUNY Cobleskill, where he teaches Introduction to African Studies.
Dr. Elizabeth Carter; Binghamton University
New Student/First Year Program - Discovery Assistance Program
The Discovery Program was developed in an effort to address the struggle that some first-year students experience as they transition from the high school environment to college life. The program is jointly administered by Academic and Student Affairs, bringing academic and career-related assistance to the residential communities where students live. By helping students develop a strong foundation in their first year, the program better prepares students to achieve superior learning outcomes for the duration of their college experience.
Lisa Hamilton; Fashion Institute of Technology
Diversity and Multicultural Programs - Tolerance Week
Tolerance Week is a week-long series of programs that foster awareness and understanding of tolerance; help students examine their own biases and help overcome then; and create a campus environment that stands against injustice and celebrates the diversity of the FIT community. The program is designed as a collaborative approach to tolerance administered by student leaders across the campus community.
Ruth Policella; SUNY Potsdam
Student Government and Organizations - Promoting Engagement in Student Organizations
This program is uses a variety of initiatives to better inform students of opportunities for involvement in the campus community and campus leadership activities, such as club and organization membership. Prior to this program's implementation, no coordinated promotion of these activities was in place at the college.
Jeff Barnett; Stony Brook University
Emerging Programs - Earth Stock 2007 - The Future is Now
Earth Stock is one of the largest programs of its kind across SUNY, on Long Island and in New York State and the country. This week-long series of programming is designed to raise awareness and provide solutions for climate change and global warming by involving local, regional and national government and business leaders in the discussion; including a board range of students and faculty; approaching programming in an interdisciplinary way and through various mediums (film, research, debates, service learning, etc.); and balancing serious discussion of environmental sustainability with a celebration of local and regional accomplishments already achieved.
A selection committee comprising Student Life representatives from campuses and SUNY System Administration reviewed the nominations in the five categories above over the summer, using the following criteria: clarity of program objectives; creativity and excellence of program design; effectiveness of program implementation; evidence of collaboration; and outcomes assessment establishing the effectiveness of the program.
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating more than 427,000 students in 7,669 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit the SUNY Web site.
