Outdoor Spaces, Improved Dining Options Part of ‘Closing Gaps’ in Student Experience

The vice president for enrollment and student success at SUNY Plattsburgh is looking to close the gaps in what she calls the student experience.

One of the way Karen McGrath hopes to achieve this is through improving some of the outdoor spaces on campus. This fall, students will find red Adirondack chairs scattered about, primarily near residence halls, Hawkins pond and near the Saranac River.

Thanks to funding provided by an alumni couple, the college was able to purchase 125 of the chairs, McGrath said. Additionally, the college was able to purchase several red picnic tables that have been installed outside Hawkins and Memorial halls.

The addition of easily recognizable red Adirondack chairs will encourage students “to get outside, to take advantage of fresh air, which is good for mental health,” McGrath said. “I’m excited about these outdoor communal spaces. They fit in our idea of well-being. They’re one more tool in our toolkit that lets students have one more space to use.”

Fire Pits, Therapy Dogs

McGrath said there will also be the presence of fire pits thanks to an initiative led by University Police Chief Pat Rascoe. The fire pits will be used under supervision and with training. The pits, which will fit in with the idea of groupings of the red chairs, will be locked when not in use.

Other changes include a more visible presence by the UP emotional therapy dogs, Reva, Izzy and Caamp, this fall, McGrath said.

“There’s something very soothing about that,” she said. According to Rascoe, about 20 percent of UP’s calls have a mental-health component, and the two English labs and the golden retriever are trained to provide comfort to people in crisis.

“They were introduced to campus late last spring, so this fall will be the first time most students will have exposure to them,” McGrath said. “I looking forward to seeing their interaction.”

Massage Chairs

Other changes include the creation of living/learning communities in Hood Hall, which will serve students with disabilities, and the introduction of public massage chairs now located in Memorial Hall, the Angell College Center and the Student Health and Counseling Center.

“The chairs were delivered since students left in the spring,” McGrath said. “I’m super excited about those.”

And students returning hungry to campus this fall will find marked changes to the offerings and in some cases their locations. The Sundowner is gutted while workers prepare to rebuild the eatery space. In the meantime, changes to the dining landscape include:

• The new Halal Shack in Burghy’s Den, open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Cardinal Market, which will feature items from local vendors as well as an expanded “Grab-n-Go” selection of more than 70 items
• Wild Blue will feature sushi, hot bowls and hot Asian inspired entrees for grab-n-go as well
• Kent Café will sport extended hours, closing at 10 p.m. and will incorporate a new smoothie program from Tactor Beverage
• Market Café will add a Starbucks to the left of the entrance
• Clinton Dining Hall will offer late-night hours and expanded menu items
• The Cardinal Market Ghost Kitchen will feature on Boost, on demand options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten avoidance or other dietary needs where students can place their order on the Boost app, get a locker number and retrieve their food from the locker

Meal exchange programs will expand, including more options in all campus locations, including Einsteins and Tim Hortons, giving students more of what they ask for at the cost of one meal swipe.

‘Student’s Home Away from Home’

“This is a student’s home away form home,” McGrath said. “How are we building that welcoming community, that sense of belonging? Their individual wants and needs are all different. There shouldn’t be anything cookie-cutter about their experience. That’s why we want to have a wide variety of experiences.”

McGrath recalled how the grand re-opening of Memorial Hall sparked an increate in students’ interests in club and rec sports and in students’ and employees’ use of the fitness center.

“Bringing people together contributes to our well-being” she said. “People want to find balance in their lives; we want to be able to offer that. But not everybody’s well-being is physical. There’s intellectual health, vocational and occupational health, spiritual health. These things are critically important, and we’re integrating these in a variety of areas.”

Permission to Take a Break

The Adirondack chairs, the firepits and picnic tables are about giving people permission to take a break and relax, she said.

“We’ve created a programming calendar full of a variety of activities and programs,” McGrath said. “The student experience to me is two things: connecting to something or someone and then engaging in the experience. It doesn’t have to be a club; it could be through the Honors Program, the Learning Center, whatever is good for you.

“I am so encouraged by what this new year will look like,” she said. “There was a renewed sense of energy last year that became more palatable as the year went on. We ended (in May) in a really good place. We’re at a really good place where we can carry it over. I’m feeling really positive about the year to come. It’s a good time to create your own adventure.”

Find the calendar of more than 100 opening week events here. For more opening week information for new and returning students, visit https://www.plattsburgh.edu/current-students/opening-week-information.html.

— Story, Photos by Associate Director of Communications Gerianne Downs