SUNY Plattsburgh Opens, Students Return for Academic Year

SUNY Plattsburgh President John Ettling on Friday welcomed faculty and staff back to campus for the start of the 2014-2015 academic year, which begins 8 a.m. Monday.

Calling attention to this fall’s enrollment numbers, Ettling said concern was raised last winter when projections were lower than anticipated. He cited far fewer transfer students coming in and lower graduate-student enrollments as two factors at play. 

Enrollment Holds Steady

According to fall 2014 enrollment figures dated mid-August, SUNY Plattsburgh received 10,422 undergraduate and 356 graduate applications. Of those applicants, the college accepted 5,303 undergraduates and 221 grad students. Deposits were received from 1,785 undergraduates and 174 grad students for a total of 1,959 — 79 students over the 1,880 goal and only three students shy of last year’s numbers.

Ettling congratulated the work done by Richard Higgins, director of admissions and associate vice president for enrollment management, and admissions for their work, saying that the college turned away more than 50 percent of those who applied in its quest to field an incoming class of top-tier students

Faculty, Staff Award Recipients Recognize

The morning gathering also honored those faculty members who received chancellor’s awards for excellence, including Dr. Wendy Gordon and Colleen Lemza for teaching; Dr. Delbert Hart for faculty service; Dr. Rebecca Kasper for professional service; Timothy Morningstar and Nancy Parri as adjunct faculty, and Debra Thomas for classified service.

Dr. Cecilia Gregoire was awarded the SUNY Plattsburgh award for lecturers, and Dr. Mohamed Gaber, who, Ettling said during the presentation,  “exemplifies brilliant advising, and creates opportunities for students that advance their careers,” was named Outstanding Academic Advisor,

Rugar Street Traffic Altered for Opening Weekend

To accommodate students moving into the residence halls on campus this weekend, and in an effort to minimize traffic congestion on through streets around campus, Rugar Street will be temporarily designated one-way heading west, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 23. Opening weekend events will also be taking place along Rugar Street for incoming and returning students.