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President Wheeler presidentwheeler@esf.edu
Executive Update: Week of October 26
October 27, 2015 at 4:32 PM
Ragan A. Squier rasquier@esf.edu
Executive Update: Week of October 26, 2015
ESF in the News
In the world of news and social
media, mid-October was strong
for ESF. We experienced the
second-highest weekly reach our
Facebook page has ever tallied an audience of approximately
A MESSAGE FROM THE
PRESIDENT
As was outlined in a message
last week from our Strategic
Plan Steering Committee, and
during last Wednesday's
academic governance meeting,
55,000.
we are working toward
Tied to this success was the
Plan by the end of May 2016.
widespread publication of two
major research stories and two
popular features.
completion of the Strategic
During this time, we will continue to advance the
college, address budget issues, continue to
work on the important relationship with
Syracuse University, and pursue opportunities
for new revenue. Included here are just a few
examples.
GROWTH AND VISIBILITY
INITIATIVES
The first research report was
about a study by Dr. Colin Beier
and his former graduate student,
Daniel Bishop, that revealed a
decline in the growth of sugar
maples in the Adirondacks.
[ Read More ]
$3.5 Million Award
The Governor held "Capital for a Day" a few
weeks ago in Central New York, and ESF was
actively engaged with a number of important
associated events, including attending the
Governor's full cabinet meeting and associated
focus meetings on forest products and energy.
Dr. Neil Ringler, Dr. Don Leopold, and I also
played a major role during a boat tour of
Onondaga Lake with key members of the
Governor's Cabinet.
During the day, the Governor announced an $18
million NY SUNY 2020 award for "Labs to
Jobs." I'm excited to share the news that this
included $3.5 million to ESF to establish new
laboratory facilities at our Newcomb campus
and enhance information technology (IT)
capabilities on our main and Newcomb
The second covered Dr. James
Gibbs' participation in research
that identified a new species of
Galapagos tortoise.
campuses. This is our third NY SUNY 2020
award in three years, an ESF accomplishment
unmatched in the SUNY system. This has
resulted in a total of $26.875 million in funding
[ Read More ]
directly to ESF through this program. This year's
Significant interest was also
Roosevelt Wild Life Station (RWLS) in the
generated by a feature story on
the work of graduate student
Rachelle McKnight in Bulgaria.
funds will create a physical home for the
Adirondacks prior to the RWLS centennial in
2019. This will happen through improvements
to the Stone Carriage House at
[ Read More ]
our Huntington Forest campus-a project that's
Finally, our audience was
is supported by numerous local stakeholders in
interested in the participation of
Dr. Timothy Volk and colleagues
in a record-setting tree planting.
[ Read More ]
This Week's Events
Wednesday, October 28:
Research and Citation Methods
Workshop
[ More ]
been in the works for several years, and one that
the central Adirondacks. In addition, it creates
new opportunities for additional fund raising.
$2.2 million of the award is earmarked for IT
improvements. On our main campus, this
includes expanded wireless connectivity and
data storage and handling in the form of a data
center with networking, memory, and computing
capacity that will benefit the entire campus. At
Newcomb, it will increase bandwidth and
wireless connections-sorely needed
improvements at our important facilities there.
Study Guides 101- S.E.E.D.S.
This is the first investment in building and
[ More ]
for our college. Two additional pending
Workshop Series
Fink Career Fellowship Info Meeting
[ More ]
modernizing IT capability for ESF, a critical need
proposals to SUNY request an additional $4.35
million in IT investments.
Roosevelt Naming
Thursday, October 29:
ESFHS Campus Visit
[ More ]
Everything you need to know to
defend
[ More ]
Study Guides 101- S.E.E.D.S.
Workshop Series
I am very pleased to announce that after an
extensive effort of engagement with Theodore
Roosevelt IV, the Theodore Roosevelt
Association has given ESF permission to use the
president's name in association with its graduate
programs. A first step will be to create a
committee of faculty and others-including
a representative from the Roosevelt Associationto discuss how best to leverage this for ESF's
Workshop Series
[ More ]
Research and Citation Methods
Workshop
[ More ]
to discuss how best to leverage this for ESF's
maximum benefit. Among other things, this will
open exciting new and expanded opportunities
for visibility.
Boone and Crockett Chair
Video Editing Workshop for
Students
[ More ]
Friday, October 30:
Marshall Studio Trick or Treat
[ More ]
Talk: Dr. Chengmao LI, "Ecological
Civilization Construction in China"
[ More ]
Halloween Party for children
[ More ]
We have developed a memorandum of
understanding with the Boone and Crockett Club
to collectively raise money to endow the first
Saturday, October 31:
Boone and Crockett Wildlife Chair east of
Mississippi, and the first combined public
Fall Open House and Transfer Day
[ More ]
policy/wildlife management program in the
Dale Travis Lecture: The Future of
Fisheries: Choices, Decisions, and
establish this program.
the Role of the Arts
[ More ]
country. The Campfire Club and its foundation
are critical partners in fundraising efforts to
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Brief Budget Update
While we are projecting another challenging
year throughout 2015-16 that will require
continued fiscal prudence, we are on a positive
trajectory to grow our budget, identify
additional savings, contain rising costs, and
attract new investments. Some actions have
immediate impact, others are establishing the
groundwork for increased visibility and
attraction of new sources of funds-some noted
above. I will continue to share more specificity
on these and other actions in future installments
of this Executive Update.
Syracuse University Services and
Relationship
I recognize there are many questions about our
I recognize there are many questions about our
current relationship, and our vision for the
future of this important and historical
partnership between our two great
institutions. Chancellor Syverud and I have had
numerous constructive discussions about
building upon and strengthening our academic
and research collaborations to the benefit of
both our institutions. Similarly, our current
negotiations are working to preserve and
enhance these collaborations, and other as
social connections between ESF and SU, while at
the same time realizing substantial savings in
service costs and avoiding much higher
projected increases. The greatest savings will be
in the areas of student primary health care and
information technologies. Savings will be
realized for the former beginning in September
2016, and for the latter within five years. I will
give an address to the campus in the near future
focused solely on this issue, and look forward to
providing more detail at that time.
Campus Improvements
Our Physical Plant and
Facilities employees
are stretched very thin,
but continue to do a
stellar job! We owe
them a great debt of
gratitude. I have asked
their leadership to
continue to include among their priorities at all
times one or more projects aimed at improving:
(a) the safety of our facilities and equipment, (b)
teaching rooms and laboratories, (c) faculty
laboratories, (d) campus sustainability, and (e)
beautification of the campus. These relate to
perceptions of our campus by prospective and
current students, donors, and faculty, and the
quality of the experience for us all. More details
on these efforts will be forthcoming.
Auxiliary Services
We are working with the ESF College Foundation
to examine the feasibility establishing of an
auxiliary services corporation and examining
current market demands for student housing
current market demands for student housing
with the goal of creating new revenue streams,
including an additional residence hall and
dining facility. A 400-seat dining hall, for
example, would generate an estimated
$500,000 new revenue per year. An additional
residence hall might also generate
additional revenue to support ESF students and
academic programs.
This is just a sampling of our efforts. We are
also engaging both SUNY and the State of New
York on substantial funding efforts. I'll continue
to outline these in the coming weeks.
My very best,
Quentin Wheeler
President
ESF
Office of the President
1 Forestry Drive | Syracuse, N.Y. 13210 | www.esf.edu
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