Vice President News from Ian Harper:
Welcome to this month’s newsletter, I hope all is well and you are staying warm. So, what has been happening in the last month? Quite a bit!
Students have returned from the winter break and it is great to see the energy they bring to campus. We held our first Campus Electrical Upgrade Initiative Committee meeting; these will be a series of monthly meetings to ensure we are as prepared as possible for the numerous electrical shutdowns that will occur this year in support of the Campus-wide electrification upgrade. I attended an awards ceremony where Dr. Roosevelt Mareus, Dean and Executive Director of the REOC, was honored by Action for a Better Community (ABC) as its “2025 Signature Citizen of the Year,” a well-deserved honor, and many congratulations to Roosevelt.
Kudos to Dan Dippel and his team for the awesome article spotlighting the great work that our Print Shop does to support the campus (please see the top of page 3 to learn more); they are a great resource for the University.
I do believe it is important to seek continuous improvement and drive simplification in all of our daily roles. I’m fully aware that this is a journey, and not necessarily an easy one, but I do encourage you all to look for opportunities to streamline and simplify your work, where possible. I am happy to report that I’m starting to see some great examples, one being that the BASC team listened to their customers’ feedback and adjusted the opening/closing hours in some of their locations.
We continue to look for ways to recognize the great work and contributions you all make to the University, to give you a voice and to have some fun. With this in mind, we have launched a new recognition program that gives you the opportunity to receive a $5 BASC Dining Coupon redeemable at Jitterbugs Café, Raj Madan Café, The Square, The Nest, or Trax, in recognition of doing something above and beyond, helping others, or making a difference on campus. Also, I held the first of a series of “Bring Your Own Lunch” informal chats where we have the chance to get to know one another better and for you to ask me about whatever is on your mind. Finally, with the Super Bowl coming up, we took the opportunity to have some fun with a little Super Bowl Contest between departments for the chance to win a trophy and, more importantly, “bragging rights” over your colleagues in other departments! As I write this, score predictions and fun jersey photos are flying in – good luck to everyone!
Take care, everyone, thank you for everything you do, and stay warm!
Departmental News:
Brockport Auxiliary Service Corporation (BASC)
Brockport Auxiliary Service Corporation (BASC) is pleased to report that it conducted a number of trainings and meetings with team members in January:
- Allergen Training was conducted with key culinary team members using the AllerTrain Program.
- Student Manager Training took place as part of regular professional development and to review key topics.
- DISC Training was held with all management, administrative, and professional staff (MAPS).
- A series of Efficiency Meetings were conducted with members of the MAPS group to brainstorm ways to improve business processes and efficiencies.
BASC’s Dining Services has a number of special events planned for February, including:
- Our Heritage Menu Series spotlights Black History Month with two lunches at Harrison Dining Hall on Thursday, February 6 and 27. These menus feature recipes from black chefs and the events are in collaboration with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Intercultural Center, and SULA.
- In honor of Valentine’s Day, Brockway Dining Hall Express will feature special desserts during dinner on Thursday, February 13 as part of its Pal-entine’s event and Harrison Dining Hall will highlight lots of chocolate favorites on February 14 as part of its We <3 Chocolate event at lunch.
BASC - For more events and promotions, be sure to follow BportBASC on Instagram or Facebook. And be sure to stop by and check these out!
Brockport Information Technology Services (BITS)
Brockport Information Technology Services (BITS) is kicking off the semester with a “Help BITS Help You” campaign. You will notice some key changes to the BITS Service Portal like the use of the word Tickets. The best place to ask for assistance is on the main page of the Service Portal. Select “Open a Ticket” for help, or “Start a Chat” if you have a question. Both of these options will get you to the right resource to solve your problem or question. There are over 30 BITS full-time employees and over 20 student workers. They all do lots of different things and have different specialties within BITS. We want to get the right person at the right time to help you. When is doubt just give us a call at the Service Desk, extension 5151.
Finance & Management’s Office of Student Accounts and Accounting (F&M/OSAA)
Finance & Management’s Office of Student Accounts and Accounting (F&M/OSAA) sends out kudos to all OSAA staff for the benchmark student-centered service provided in the hectic days leading up to the start of the spring semester, and as the first week of classes continue. Examples are too numerous to cite, but include:
- Following the disbursement of Spring 2025 federal financial aid, OSAA staff spent dozens of hours manually reviewing close to 2,000 accounts to determine if those students were due refunds. There is a known, but still unresolved, issue with the Banner “auto-refunding” process, which results in the rejection of certain student/payment attributes when the program runs, which excludes students from receiving a programmatically generated refund. Because we know our students need these funds to pay for rent, books, transportation, food, and more, our staff spent hours reviewing each account to determine if the student was eligible for a refund and, if so, manually generated it. This additional work ensured students had the funds they so desperately needed without delay.
- All staff remained consistently professional, courteous, and kind to all students, families, and the community, despite the seemingly relentless onslaught of phone calls, emails, and counter traffic during this busy time of the semester. Even when our customers weren’t “at their best,” staff showed endless patience and empathy, and did all they could to guide, provide needed resources, and (often) a sympathetic ear.
- Although just minute pieces of what each staff member has done in the past few weeks, here are some individual shout-outs:
- Peggy handled the first EOP disbursement process like a champ
- Dora slayed the Spring 2025 alternative loan processing
- Erica came to the rescue for an IRS Form 8300 issue
- Jonathan single-handedly voided all “stale date” checks
- Patrick continues to win “Dad of the Year” honors, spending his Paternity Leave with baby Noah
- Paul learned to complete the federal reporting form for cash payments greater than $10,000, to void checks in Banner, and to troubleshoot HESC-related issues
- Amy spends the bulk of her day fixing mistakes (generated campus-wide) to ensure we fly under the audit radar
- Erika continues to shine in her collector role, exhibiting incredible patience and becoming a SUNY expert
- Elizabeth spends an enormous portion of each day auditing external actions impacting students’ accounts, and works until she ensures those issues are resolved
- Colleen spends countless hours (beta) testing solutions designed to improve student service, both campus- and SUNY-wide, while simultaneously serving as the “go to” answer source within the state
Finance & Management’s Print Shop (F&M/PrintShop)
Dan Dippel, Manager of Print and Mails Services, was interviewed by In-Plant Impressions Magazine for an article titled, “How In-Plants Are Growing Their Wide-Format Business.” This is great exposure for our campus Print Shop, showcasing our expanded abilities utilizing our wide-format printer.
Departmental Fun Facts:
BASC - In direct response to customer requests, this spring, Dining Services expanded hours at Harrison Dining Hall, Jitterbugs Café, and Raj Madan Café, as follows:
- Harrison Dining Hall is now open at 7:15 a.m. weekdays for breakfast and has added breakfast on weekends, serving it from 9-10:30 a.m. Brunch begins at 10:30 a.m., as usual.
- Note that The Nest now opens daily at 11 a.m. (including weekends).
- Jitterbugs Café is now open at 7:30 a.m. weekdays and Raj Madan Café is open at 7:45 a.m. weekdays to allow customers to grab a cup of coffee on their way to class or work.
- Additionally, Dining Services is piloting Raj Madan Café staying open until 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday for the spring semester.
BITS manages 10,608 ethernet ports, 3,180 computers, 1,076 desk phones, and 181 teaching spaces / conference rooms with technology (122 projectors and 82 televisions).
Employees in the Spotlight!:
New Employees:
- Facilities Maintenance & Operations (FMO) welcomes Anna Hershey, Cleaner, to their Facilities Custodial team!
Theatrical Employee:
- BITS’ own Jeff Thompson, Assistant Director of the Project Management Office, has been cast in the SUNY Brockport theatrical performance of A Few Good Men! Last year, Jeff cut his theatre teeth as “Robert” in the play Proof. This year, he becomes one with “Colonel Nathan R. Jessup,” Commanding Officer, Marine Ground Forces, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in A Few Good Men. The show runs March 6-9 (Thursday-Sunday) in Tower Fine Arts Theatre. The Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening shows are at 7:30pm and the Saturday and Sunday matinee shows are at 2:00pm. If interested, here is the link to get tickets.
Birthdays in February:
- Zachary Adams
- Mackenzie Ballard
- James Bennett
- Paul Brundage
- Julie Burkhardt
- Bobby Cappotelli
- Mayson Colon
- Mary Crumb
- Jeffrey Davidson
- Elizabeth Gorall
- Ian Harper
- Mary Jo Jenks
- Richard Jubenville
- Stephanie Jungquist
- Peter Lovric
- Michael Lyons
- Teresa Major
- Scott Mcallister
- Christopher McCauley
- Demetrius Mcclain
- Thomas Mourhess
- Daniel Quinn
- Joseph Spada
- Colin Stark
- David Sutton
- Courtney VanEnwyck
- Alyse Wenzel
- Amy Whitlatch
Work Anniversaries in February (Years of Service)
- Jermaine Toppin, 29 years
- Kimberly Johnston, 24 years
- Holly Cunningham, 21 years
- W M Ashmore, 20 years
- Serena Starr, 17 years
- Daniel Cater, 13 years
- Robert Young, 13 years
- James Clarke, 12 years
- Deborah Ferris, 12 years
- Betty Luce, 12 years
- Tina Wise, 12 years
- Jacob Truss, 9 years
- Jackie Carey, 8 years
- Charles Cowley, 7 years
- Jesse Conklin, 6 years
- Joanna Taylor, 6 years
- Tippy Srijaiwong-Nellist, 5 years
- Victor Acosta, 4 years
- Kenny Bateman, 3 years
- Nicholas Leone, 3 years
- Zoey Perry, 3 years
- Patrick Stellman, 3 years
- Emily Bouchard, 1 year
- Mayson Colon, 1 year
- Isabella Jenks, 1 year
- Iris Mateo, 1 year
- William Miller, 1 year
- Veronica Natiello, 1 year
- Devin Washington, 1 year
BizLibrary suggested course of the month:
Goals to Results – This short, two-minute video, GOALS to Results is designed to help learners to achieve desired results with the GOALS formula (GOALS: Generate, Organize, Activate, Learn, Share). Goals are what you see in the distance, what you’re aiming for. The problem with setting goals is that sometimes they seem unattainable or overwhelmingly large. Psychologist Eve Ash explains how to generate aspirations, organize manageable steps, activate the right attitude, learn new skills and share success. Once this video is completed you will have learned to generate your key aspirations, organize these goals into manageable steps, and activate a positive attitude by visualizing the results of your endeavors.
Upcoming Events:
- Feb 18, 2025 (4:30-6:30pm) – BEAC & CELT host Faculty & Staff Social @ Native Eatery and Bar, downtown Rochester
- Feb 23, 2025 (2-3pm) – Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) @ Tower Fine Arts Center – get tickets
- Feb 25, 2025 (9am & 7pm) – A&F Division Meetings - for Day Staff & Night Staff
- Feb 27, 2025 (7-9pm) – MLK Memorial Lecture by Dr. Troy Harden of Texas A&M University @ McCue Auditorium in the Fannie Barrier Williams Building
- Feb-Mar, 2025 – Optional Chats with the VP opportunities!
- Mar 7, 2025 (4-5:30pm) – First Friday @ Alumni House – join your colleagues for some food!
- Mar 10, 2025 (5-8pm) – BSG & EOP host Campus-wide Kickball Tournament – for students, faculty, and staff in the Tuttle North Gym – Register your team name and your 8-9 players’ names by emailing Tausha Hill. Winners get their picture taken with the Golden kickball. Pizza will be provided for participants!
Every Friday! – Green & Gold Fridays – everyone is encouraged to wear their SUNY Brockport gear / colors!
*Check out our inclusive SUNY Brockport Events Calendar*
If you have news you’d like included in a future issue, please email to Laurie A. Smith (lausmith@brockport.edu).
SUNY Brockport Leadership Newsletters can be found on the Information page for Faculty & Staff (5th topic down).
And for your reference: A&F Division Organizational Charts.