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[EMAIL REPOST] Distance Education Memo #1

Dear Campus Community:
 
Today instruction resumes via distance education.  SUNY Fredonia has always prided itself on an education that includes strong components of both academic curriculum and extracurricular educational opportunities.  We will be operating differently the rest of this semester, but our commitment to ensuring students receive the education they deserve and the academic credits they require to graduate on time remains as strong as ever. 
 
Special Video.  To welcome you back to the virtual campus, and to show our feelings towards everyone in remote locations, our Marketing and Communications Department has prepared the following video just for you: https://vimeo.com/399859440


Please share all the creative ways faculty and students are engaged in distance education. Send a message about those experiences to: marketing.communications@fredonia.edu.
 
New Memo Series.  For the next seven weeks, I will periodically issue memos under the title “Distance Education Memo” to keep you informed about key SUNY Fredonia announcements and happenings.  The “Coronavirus Memo” series will continue, but be limited exclusively to announcements related directly to the virus, associated state directives, and resultant revisions to campus policies and procedures. 

Honors.  Below are two “good news” announcements about faculty and staff:

  1. Dr. Cheryl Drout Promoted to Distinguished Service Professor.  At the most recent SUNY Board of Trustees meeting, Dr. Drout, formerly Professor of Psychology, was promoted to this special distinguished professor rank, making her the 11th SUNY Fredonia faculty member to achieve this distinction.  Dr. Drout’s achievements during the 23 years she has served on the SUNY Fredonia faculty include 12 refereed journal articles, 10 successful grants, Fulbright Scholar to Japan, Chair of the Psychology and the Communication Disorders and Sciences Departments, Co-Director of Campus Assessment Office, reviewer for two major professional journals, and 9-year Board member of the Western New York/Northwest Pennsylvania Fulbright Association, to name a few of her many accomplishments.  As is tradition, her promotion will be formally awarded at the Fall Semester All-Campus Meeting.  Please join me in congratulating Distinguished Service Professor Drout on earning this significant honor. 
  2. President’s Award for Excellence.  Three outstanding Fredonia employees have been selected to receive the 2020 President’s Awards for Excellence in the following categories:
  • Teaching and Learning—Dr. Ann Siegle Drege, Associate Professor of English
  • Community Engagement—Katherine M. Levy, Professor of Music Education
  • University Service—Erin Mroczka, Director of New Student and Transition Programs

The traditional luncheon to formally present these awards will be held sometime during the Fall semester.  Please join me in congratulating these exceptional members of the SUNY Fredonia community.
 
Student Emergency Relief Fund.  This fund, initiated by faculty and staff, has been established to assist students financially who face unexpected expenses related to the healthcare crisis.  The fund is intended to alleviate hardship related to moving to a digital education format. If you need emergency assistance, apply on-line via this link:  https://give-to-fredonia.formstack.com/forms/relief_request
 
You should be contacted via email by each of your instructors before the close of business today.  If by tomorrow you have not heard anything, please email your faculty member, and if you do not receive a response after a reasonable time, please email the Chair or Director of the department offering the course.  Never has the entire curriculum been offered via distance learning, much less after only nine calendar days to prepare, so your patience in allowing us time to solve any difficulties will be greatly appreciated.
 
I hope the remainder of the semester goes smoothly, and please stay safe!
 
Sincerely,
 
Dennis L. Hefner, Ph.D.

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