April 29, 2021 message from President Kolison

April 29, 2021

Dear Fredonia community:

It is Thursday and time for another update. I hope your week has gone well.

Update on COVID-19 Cases 
The campus COVID-19 numbers are moving in the right direction. If you recall, in my update last week I reported 15 positive cases, and 19 in the week previous to that. As of today, we have eight active cases. While even a single positive case is a reason to be concerned, I want to commend everyone for remaining attentive to the threat COVID-19 is to public health.  Thank you very much.

COVID-19 Campus Survey Results
I want to thank everyone who took part in the COVID-19 vaccination survey my office sent out last week. The participation was strong. Twenty-eight percent of all students and employees (1,290 persons) responded to the survey. 

One of the important variables for assessment was the direct benefit of county vaccination clinics operated on the Fredonia campus to faculty, staff, and students. To date,13,465 doses of vaccine have been administered on the SUNY Fredonia campus by the county.  That is impressive and a tremendous benefit to our region. Among the 1,290 persons who responded to the survey, 46% (or about 593) received their vaccinations on the campus and 47% (606 persons) received their vaccinations outside of the campus. First, it was good to see that about 93% of the respondents have taken at least one dose of the vaccine. Second, I am glad that about half of the respondents benefitted from the convenience of having the clinics on campus.   

Again, many thanks to all survey respondents, and let me reassure everyone that the survey was conducted in a manner to ensure anonymity. 

Vaccination Clinic Friday Afternoon
A first dose vaccination clinic using the Moderna vaccine will be held in Steele Hall tomorrow (Friday) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome. Students, the federal government is directing all pharmacies taking part in the federal vaccine program to offer second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to individuals who received their first dose in different locations. This change means students can receive your first dose here on campus, then receive their second dose near their home after they leave campus for the summer.

CDC Revised Mask Mandate
You may have seen or heard that the updated Centers for Disease Control guidance now states that fully vaccinated people can unmask at small outdoor gatherings or for dining outside with friends from multiple households. The New York State Health Department has said the state will follow the same guidance. About 6:00 PM today, Chancellor Jim Malatras announced that the SUNY System will comply with the CDC guidance.  Hence, the SUNY guidance on facial coverings is amended as follows:

Pursuant to CDC guidance issued on April 27, 2021, individuals who are fully vaccinated (i.e., two weeks following the final dose of any vaccine regime) can gather or conduct activities outdoors without wearing a mask except in certain crowded settings and venues. Face coverings (masks) must be worn by all members of the campus community on campus at all other times, including in classrooms, conference rooms and other spaces, even when six-feet social distancing exists. Other exceptions to mask wearing include when students are (1) in their private residential or personal space, (2) eating meals on-campus while seated and social distancing is appropriately enforced, or (3) by themselves. Faculty and staff are likewise exempt when alone in their office or other space. Any request for a medical, religious, or other accommodation to this policy should be reviewed on an individual basis in accordance with relevant laws and campus procedures.

More details will follow soon.

Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence
I’m very excited to announce that Chancellor Malatras has awarded the following excellence awards to Fredonia employees. 

• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service - Leah Betts
• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities - Joe Dan Harper
• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching - Michael Joseph Igoe
• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching - David Kaplin
• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service - Kevin Lane
• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service - Tracy Stenger

I look forward to officially presenting our awardees with their certificates and medallions at the All-Campus Meeting in August. Please join me extending very warm congratulations to all our colleagues for their recognition and their service to SUNY Fredonia and its students.

SUNY Board of Trustees Visit
I am very pleased to share with you that SUNY Board of Trustees Chair Merryl Tisch and Trustee Eunice Lewin will visit the Fredonia campus next week Monday, May 3. It will be a high privilege and honor for me to talk with them about all of our efforts to fulfill the mission of this university. I am really looking forward to their visit.

The Sweetgum Tree Trivia Contest 
I didn’t expect the number of responses that I got for the question pertaining to the medicinal properties of Sweetgum, but then, the emails kept coming, even after the probability of getting a gift could have seemed very low by all reasonable speculations. It was exciting to read each participant’s response to the trivia question. It was really a treat, and it made my entire week.  Thank you!  

FREDHeroes
This week’s FREDHero recognition goes to two employees on the front line of keeping our campus healthy and safe.  The nomination reads as follows: 

“I would like to nominate Kim Burlison and Bobbie Santiago, they are two custodial employees who work directly with the cleaning of isolation and quarantine rooms. They are here on a daily basis with a positive attitude and help to clean and disinfect all rooms that are being used in Hendrix for isolation/quarantine. They prepare the rooms to help all the students feel as comfortable as possible. These two employees are a clear example of FREDHeroes helping each student to get through these difficult times with a smile and a positive attitude. I would like to also say thank you Kim Burlison and Bobbie Santiago for your diligent and successful work ethic.”

Thank you, Kim and Bobbie, for your hard work and dedication to our students and our campus.  Please join me in congratulating them for their commitment to SUNY Fredonia.

I looked at the calendar this afternoon and realized that I have only two more Thursdays this semester to connect with you through these weekly updates. Wow! Time has gone by so fast; and what an incredible academic year it has been. While there are still two more weekly updates for this academic year/semester, I want you to know that it has been a real pleasure to connect with you weekly. Thank you for taking the time to read these updates, and most importantly, thank you for everything you do to make SUNY Fredonia a wonderful place to learn, work, grow, succeed, and hope. 

Very truly yours,

Dr. K.
Stephen H. Kolison, Jr., Ph.D.
President and Professor