Office of the Chief Financial Officer — ϲ Tue, 28 May 2024 13:06:28 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 Deadline Set for Fiscal 2024 Year End Business /blog/2024/05/28/deadline-set-for-fiscal-2024-year-end-business/ Tue, 28 May 2024 13:06:28 +0000 /?p=200317 Cash Operations has set a deadline of 3:30 p.m. on Friday, June 28, to receive deposits at the Bowne Cash Operations office for credit in fiscal year 2024.

Deposits should be made as early in the day as possible on Friday, June 28.

Deposits received after June 28 will be processed as July (fiscal year 2025) business.The exception is for monies received on or before June 28 but not processed due to internal mail delays. Those deposits can be credited to fiscal year 2024 by indicating “JUNE BUSINESS” on the deposit slip in red ink.

Cash Operations can only accept deposits for June business (fiscal year 2024) until 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3.

Questions or concerns may be directed to Tina Kelly.

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Campus Planning, Design and Construction Makes Progress on Creating More Accessible and Equitable Campus /blog/2024/04/23/campus-planning-design-and-construction-makes-progress-on-creating-more-accessible-and-equitable-campus/ Tue, 23 Apr 2024 19:43:20 +0000 /?p=199249 Throughout the 2023-24 academic year, the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction (CPDC) has undertaken over a dozen projects spread across campus in support of the initiatives of the . Several projects are still underway, with more to come in the 2024-25 academic year.

The projects vary greatly in size and scope–from elevator renovations and installations to major, ADA-accessible renovations at Link Hall and in the JMA Wireless Dome.

“As CPDC, we take very seriously the need to incorporate enhanced access into all upgrades to current facilities and the design and construction of new facilities,” says Pete Sala, vice president and chief campus facilities officer. “I’m proud of the work our team has done this year to continue to prioritize accessibility and inclusivity throughout campus, knowing that we can and will do more to meet the needs of all campus community members.”

Exterior of Link Hall

Accessible entry to Link Hall

Major projects this past year included the Allyn Innovation Center, which added accessible entries and an auditorium to Link Hall; complete renovations with comprehensive accessibility updates to two auditoria (101 and 102) in Newhouse; elevator installation and an accessible restroom at the Regent Theater at ϲ Stage; and the Phase 2 renovations at the JMA Wireless Dome, which have included Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements, such as widening of aisles to 48 inches, improving vomitory ramps, construction of new ADA seating platforms and railing replacements.

Inside of an auditorium

Accessible Newhouse auditorium

Ongoing residence hall renovations also give CPDC the opportunity to create more accessible spaces for students, said Sala. Renovations at Haven, Dellplain and Watson created rooms specifically designed for students with mobility needs. Bed shakers were installed at 727 South Crouse Ave. (formerly The Marshall), for rooms used by deaf students. Dellplain Hall is now home to the first low-stimulus room on campus, to be used by students who need a quiet place away from external stimuli.

CPDC was also proud to contribute to the renovation of 113 Euclid Avenue, the expanded home to the Native Student Program. Renovations to the building included a remodeled kitchen, elevator installation, accessible ramp and new sidewalk, updated fire alarm and sprinkler systems, new flooring and paint throughout the building, new doors and hardware, furniture upgrades, audio visual upgrades in conference rooms, and exterior refurbishment, paint and lighting. Additional highlights of the renovated space include the following:

  • a culture room dedicated to revitalizing Indigenous languages and traditional regalia,
  • fireplace lounge with beanbag chairs and
  • Indigenous artwork pieces.
Open stairwell with a mural on the wall with a sea turtle.

113 Euclid renovation

“‘Practice an inclusive understanding of accessibility’ is one of the five goals of the ,” says Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Mary Grace A. Almandrez. “The ‘understanding of accessibility’ centers on the idea that people with disabilities experience no barriers to accessing or participating in a space, program or service. The incorporation of accessibility into the CPDC projects is one of the several examples of the University’s commitment to disability access.”

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Sustainability Management Hosts Earth Month Events /blog/2024/03/22/sustainability-management-hosts-earth-month-events/ Fri, 22 Mar 2024 14:01:53 +0000 /?p=197942 With the official start of spring, the is looking ahead to April, Earth Month! Several events are planned throughout the month to celebrate the planet and promote sustainable initiatives on campus.

FOur people standing holding papers behind a sustainability management table in the Library.

Students from Professor Patrick Penfield’s green supply chain class partnered with the Sustainability Management team for a presentation in Bird Library on Bee Campus USA.

  • Wednesday, April 3, 6-8 p.m.
  • Maxwell Auditorium

Sustainability Management, in collaboration with SUNY ESF and Hendricks Chapel, will host grocery bingo. Students will play bingo and those who win will be offered a bag of groceries as a prize. All ϲ and ESF students are welcome to attend.

  • Wednesday, April 10 or 17, 11 a.m.-noon
  • Pete’s Giving Garden, South Campus

Spend an hour contributing to Earth Month by gardening with Sustainability Management, in collaboration with Wellness Initiatives. Volunteers will help prepare the gardening beds for seeds and seedlings that will be planted in late May. Alongside readying the beds for future seeds and plants, cold-weather seeds like broccoli and cauliflower will be planted. For those with mobility concerns or a preference for standing while gardening, Pete’s Giving Garden provides ADA beds. The garden is behind the Inn Complete on South Campus.

Pete's Giving Garden

A sign attached to a fence reads “Pete’s Giving Garden” and is decorated with drawings of vegetables and bees.

  • Wednesday, April 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Bird Library

Sustainability Management student interns will host a tabling event to raise awareness about the importance of bats and their role as pollinators and hand out pamphlets on how to build a bat house. Seeds from Pete’s Giving Garden and our Bee Campus USA Garden will also be given out. All are welcome to stop in and learn about pollinators!

  • Thursday, April 25, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Promenade, outside Schine Student Center

A Sustainability Management intern will host a tabling event to educate faculty, students and staff on the importance of composting and how to dispose of items properly. There are also plans to offer pots to replant plants. The table will be outside on the promenade, weather permitting.

  • Monday, April 29, noon to 1 p.m.
  • Vitral event,

In this virtual event session, Sustainability Management will touch on how the University’s greenhouse gas emissions are tracked and categorized. Additionally, you’ll learn about the energy efficiency projects recently completed and other strategies to reduce energy use and emissions both on campus and at home.

Earth Day 2024

Keep in mind that Earth Day is officially Monday, April 22.

In addition to these events, Sustainability Management is actively working towards the University’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2032. If you’re interested in getting involved with Sustainability Management, .

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Mark Your Calendars for National Carrot Cake Day /blog/2024/02/01/mark-your-calendars-for-national-carrot-cake-day/ Thu, 01 Feb 2024 17:13:49 +0000 /?p=196217 slice of carrot cake

Carrot cake lovers rejoice! Saturday, Feb. 3, is National Carrot Cake Day.

For those who have attended events at the University, you may have tried one of the ϲ Bakery’s specialties, their delicious carrot cake, which is loved by many and famous at the University.

How popular is it? In the past year the Bakery has made 200 of the 9-inch round versions of the cake, their most popular, and this doesn’t include their other various sizes, including a sheet cake and cupcakes.

Here is what 200 of those cakes looks like by the numbers:

For the cake:

  • 675 pounds of carrots
  • 400 pounds of granulated sugar
  • 185 pounds of eggs
  • 300 pounds of flour
  • 150 pounds of raisins
  • 40 gallons of soybean oil
  • 3 pounds of cinnamon
  • 10 pounds of salt
  • 14 pounds of baking powder
  • 10 pounds of baking soda

For the cream cheese frosting:

  • 300 pounds of cream cheese
  • 500 pounds of sugar
  • 150 pounds of butter
  • 100 pounds of icing shortening
  • 1½ gallons of vanilla

Interested in making the carrot cake at home? You are in luck! Sharon Crosby, the originator of the recipe, shared it before she retired after over 30 years of service, under one condition: that it would be shared with those who wanted it. For those of you who love to bake, here is your chance to try your hand at the University’s tempting and tasty carrot cake!

Crosby’s Carrot Cake Recipe

Ingredients for the cake:

  • 3 cups cooked and cooled carrots (sliced frozen)
  • 2¼ cups sugar
  • 4 large beaten eggs
  • 2 cups of oil
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1½ cups of walnuts*
  • 1½ cups of raisins

Ingredients for the cream cheese frosting:

  • 3 ounces cream cheese
  • ½ cup butter (softened)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups confectioners sugar

Directions for cake:

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and set aside. In a mixer, beat carrots and sugar together until carrots are broken into small pieces. Add beaten eggs to carrot mixture until well blended. Add oil, raisins and walnuts until well blended. Slowly add flour mixture, continue mixing until all ingredients are wet. Do not over mix. Pour batter into two 9-inch greased cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, until knife comes out clean. Be sure to cool completely before you frost the cakes.

Directions for frosting:

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar beating until smooth.

Frost cake as desired once cooled.

*Note: The University no longer includes walnuts in its recipe because the Bakery is a tree nut-free facility.

 

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ϲ Ambulance Deploys Stop the Bleed Kits Across Campus /blog/2023/11/07/syracuse-university-ambulance-deploys-stop-the-bleed-kits-across-campus/ Tue, 07 Nov 2023 20:16:17 +0000 /?p=193762 Stop the Bleed kits have been installed in various locations across the University, empowering members of the campus community to act in the event of a life-threatening bleeding emergency. The installation is an initiative of ϲ Ambulance (SUA) with assistance from Campus Safety and Emergency Management and Facilities Services.

A total of 276 kits are deployed across the University’s North and South campuses, the Nancy Cantor Warehouse and Minnowbrook Conference Center in Blue Mountain Lake, New York. The kits are included in 17 stand-alone wall units and at 31 automated external defibrillator (AED) stations.

Stop the Bleed kit

A Stop the Bleed kit

Each kit contains a Combat Application (CAT) tourniquet; emergency trauma dressing; three gauze rolls; two pairs of gloves, a permanent marker and an instruction card. The kits are intended for use in emergency situations only. Training in the use of the kits is available through SUA.

“Research has shown that bystanders, with little or no medical training, can become heroic lifesavers. Uncontrolled bleeding injuries can result from natural and manmade disasters and from everyday accidents,” says Paul Smyth, the University’s manager of emergency medical services. “Providing bystanders with basic tools and information on the simple steps they can take in an emergency situation to stop life-threatening bleeding can save lives.”

“Similar to the use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation or automatic defibrillators, improving public awareness about how to stop severe bleeding and expanding personal and public access to bleeding control kits can be the difference between life and death for an injured person,” Smyth says.

, an initiative of the American College of Surgeons, was launched at a White House event in 2015 to provide bystanders of emergency situations with the tools and knowledge to stop life-threatening bleeding. The goal is to ensure that the general public has access to the proper training and tools needed to provide critical life-saving care.

Stop the Bleed kits are in use at other peer institutions, Smyth says.

SUA has trained its emergency medical technician certified staff to teach the Stop the Bleed training class (with a ratio of one instructor per 10 students). The organization trained approximately 170 University staff members over the summer, and now offers bimonthly training sessions for groups of 20, open to all members of the campus community.

For more information on attending or scheduling a training session, contact Smyth at .

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Campus Parking Information for Friday, Nov.3 /blog/2023/10/31/campus-parking-information-for-friday-nov-3/ Tue, 31 Oct 2023 15:56:27 +0000 /?p=193457 The ϲ football team will host Boston College on Friday, Nov. 3. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. As the game falls on a weekday, some campus lots and garages will be restricted during regular business hours.

Beginning at 3:30 p.m., faculty, staff and students with valid permits who need to access campus for academic reasons will be allowed to park in the and garages. All Quad and West Campus lots will be restricted beginning at 4 p.m.

for student use after 4 p.m. will also be restricted on this date. Students looking to park in these lots will be redirected to University Avenue or Comstock Avenue garages, where their permits will be honored.

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry faculty, staff and students who normally use the West Campus Standart Lot will be redirected to the Comstock Avenue Garage beginning at 3:30 p.m.

As a reminder, if you plan to attend the game, your regular parking permit will be honored at the Skytop Lot. Patrons will have access to transportation to and from College Place. If you have an accessible or medical permit, you may park in the Skytop Lot and ride the shuttle to Gate A, free of charge.

Parking and Transportation Services asks for your support of these procedures so that they may provide academic access for the entire University community. If you have any questions or need to coordinate additional academic access, please contact Dee Bailey at debailey@syr.edu or by phone at 315.443.5319.

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Christine Stallmann Named University’s Chief Compliance Officer /blog/2023/09/28/christine-stallmann-named-universitys-chief-compliance-officer/ Thu, 28 Sep 2023 20:51:22 +0000 /?p=192204 Headshot of Christine Stallmann

Christine Stallmann

Christine Stallmann has been named the University’s chief compliance officer. The position, which will report directly to Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Brett Padgett in the Division of Business, Finance and Administrative Services, is a key component of the University’s coordinated risk assurance efforts. Stallmann is responsible for oversight and coordination of the University’s compliance program.

She brings nearly 30 years of professional experience in compliance, privacy, policy development, insurance, environmental health and safety, and risk management to ϲ. She led compliance and risk services at Cornell University for over 15 years, and most recently held the position of chief compliance and privacy officer at the institution.

In her new role, Stallmann will work in close coordination with the University’s internal audit and enterprise risk management teams to provide the University with a comprehensive risk assurance program. She will be tasked with assessing the University’s current institutional compliance initiatives and will lead the establishment of a comprehensive and enterprise-wide compliance program.

As chief compliance officer, Stallmann will be responsible for ensuring University compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, including research compliance, data security, data privacy, the Clery Act, human resource compliance obligations and more. She will engage regularly with the Chancellor, the executive team and the Audit and Risk Committee of the Board of Trustees to advance emerging initiatives in the risk and compliance space.

“I am excited to embark on this new journey with a talented team and eager to listen, develop and contribute in my new role to support the members of this community,” says Stallmann. “Every person I have met at ϲ shares a common energy to advance the institution, and that’s been without exception.”

Stallmann received a bachelor’s degree in safety science from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in hazardous waste and management from Southern Methodist University. She holds certificates from Carnegie Mellon University and the Harvard Kennedy School of Business. Stallmann is married, has two adult children and two dogs, and enjoys the outdoors, travel, theatre and music festivals. She and her husband are excited to join the ϲ community.

Stallmann’s new position was effective on Sept. 11.

 

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What to Expect With the Link Hall Renovations /blog/2023/09/28/what-to-expect-with-the-link-hall-renovations/ Thu, 28 Sep 2023 16:46:09 +0000 /?p=192181 Machinery and power tools echo throughout Link Hall as construction workers bustle about the building. Since the spring of 2022, Link Hall has been undergoing renovations, and big changes are on the horizon.

Bruce Molino, director of space management and strategic initiatives in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS), believes these renovations will transform Link Hall into a welcoming space that fosters collaboration.

“Link Hall was built at a different time and served a different purpose,” Molino says. “Fifty years on, it’s time for something new.”

Bill Allyn talks with Dean Cole Smith and members of the ECS leadership team in the new west lobby of Link Hall.

The University has been experiencing new growth, hiring more researchers and elevating its research profile, but research facilities haven’t kept pace with the college’s expansion. To attract new faculty and students, the college aims to provide adequate spaces for researchers to work. The college also seeks to create new spaces for student engagement and upgrade the building’s accessibility.

One of the biggest changes students, faculty and staff can expect to see is the first floor of the building, the Allyn Innovation Center, which will serve as a meeting and gathering space. This newly renovated hub will include lecture halls, classrooms, meeting rooms, spaces for teaching assistants, STEM labs, student success suites and a new entryway. Molino expresses excitement about how these spaces will shape interactions between everyone in the college.

“I think the Allyn Innovation Center will be a big deal,” he says. “It will completely change the energy of the building and how people meet and interact. I’m most excited to see that get developed.”

Molino is also looking forward to the development of new chemical engineering labs on the second and third floors of Link Hall. They’ll be designed as shared research spaces rather than individual faculty areas, promoting a collaborative culture within the college.

Link Hall isn’t the only building undergoing renovations. The first floor of the Center of Science and Technology (CST) has been renovated to include new wet labs that will be used for chemical or gas-based research. The fourth floor of the building is being renovated to include dry labs, which don’t involve chemical or gas-based research. The CST basement will include a combination of both wet and dry labs.

Though construction has been smooth, there have been some challenges. Limited space has required all renovations to take place while the building is occupied, leading Molino to rearrange certain spaces until the completion of renovations.

The ongoing construction has caused interruptions and noise which have become increasingly common for faculty, staff and students working during the past two summers. And Molino warns that as the construction nears completion, these disruptions may become more frequent.

“It’s going to get busy here for the next couple of years for construction,” Molino says. “It’s been a challenge to do this type of project with no swing space to work with. It’s also been difficult on research faculty, who must move their equipment and deactivate the lab, impacting ongoing research.”

However, Molino believes the effort will be worthwhile, noting that facilities have a strong impression on recruiting potential students and faculty. These changes will have a significant impact on the future of the college, he says.

“This building will feel very different in a few years,” he says. “It’s exciting and we can’t wait for everyone to see how it looks.”

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Comstock Avenue to Close to All Traffic Except Shuttles Following Def Leppard/Motley Crue Concert /blog/2023/07/31/comstock-avenue-to-close-to-all-traffic-except-shuttles-following-def-leppard-motley-crue-concert/ Mon, 31 Jul 2023 19:09:08 +0000 /?p=190247 ϲ’s will make a temporary change to campus traffic patterns following the conclusion of the Def Leppard/Motley Crue concert at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday, Aug. 5.

Just as they did after the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert in April, as the concert ends, PTS and the ϲ Police Department will close Comstock Avenue to all traffic except parking shuttles, which will travel between the College Place bus stop, the Colvin Street and Comstock Avenue lots, and the Skytop Lot.

The concert is anticipated to end between 10 and 11 p.m., and at that time, PTS will direct all traffic away from Comstock Avenue between Waverly Avenue and East Colvin Street. This will allow for the efficient exit and transportation of the concert attendees from the shuttle stop at College Place to their parking lots on South Campus.

The road will reopen as soon as the concert shuttles are cleared. Regular shuttles to South Campus and other campus shuttles will continue to run during and after the event, though arrivals and departures may be delayed due to the large amount of vehicular traffic in the University area.

More information about parking for upcoming events is available on the .

Day-of Parking Information

Pay parking is available at several locations around campus, including:

  • : $25 per car, includes free shuttle service to and from College Place
  • : $25 per car, includes free shuttle service to and from College Place
  • and: $35 per car, please note that garages close two hours after the event ends
  • Accessible parking for those with a nationally-recognized handicap placard or license plate will be available at the for $25 per car, which includes free shuttle service to and from Gate A of the JMA Wireless Dome

Parking information for ϲ students, faculty and staff with existing University parking permits: If you plan to attend the concert, your existing parking pass will be honored in University Avenue Garage, Comstock Avenue Garage, University Avenue North and South lots, and the Irving Avenue Hill lot, if space is available.

All parking is cashless.Customers may pay via credit card (including tap and pay), or through Google Pay or Apple Pay.

Please ensure you arrive early, as traffic may be heavy around the time of the event. Have payment ready for the lot attendants, to ensure an efficient flow of traffic.

Other Resources:

GPS Address Locations:

 

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Leonese Nelson Reflects on 2 Decades Chairing STEP/CSTEP Conferences /blog/2023/07/10/leonese-nelson-reflects-on-two-decades-chairing-step-cstep-conferences/ Mon, 10 Jul 2023 17:58:08 +0000 /?p=189743 The 2023 Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) and Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) spring conferences were bittersweet for Leonese Nelson. Once again, she worked 18-hour days to present two statewide showcases of student work, timed just a few weeks apart. But this year, she also announced that she is stepping down from her role of chairing and organizing both events.

That’s after being at the helm for 21 years of STEP and 12 years of CSTEP conferences (co-chairing with Gladys Palma de Schrynemakers of CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies from 2012 to 2019). That is a good proportion of ϲ’s and New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) collaboration as hosts, for 24 and 29 years respectively.

Leonese Nelson

Leonese Nelson

In addition, Nelson served as treasurer of the Association for Program Administrators of CSTEP and STEP Inc. (APACS) for more than 18 years, until June 2019. At its June 2023 annual conference, APACS recognized Nelson with its Dr. John Staley Award for Outstanding Service.

Nelson’s work on the two conferences and with APACS has been in addition to running the University’s and programs, which—like their analogs statewide—prepare underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students to enter college and participate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics professions. The ϲ STEP and CSTEP programs are part of the School of Education’s .

With her Tuskegee University bachelor’s degree in hand, Nelson came to ϲ in 1993 as a political science master’s degree student and a teaching assistant in the Department of African American Studies. After her master’s degree, she pursed a doctorate and first became affiliated with the entry programs as a STEP graduate assistant, in fall 1998.

Nelson notes that her political science background gave her the organizational and people skills to juggle both conferences. “It’s important for me to have events that are special for the school and college students, an opportunity and space just for them,” explains Nelson. “The students come first—that is what is most important for me, and all my vendors and committee members know that too.”

To back up her point, Nelson quotes Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Adding, “My mother made sure that I learned to give back, for having had the kind of opportunities that she didn’t have.”

To offer a sense of the scale of planning involved, this year’s middle- and high-school STEP students gathered for their three-day conference in Albany from March 24 to 26, 2023. A couple of weeks later, from April 14 to 16, it was the turn of the college-level students to meet at the Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing, New York. In addition to posters, presentations and demonstrations, both events featured speakers and plenty of extracurricular activities, such as dance, talent shows and games. Plus, there’s a college fair for the STEP students and a graduate fair for CSTEP. And that’s not all—the organizers throw banquet dinners for both groups too.

“My name is a placeholder. Vendors have to send packages to someone,” says Nelson humbly, noting that a team across the University helps her organize, including many in the .

STEP students with Leonese Nelson at the annual conferene

Leonese Nelson (fifth from right) with students at the 2023 STEP Conference in Albany, New York.

Nelson says she wanted her final conferences to be extra special. In 2020, the STEP conference was just days away when New York State shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. The health emergency also cancelled the 2021 conferences, but STEP convened online in 2022 with 500 attendees. “We needed to come back together in 2023—and go above and beyond. I did everything I could because we needed to start a new normal.”

Now that she has stepped down from her statewide responsibilities, Nelson says she will spend more time on the ϲ STEP and CSTEP programs—including planning college tours in New York and further afield for the middle- and high-school students—and she will be on hand to help those planning the statewide conferences in her stead.

What favorite memories does Nelson have? Well, she has organized the conferences long enough to have fond recollections of students excitedly calling their parents using pay phones. Now it’s selfies and posting to Instagram. She also mentions the dress-up banquet held for the STEP students, where the hotel convention hall goes from “drab to fab.” “I once heard a student say, ‘Is this all for me?’ ‘Why would it not be for you?’ I replied.”

Sometimes, young STEP students go very far, and Nelson has been there to see these journeys take flight. One such student was “The Professor,” a middle schooler who earned his nickname by being so studious and inquisitive. He went on to earn an engineering degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “I don’t put limits on my students,” observes Nelson. “I say to them, don’t compare yourself to others. Your paths won’t always be the same.”

 

 

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July 18 Job Fair to Highlight Opportunities With Food Services, Parking and Transportation and JMA Wireless Dome /blog/2023/07/10/july-18-job-fair-to-highlight-opportunities-with-food-services-parking-and-transportation-and-jma-wireless-dome/ Mon, 10 Jul 2023 17:29:50 +0000 /?p=189733 ϲ Food Services, along with Parking and Transportation Services and stadium events staff, is hosting a on Tuesday, July 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sadler Hall Dining Center (), located just below the JMA Wireless Dome. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about ϲ’s dynamic, diverse workforce.

Food Services is looking to fill openings for managers and supervisors, as well as dishwashers, food preparers, cooks, cashiers and chefs. All three University departments are ready to hire and onboard new employees quickly as they prepare for the upcoming 2023-24 academic year. Full-time, benefits-eligible positions are available, as well as part-time positions—perfect for those who may need more flexibility in their schedule.

A career at ϲ allows for additional training, professional development and career growth. Benefits-eligible positions provide paid vacation, holidays, health and dental insurance, retirement planning programs and educational benefits for you and your family. Additional benefit information is available on the .

All interested applicants are invited to attend. Parking is free. Managers will be conducting interviews for candidates with a completed job application, so candidates are strongly encouraged to apply in advance. Visit to apply and learn more about all available positions.

 

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Richard Graham Marks 50 Years With Facilities Services /blog/2023/07/05/richard-graham-marks-50-years-with-facilities-services/ Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:30:26 +0000 /?p=189598 person holding a pin that states 50 years

Richie Graham, a member of the Facilities Services maintenance team, was among those honored at the One University celebration in April for milestone anniversaries. (Photos by Angela Ryan)

When Richard (Richie) Graham came to ϲ from South Carolina in 1972, he was following family and better job opportunities. Little did he know, he would plant roots here and be celebrating his 50th anniversary at ϲ.

Graham, a member of the Facilities Services maintenance team, was among those honored at the One University celebration in April who marked milestone anniversaries in 2022. He was honored during a reception before the ceremony, and with the presentation of a certificate during the ceremony by Chancellor Kent Syverud, during which Graham received an extended standing ovation.

Graham joined the University community on Sept. 25, 1972, as a laborer. He worked as a groundskeeper and maintenance mechanic before settling into his current role. He works the 3:30 to midnight shift, responding to emergent campus needs, including flooding, stuck elevators and lockouts. No two calls are alike… and over the past five decades he has developed a photographic memory of campus buildings. “I’ve learned every nook and cranny of this place…you have to,” Graham says. “You never know what call you are going to get.”

A humble man, he has great memories of working through the years with his teams—those who work behind the scenes at the University to keep the physical plant running. Many of those friends have retired or passed on. Can he believe it’s been 50 years? “No, I can’t,” Graham says.

Over the years, Graham has developed a reputation as a “go-to” guy for difficult or challenging calls, and as a mentor to the younger team members working their way up. His co-workers are often in awe of his knowledge of where things are located across campus.

two people standing together

Richie Graham, a member of the Facilities Services maintenance team, and Pete Sala, vice president and chief campus facilities officer, at the One University reception in April

“Richie has been a member of the night crew for years. He is a wealth of knowledge and our go to for any unusual calls we have on campus—chances are he has dealt with it before,” says his supervisor, Dan Hanford. “He has an amazing memory if we have a breaker out or need to find something in any one of the numerous buildings across campus. Richie is the one in the shop we call. He is a great guy who has an incredible sense of loyalty and dedication to the University.”

What advice does Graham offer his younger co-workers? “Learn your keys,” he says, producing a master key ring.

Does he think about retirement? “I do,” Graham says. But for now, he is focused on his family (he and his partner, Jean Dupree, have five children, including Tonya Davis, a graduate of Utica University, and four grandchildren), and on coming to work each day.

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2023-24 Parking Rates Announced /blog/2023/05/26/2023-24-parking-rates-announced/ Fri, 26 May 2023 11:54:39 +0000 /?p=188726 ϲ has set its parking rates for the 2023-24 academic year. The University’s rates, which align with those of peer institutions, provide funding for technology upgrades and capital improvements to parking lots and garages across campus.

Employee rates for the upcoming year were set as part of a three-year transition plan to reduce the number of employee permit rates from 35 to 20, based on salary, by the 2025-26 academic year. The plan includes both lots and garages.

The three-year plan was carefully considered and developed to ensure minimal impact on permit holders. The reduced number of permit rates will improve equity among permit holders, minimize or eliminate a permit rate increase with a change in salary and stabilize future parking rate increases.

Highlights of the three-year transition include the following:

  • Fiscal Year 2024 Plan: Permit rates will decrease or moderately increase relative to applicable salary ranges. A flat surcharge will be applied to annual rates for those who choose to purchase garage permits.
  • Fiscal Year 2025 Plan: Permit and garage rates will remain flat or include minimal increases to accomplish the reduction in the number of rates by the third year of the transition.
  • Fiscal Year 2026 Plan: Permit and garage rates will remain flat or include minimal increases.

Faculty and staff can apply for their 2023-24 parking passes in MySlice later this summer.

Students can also apply for their 2023-24 parking passes in MySlice later this summer. Annual rates will range from $188 for a park-and-ride pass to $1,113 for a North Campus garage parking pass. Passes for the academic year will range from $170 to $930.

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Cheryl Fabrizi Named Associate Vice President of Auxiliary Services /blog/2023/04/19/cheryl-fabrizi-named-associate-vice-president-of-auxiliary-services/ Wed, 19 Apr 2023 11:41:59 +0000 /?p=187262 Cheryl Fabrizi has been named the University’s associate vice president of auxiliary services.

She has more than 15 years of experience in collegiate hospitality, food services, strategic and capital planning, and undergraduate/graduate student marketing communications, and has spent the last five years as assistant vice president of Housing and Food Services for Pennsylvania State University.

Cheryl Fabrizi

Cheryl Fabrizi

Additionally, Fabrizi has held leadership roles with many globally recognized brands, including Sodexo, QVC, State University of New York (SUNY), Caesars/Starwood and Gentex Corporation. Fabrizi will begin her role May 8 and will report to John Papazoglou, senior vice president and chief operations officer.

In this role, Fabrizi will oversee a wide range of mission-critical services aimed at enhancing campus life for students, faculty, staff and guests, Auxiliary Services provides a comprehensive list of services, including dining, housing, meal plans, lodging, Campus Store and more.

“I am thrilled Cheryl is joining us here at ϲ,” says Papazoglou. “She is the perfect choice to lead Auxiliary Services onward and upward. Her track record of enhancing the experiences of students and the extended university community though technology and innovation are well known by our peers. We cannot wait for her to get started.”

“I’m excited to the join the ϲ community and leverage the breadth and depth of my professional experiences to pursue excellence in service,” Fabrizi says. “I aim to create synergies that positively touch hearts and shape lasting memories of on- and off-campus customers, guests and visitors.”

During her time at Penn State, Fabrizi oversaw a nearly $300 million annual housing and food services budget and a $21 million annual capital deferred maintenance plan, in one of the largest collegiate housing and dining programs in the U.S. and the largest in Pennsylvania. Her portfolio also includes supervision of the $780+ million East Halls/Pollock Halls capital renovation project. She provided leadership and vision for the housing and dining portfolio that employed over 700 full-time employees and more than 1,800 student employees serving 21 campuses across Pennsylvania.

Fabrizi also spearheaded such initiatives as auxiliary and business services talent acquisition/hiring events which led to significant boosts in staffing; the development and expansion of the housing and dining brand, LiveOn (liveon.psu.edu); and the development, execution and management of LiveOn Grant–four-year undergraduate student need-based room and board financial aid awards to address housing and food insecurity needs at 12 Penn State residential campuses.

Fabrizi earned her master’s degree in direct and integrative marketing from Mercy College and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State. She also served as an adjunct faculty member throughout her career, teaching courses in entrepreneurship and marketing at Binghamton University, Broome Community College and Mercy College. Fabrizi has earned recognition from the National Association of College Auxiliary Services (NACAS), the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS), the Association of College and University Housing Officers–International (ACUHO-i) and served as a Big 10 senior housing officer.

 

 

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Tonight’s Concert to Impact Traffic Patterns and Parking Availability /blog/2023/04/14/tonights-concert-to-impact-traffic-patterns-and-parking-availability/ Fri, 14 Apr 2023 14:24:46 +0000 /?p=187135 Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

This evening, the JMA Wireless Dome will host the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with the concert scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. A large crowd is expected, and guests have been advised to arrive and park early to avoid delays.

In an effort to ease congestion, we ask that anyone who parks a vehicle on campus consider departing from their usual on-campus parking lots no later than 3 p.m. to avoid getting tied up in traffic.

If you are able to depart early and finish your work day at home, we’d appreciate you doing so. If you have any questions about your specific situation, please contact your supervisor at your earliest convenience.

If you are a member of our campus community planning to attend the concert, your existing parking pass will be honored in University Avenue Garage, Comstock Avenue Garage, University Avenue North and South lots, and the Irving Avenue Hill lot, as space allows.

Comstock Avenue to Close Temporarily This Evening

At the conclusion of the concert, those on and around campus should be aware of a temporary change to traffic patterns on Comstock Avenue. As the concert ends, the University’s Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) team and the ϲ Police Department will close Comstock Avenue to all traffic except concert parking shuttles, which will travel between the College Place bus stop, the Colvin Street and Comstock Avenue lots, and the Skytop lot.

The concert is anticipated to end between 10:15 and 10:30 p.m., and at that time, PTS will direct all traffic away from Comstock Avenue between Waverly Avenue and East Colvin Street. This will allow for the efficient exit and transportation of the crowd from the shuttle stop at College Place to parking lots on South Campus.

The road will reopen as soon as the concert shuttles are cleared. Regular shuttles to South Campus and other campus shuttles will continue to run during and after the event, though arrivals and departures may be delayed due to the large amount of vehicular traffic in the University area.

Thank you for your flexibility, patience and understanding. More information about parking for upcoming events is available via ϲ or the .

Sincerely,

Andrew R. Gordon
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer

Pete Sala
Vice President and Chief Campus Facilities Officer

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From the Comptroller: Adjustment to Sales Tax Reimbursement Rules; Updated Travel Policy to Be Issued Later in 2023 /blog/2023/04/12/from-the-comptroller-adjustment-to-sales-tax-reimbursement-rules-updated-travel-policy-to-be-issued-later-in-2023/ Wed, 12 Apr 2023 19:45:19 +0000 /?p=187021 Effective immediately, ϲ staff and faculty members utilizing a University credit card will no longer need to seek sales tax reimbursement from the vendor if the purchase results in less than $25 in sales tax per transaction. Though employees should continue to request tax-exempt purchases every time they utilize their University credit card, this rule change will eliminate some of the retroactive action necessary to correspond with vendors and request refunds for mistakenly-charged sales tax.

The University will continue to require reimbursement from the vendor for transactions exceeding $25 in sales tax. The Comptroller’s Office individuals and departments if they encounter challenges with larger tax amounts.

The updated sales tax rule is a part of a broader review of the campus travel policy, which is currently underway. Though the full, updated policy won’t be available until later in the calendar year, the Comptroller’s Office is providing the sales tax update to the campus community now in order to help ease the administrative burden associated with reimbursement.

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Temporary Disruptions to Campus Transportation Services /blog/2023/04/06/temporary-disruptions-to-campus-transportation-services/ Thu, 06 Apr 2023 13:17:35 +0000 /?p=186796 In an effort to proactively communicate with the campus community, the University’s (PTS) is asking its riders to prepare for short-term disruptions to its usual trolley and shuttle services for the remainder of the Spring 2023 semester.

Due to an ongoing CDL driver shortage, PTS is struggling to consistently fill its planned shifts, leading to last-minute changes to trolley and shuttle routes. In the past few weeks, this has led the office to delay the start of the Blue and Orange ’Cuse Trolley loops until the afternoon hours or reduce service to one or more shuttle routes.

As soon as the office becomes aware of the need to delay or cancel any of its services, it will quickly post the information to the front page of its website and share the information on its and . At the same time, PTS will also provide an alternative shuttle or service for community members to utilize—i.e., a parallel Centro route or its own late-night safety shuttle service.

While PTS continues to make every effort to minimize disruption to the campus community in the coming weeks, the department will continue its hiring efforts and hopes to be able to return to its full complement of drivers by the start of the Fall 2023 semester.

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Brett Padgett Named Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer /blog/2022/07/07/brett-padgett-named-senior-vice-president-and-chief-financial-officer/ Thu, 07 Jul 2022 17:00:05 +0000 /?p=178340 Chancellor Kent Syverud today announced the appointment of Brett Padgett, a higher education financial leader and Navy veteran, as ϲ’s next senior vice president and chief financial officer. Reporting to the Chancellor as a member of the executive team, he will direct the University’s finance and administration functions. Padgett’s appointment will begin later this summer and was approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees.

Brett Padgett headshot

Brett Padgett

“Brett is an outstanding leader with an impressive depth and breadth of experience in finance administration,” says Chancellor Syverud. “His deep understanding of fiscal management in higher education, his track record of success aligning resources with strategic priorities and his military service will serve ϲ well in fulfilling its mission and achieving ambitious goals in the coming years. I am looking forward to welcoming him to the Orange community.”

Padgett comes to ϲ from the University of Chicago, where he is currently associate vice president for finance. In this position, Padgett is responsible for accounting and financial reporting; financial planning and analysis; payroll and human resources services; procurement and payment services; and treasury. While at the University of Chicago, he also served as interim vice president and chief financial officer from July 2021-April 2022.

“I am excited about joining ϲ at a time when financial planning, resource investment and innovative thinking must be aligned to tackle the many opportunities in higher education,” says Padgett. “I have been impressed with the dedication and passion of the leadership team in their determination to remain focused on delivering on the University’s mission and vision in the midst of change and growth.”

In his new role, Padgett will oversee the financial well-being of ϲ, working closely with Chancellor Syverud to proactively position the University to navigate a dynamic financial landscape, optimize resources and investments, and align the budget model in support of the University’s core mission of academic excellence.

During the last five years at the University of Chicago, Padgett led the development of a new long-term financial forecast model for the university. He was engaged in campus land-use and planning, was responsible for the university’s banking relationships and led multiple departments with a total of more than 475 employees. Prior to his work with the university, Padgett was an investment banker for more than two decades, handling complex municipal finances throughout the Midwest. During this time, he worked at Citigroup and JPMorgan/Banc One Capital Markets, and he previously served in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant in Special Operations.

Padgett earned a master of business administration from the University of Notre Dame and a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He also attended U.S. Navy Schools in Charleston, South Carolina; Newport, Rhode Island; Athens, Georgia; Panama City, Florida; and Coronado, California.

Padgett was selected by the search committee after an extensive, national search that yielded a diversely talented pool of applicants. The search committee, chaired by Chancellor Syverud, included Steven Barnes ’82, chairman emeritus, Board of Trustees;Gretchen Ritter, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer; J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation; Candace Campbell Jackson, senior vice president and chief of staff; Elisabeth “Lisa” Fontenelli ’86, University Trustee, former Board of Trustees Finance Committee chair and Whitman Advisory Council chair; Edward J. Pettinella G’76, Board of Trustees vice chair and Board Audit and Risk Committee chair; Jeffrey M. Scruggs, Board of Trustees Finance Committee chair and Maxwell Advisory Board member; and Professor Emily Stokes-Rees, director of the School of Design, College of Visual and Performing Arts.

“I want to thank fellow members of the search committee for their leadership and work in identifying an outstanding pool of candidates,” says Chancellor Syverud. “I also want to thank Gwenn Judge for serving as interim CFO since July of 2021. Gwenn has shepherded the University’s finances with great care through challenging times, and I am grateful for her service to ϲ.”

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From Burma to ’Cuse: Custodial Supervisor Pawehmoo ‘Ma’ Thawtheet Pursues Growth, Learning and the American Dream /blog/2022/07/05/from-burma-to-cuse-custodial-supervisor-pawehmoo-ma-thawtheet-pursues-growth-learning-and-the-american-dream/ Tue, 05 Jul 2022 18:58:30 +0000 /?p=178266 Custodial Supervisor Pawehmoo Thawtheet seated in an orange chair in front of a plantPawehmoo Thawtheet, known affectionately as “Ma” by friends and colleagues, came to ϲ by way of Thailand in the fall of 2007. A native of Burma (now known as Myanmar) and member of the Karen ethnic group, Thawtheet spent the early part of her life in refugee camps in Thailand after her family fled Burma due to its ongoing civil war.

Together with her parents and six siblings, Thawtheet moved frequently among various refugee camps, where she learned the importance of building community, pursuing new skills and learning new knowledge to improve her life.

“We had to move so many places, and the refugee camps kept getting bigger and bigger. Eventually we became a village with over 100 houses and families,” Thawtheet says. “People would help each other out. Volunteers helped us learn the local language and how to read and write, which was very helpful to teach the next generation.”

It was there that the spark was lit within Thawtheet to keep learning, keep growing and never give up on her dreams. She finished high school in the Mae La refugee camp where she was settled, having developed a strong passion for learning and ambitions for her future.

Having studied biology, chemistry and law, and gaining skills in weaving, sewing and manicuring, Thawtheet says she would “sign up for just about anything, just to get to know something new.” She soon realized that career opportunities would be limited for her within the refugee camps of Thailand, and as the Mae La camp grew more and more crowded, Thawtheet set her sights on a bigger future.

“I told my parents, ‘I just want to go someplace to improve myself, because living here, our life is not going to get any better,’” she says. It took some convincing, but her family began to submit applications to emigrate from Thailand to a new country. “The countries were Australia, Canada, the UK [United Kingdom], the U.S., Korea, Japan…people would just go and apply, they didn’t care where we were going,” Thawtheet says. “The application that drew my name was the United States; and when the papers came, it said my destination was ϲ, New York. I started asking people around, and no one knew of this place.”

On Sept. 11, 2007, Thawtheet arrived in ϲ and was immediately captivated by life in America. “When I came here, I looked at everything and thought, ‘oh my goodness, this is so beautiful!’” she says. “And when you need the light, you just turned the light switch on. And then when you need to cook, you just turned the stove knob!”

She knew her family made the right choice and that they would have a better life here. Thawtheet enrolled in English language classes through the Northside CYO and began taking steps toward gainful employment. She worked briefly at the Embassy Suites hotel in ϲ before her liaison at the Northside CYO encouraged her to apply for a position with Facilities Services at the University. In 2008, she became a member of the custodial staff and has spent the last 14 years growing her career.

Thawtheet is now a respected member of the custodial leadership team, known for her positive attitude and unstoppable work ethic. “As a custodian, Ma had a strong work ethic and incredible dedication to the University and our students,” says Mary Pat Grzymala, senior associate director of Facilities Services. “Her energy and enthusiasm made her rise to the top and take on a leadership role. As a supervisor, she is an excellent mentor and will assist in building a strong team to continue to serve our faculty, staff and students.”

Thawtheet attributes her success to two factors: her passion for learning about the various buildings, machines and tools on campus to excel in her role; and her dedication to working various shifts to gain as much experience and meet as many new people as possible over the years. As the direct supervisor of 30 people, she exemplifies the values of patience, teamwork and kindness, always going the extra mile to make sure her team is well-prepared and well-trained for the job at hand.

“I enjoy coming to work, and I always communicate with my coworkers on the phone or through text message to keep them motivated and informed,” she says. “Some of my teammates have become good friends. On the weekend, we’ll sometimes take our kids to the park and enjoy our days off together.”

She also says that responding to emergency requests from students is one of her favorite parts of the job. “The students go first,” she says. “Any time a customer or a student calls me for something, I’m going to do the job right and I’m training my staff to do it right, too.”

When she first began with the University, ϲ students even helped Thawtheet improve her English language skills. “I remember, my English was not so good yet. I learned how to speak English by talking to students, talking to my coworkers, different people. I asked them to correct my pronunciation if I got it wrong and to teach me anything that I don’t know!” she says.

“We feel very blessed to have Ma as part of our custodial leadership team. She is an exemplary employee who leads with the compassion and vitality that is essential to this University’s operations and providing a clean and safe environment for everyone to enjoy,” says Pete Sala, senior vice president and chief facilities officer.

According to Thawtheet, she is the blessed one. In fact, she often wears a gold necklace emblazoned with the word Blessed in cursive font. “I count my blessings every single day,” she says. “I love it here. I’m so happy with my job, I love doing it, and I get along with everybody, everywhere I go.”

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Meal Plans Available for 2022-23 Academic Year /blog/2022/06/01/meal-plans-available-for-2022-23-academic-year/ Wed, 01 Jun 2022 14:59:35 +0000 /?p=177574 Interior view of Sadler Dining

Sadler Dining Center (Photo by Marilyn Hesler, staff photographer)

After extensive engagement with students and families, ϲ will adjust its meal plan offerings for the 2022-23 school year and beyond. Meal plan eligibility will continue to vary by the student’s year and their on-campus housing selection. Housing, Meal Plan, and I.D. Card (HMPID) Services has , to help students and their families make the appropriate meal plan selection.

2022-23 Meal Plans

Meal plans available this year are:

  • First-year students can select one of two unlimited meal plans, the Blue Unlimited or Orange Unlimited. The difference between the two plans is the amount of Meal Plan Dining Dollars, which can be used for food purchases at campus cafés and Schine Dining. The standard (Blue) plan comes with $100 of Dining Dollars each semester, while the Orange plan will include $330 each semester. The price of the default plan for first-year students living in a North Campus residence hall, the Blue Unlimited plan, will decrease for the 2022-23 academic year.
  • Second-year students and above will continue to have access to block meal plans.
    • Second-year students living in a North Campus residence hall can select either of the unlimited options or the Block 130 plan, which also provides $200 Dining Dollars each semester.
    • Third- and fourth-year students living in North Campus residence halls can additionally choose the Block 85 plan with $200 Dining Dollars per semester.
  • Students who live on South Campus, in the Skyhall residence halls or off campus—who will eat the majority of their on-campus meals at Goldstein Student Center or other Food Services retail locations—may choose to select a plan solely consisting of Meal Plan Dining Dollars.

Students on unlimited plans will be able to swipe into a campus dining center (Ernie Davis, Shaw, Sadler, Graham and Brockway) as often as they would like—increasing flexibility for students who may just want to pop in to grab a coffee or a muffin for breakfast before class, or to return to the dining center to grab an ice cream after dinner.

Responding to Feedback

Kris Klinger, senior associate vice president for auxiliary services, which includes the Housing, Meal Plan, and I.D. Card Services office, says the changes to the meal plan system were largely informed by student and family feedback. “We want to be as responsive as possible to our students’ needs. The best way to do that is to apply their feedback by adding more flexibility and variety to our plans,” he says. “We are confident our students will experience greater dining satisfaction with the revised meal plans and encourage our community to continue providing candid feedback.”

Beginning in the 2023-24 academic year, the unlimited option will become the default option for all first- and second-year students living in North Campus residence halls. “Dining centers should be spaces where students gather with their friends and build community. No one should be worrying about not having enough swipes,” says Klinger. “Setting the unlimited option as the meal plan for all first- and second-year students on North Campus—and lowering the price of that plan—helps address those concerns.”

Dining Center Upgrades

Also underway is a series of improvements to the five campus dining centers, some of which were piloted in the Spring 2022 semester, and others will be introduced starting in fall 2022. Under the direction of Jon Webster, executive director of hospitality, and Eamon Lee, Food Services’ executive chef, the Food Services department will introduce a series of franchise-style concepts at every dining center. In response to feedback received from the student-led Food Services Accountability Committee, the new concepts reflect how students prefer to eat—at restaurants (like Chipotle or CoreLife Eatery) that allow for customization of each order and quick service.

The first to be introduced on campus in spring 2022 was La Naranja, a Chipotle-style bowl concept. It was followed by a fried chicken sandwich concept and a breakfast burrito concept. Additionally, students expressed concern that they didn’t have time between classes to stop in and eat a sit-down lunch. As a result, Food Services began offering a sandwich, wrap and salad grab-and-go station at Ernie Davis, the dining center closest to the center of campus.

More enhancements will debut in August, says Webster, who received a weekly feedback report from the Food Services Accountability Committee throughout the Spring 2022 semester.

“We want to meet our students where they are,” Webster says. “The adjustments to the meal plan are one part of the effort, but other, equally-important parts, are the type and quality of food that students access through their meal plan, and the speed at which that food is delivered.”

Edit Meal Plan Selections Beginning June 3

New and returning students can edit their meal plan selection on the MySlice Housing self-service page beginning June 3. Students can alter their meal plan choice up until the end of the second week of the Fall 2022 semester, though any student who feels they need a more robust meal plan can always increase the number of meals they need throughout the semester.

Students and their families can learn more about meal plans on the . . Questions about meal plans? Contact housing@syr.edu or call 315.443.2721. Questions about Food Services? Email mealtalk@syr.edu.

 

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Message From Comptroller Regarding Paper Paychecks /blog/2021/12/21/message-from-comptroller-regarding-paper-paychecks-2/ Tue, 21 Dec 2021 20:28:00 +0000 /?p=171942 All paper paychecks dated Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, through Friday, Jan. 14, 2022, will be mailed via the U.S. Postal Service. Employees who have not signed up for direct deposit and will therefore receive a paper paycheck should ensure their permanent address is accurate by visiting MySlice and navigating to Employee Home > Personal Profile > Addresses. As a reminder, anyone with a NetID and password is able to set up direct deposit through MySlice. The provides step-by-step instructions on how to enroll in direct deposit.

Please contact Payroll at 315.443.4042, option 2, with any questions.

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Cooking for the Holidays? Food Services Executive Chef Eamon Lee Shares His Top Tips and Insights /blog/2021/12/14/cooking-for-the-holidays-food-services-executive-chef-eamon-lee-shares-his-top-tips-and-insights/ Tue, 14 Dec 2021 13:44:02 +0000 /?p=171604 A food industry veteran with over three decades of experience cooking and working in restaurants, Eamon Lee, executive chef in Food Services who began his tenure with the University earlier this year, knows a few things about holiday cooking. We sat down with Chef Lee to pick his brain on how to please a crowd, characteristics to bring out in holiday meals and the supply chain woes plaguing the food industry.

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Concessions Upgrades at the Stadium to Enhance the Game Day Experience for Fans /blog/2021/09/09/concessions-upgrades-at-the-stadium-to-enhance-the-game-day-experience-for-fans/ Thu, 09 Sep 2021 18:29:09 +0000 /?p=168496 'Cuse Chicken Express concessions at the stadium

’Cuse Chicken Express is one of the new dining options on the first level of the stadium.

When the Carrier Dome opened back in 1980, the game day experience was different. Simple. Bare bones. You drove to the game, parked, watched the game, got back in your car, went home.

“In the 1970s and 80s, there was no thought put into the food experience, drinks or retail at sporting events,” says Michael Bekolay, founder and CEO of Venue Hospitality Solutions. “The architects back then didn’t focus on ‘dwell time,’ or the experience happening beyond the field of play. Food and drink options were simple and maybe you had a hot dog, a popcorn or a fountain soda.”

Bekolay would know. He has been in the business of stadium hospitality for over 35 years, working with some of the world’s most popular sports franchises, including the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys and Manchester City Football Club. He came to ϲ in fall 2019, when Auxiliary Services and Dome Operations began considering what the fan experience could become once the building’s renovation was complete.

Jennifer Uryniak, executive director for budget and operations in Auxiliary Services, had heard the feedback from stadium visitors—the lines were too long, the food was uninspired and the concourses crowded easily. Fans expected more. The goal she set was deceptively simple: deliver a superior experience for fans at sporting events, concerts and other events held at the stadium.

When the doors open Saturday for the first home football game of the 2021-22 season, a major step will have been taken toward that goal: eight upgraded concessions stands and a new way of operating that prioritizes the gameday experience. As Bekolay put it, the guiding principle for the renovations was, “You solve for the fan experience first, and then figure out your operations around that.”

Kris Klinger, senior associate vice president for Auxiliary Services, focused his team’s efforts on three main improvements: enhancing food quality by adding modern cooking capabilities to the renovated stands, reducing the need to stand in separate lines by selling alcohol and food at the same locations, and introducing a self-service model at the stands, where the customer selects the items they wish to purchase and then moves to the .

All three improvements will be on display Saturday. There are four new stands on the first level, two selling chicken (’Cuse Chicken Express) and two selling burgers (The Loud House Grille). The new menu items were purposefully selected, says Bekolay. The focus was on selecting items that are broadly popular and sold well, both nationally and at the previous iterations of the concessions stands.

“We are aiming to make simple great,” says Bekolay. “We do not want to be in the business of overcomplicating, so our new menus are intentionally very focused.”

The design of the new stands is notable, as well: eliminating walls and introducing open-kitchen cooking has become popular at stadiums around the country. The new state-of-the-art equipment at each remodeled stand will provide high-quality food in a short period of time, says Jon Webster, executive director of hospitality in Auxiliary Services.

“A reduced preparation time means the food is cooked closer to when fans eat it, which improves the quality of the food,” Webster says. “From a culinary standpoint, we didn’t do anything crazy, but we spent a lot of time putting together very tasty iterations of our burger and chicken sandwich and that is exactly what we think the fans are looking for.”

On the second level, four new grab-and-go markets (each called Otto’s Fast Break) will offer a combination of snacks and beverages. Express locations like these are a major trend in stadium hospitality, says Klinger, with “Amazon Go-like” stores entering the marketplace. The four market locations will allow fans to hand-pick the items they would like and then check out quickly, eliminating the traditional “belly-up” counter ordering experience that caused long lines to back up into the concourse.

While the focus for this year remains on “getting great at core items” and offering simple, high-quality products, plans are already underway for what comes next, Klinger says. “This year is phase one,” he says. “We are in the design process now for phase two, to renovate the remaining stands and to create more menu diversity with local brands and partners.”

For Bekolay, the changes underway at ϲ are to be expected for an operation that is aiming to become a best-in-class leader. They’re drawing notice from his peers in the stadium hospitality industry. And they’re a long, long way from the days of menus that only featured fountain sodas, hot dogs and popcorn.

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Message from the Comptroller Regarding Paper Paychecks /blog/2021/02/02/message-from-the-comptroller-regarding-paper-paychecks-3/ Tue, 02 Feb 2021 20:54:21 +0000 /?p=161904 All paper paychecks dated Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, and continuing until further notice will be delivered through campus mail to each employee’s campus department.

As a reminder, anyone with a NetID and password has the ability to set up direct deposit on MySlice. The Payroll Office provides step-by-step instructions to enroll in direct deposit .

Please contact payroll at payroll@syr.edu or 315.443.4042, option 2, with any questions.

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Purchasing Office Institutes Change to Streamline Invoice Processing /blog/2020/10/08/purchasing-office-institutes-change-to-streamline-invoice-processing/ Thu, 08 Oct 2020 21:16:52 +0000 /?p=158818 In an effort to streamline the procurement and payment process at the University, the Purchasing Office is instituting changes to the way the department handles payment of invoices.

Department business managers should now send invoices directly to the Disbursements Office instead of the Purchasing Office for remittance. Invoices should be signed to confirm receipt of all goods and then sent to disburse@syr.edu or 640 Skytop Office Building, Suite 120.

The Disbursements Office offers the following guidance for business managers:

  • If sending your invoice by email, send only one invoice per email.Use the subject line “Invoice – [Vendor name] [Invoice number].”
  • The pdf attachment should contain all pages of the invoice, and should be labeled with the vendor name and invoice number.
  • The body of the email must contain “Approval to pay” or the PDF attachment must be physically or electronically signed.
  • If you have a K-order (standing purchase order), monitor available funds on the purchase order (PO). Insufficient funds will result in delayed payments to the vendor and could jeopardize future shipments or product delivery.
    • In the event that your PO has insufficient funds remaining, please contact the purchasing staff member on your PO for assistance.

The Purchasing Office will soon reach out directly to business managers across campus to communicate further details and to University suppliers to alert them of the change. If you have any questions, please email purchase@syr.edu.

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Kris Klinger Named Associate Vice President of Auxiliary Services /blog/2020/08/31/kris-klinger-named-associate-vice-president-of-auxiliary-services/ Mon, 31 Aug 2020 20:24:10 +0000 /?p=157217 Kris Klinger headshot

Kris Klinger

Kris Klinger has been named associate vice president of auxiliary services at ϲ. He has more than 30 years of experience in hospitality and auxiliary services and has spent the last 11 years as assistant vice president within the University of Southern California’s (USC) auxiliary services department. Klinger began his tenure with ϲ on July 27, and reports to Amir Rahnamay-Azar, senior vice president for business, finance and administrative services (BFAS) and chief financial officer.

Klinger will develop long-range strategies for auxiliary services to ensure efficient operations and continuous improvement to meet the University’s goals and mission. As auxiliary services touches nearly every aspect of University life, he will collaborate with other campus leaders to advance a number of key initiatives in an effort to enhance the living and learning experience for the University’s diverse student population.

“Auxiliary services serves as a cornerstone in our division’s desire to elevate the quality of services offered to our community,” says Rahnamay-Azar. “Effective delivery of services involving day-to-day life on campus is a top priority in our division. With Kris’s vast experience in all aspects of hospitality, I know he will make an immediate impact on campus.”

The BFAS aims to create an unparalleled ϲ experience, and Klinger will assess and strengthen auxiliary services’ strategies, policies and practices in an effort to respond to the University’s ever-growing and evolving needs, says Rahnamay-Azar.

During his time at USC, Klinger led the hospitality and hotel units and supported the operations team at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He oversaw 42 residential, catering and retail food service operations, serving over four million meals annually to a student, staff and faculty population of more than 75,000. While leading the housing unit at USC, Klinger supervised 53 housing complexes with 9,200 beds and introduced dedicated housing for USC’s veteran students.

Klinger earned his MBA at the USC Marshall School of Business and holds a bachelor’s degree in German and international relations from the same university. Over the course of his career, Klinger has earned recognition from the National Association of College Auxiliary Services, the Association of College and University Food Services, the American Culinary Federation, the National Restaurant Association, and the International Coaching Federation. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, and served on the board of advisors for the USC Masters in Business for Veterans program.

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Building Local Fair Leads to New Partnerships With Local Businesses /blog/2020/02/11/building-local-fair-leads-to-new-partnerships-with-local-businesses/ Tue, 11 Feb 2020 16:15:30 +0000 /?p=151791 crowd of participants at fair

Representatives of local businesses mingle with University employees at the 2019 Building Local fair.

Last May, the Office of Community Engagement and the Division of Business, Finance and Administrative Services hosted ϲ’s first-ever Building Local procurement fair.

The fair introduced local business enterprises—including those owned by women, minorities, veterans and others (referred to collectively as XBEs)—to opportunities with the University; helped local businesses and XBEs understand the goods and services used and needed by the University; and provided information on how to gain diverse business certifications.

The connections made at that fair have begun to bear fruit on both sides. Laura Cueva, the owner of Interior Innovations, attended the Building Local fair. Her contract furniture and interior architectural solutions firm is located on East Genesee Street, not far from the University. At the fair, she had met with representatives from the University’s Purchasing Department to outline thecapabilities of her firm and discuss potential opportunities for doing business with the University and its business units.

“The opportunity to attend the Building Local fair was a dream come true, bringing together the right group of decision makers and allowing local suppliers like Interior Innovations the opportunity to present what we can do,” said Cueva.

In the intervening months, the Purchasing Department, in conjunction with Campus Planning, Design and Construction, prepared a request for proposal (RFP) for its open line furniture business, which included Claridge, ERG International, Source International, Human Scale and Kreuger International. The awarding of the RFP would mean that the University would buy its furniture from those lines from one firm.

Building on their interaction at the Building Local event, the Purchasing Department included Interior Innovations in the RFP, and in January, Laura Cueva and her firm were awarded the bid.

Vince Patriarco, the University’s executive director of purchasing, says that the success of Interior Innovations validates using local suppliers, and shows they can compete with larger firms and provide the University with best-in-class service.

“The proposal from Interior Innovations demonstrated a very clear value proposition to the University,” said Patriarco. “The pricing was great and the value-added services made our decision an easy one.”

In Cueva’s eyes, what the University did with the Building Local fair should be standard practice.

“Local sourcing shows ϲ’s commitment to the local economy and that being a good neighbor is also good business,” said Cueva. “The University is setting a standard all businesses should follow.”

Plans are already underway for the 2020 Building Local fair.

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ϲ Selects Partners Capital as New Outsourced Chief Investment Officer /blog/2020/02/04/syracuse-university-selects-partners-capital-as-new-outsourced-chief-investment-officer/ Tue, 04 Feb 2020 19:43:48 +0000 /?p=151571 On Jan. 1, 2020, Partners Capital became the new outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) for ϲ. The Investment and Endowment Committee (IEC) of the ϲ Board of Trustees selected Partners to manage the University’s endowment fund after a months-long search, performed as a component of a routine review. The process included an appraisal of the University’s previous OCIO, Pavilion, and the search included several other high-performing investment firms.

“The objective was to identify the top-performing firms in the current OCIO marketplace and determine which investment firm would be the most synergistic with the needs of the University’s endowment,” said Amir Rahnamay-Azar, senior vice president for business, finance and administrative services and chief financial officer. “While we evaluated many excellent candidates, the University was particularly impressed with the portfolio construction methods and investment manager access that Partners Capital demonstrated.”

The charge of the IEC is to oversee the investment and management of ϲ’s Managed Endowment Fund, which comprises approximately 2,400 individual endowments and was valued at $1.35 billion as of Sept. 30, 2019. The funds will be operationally managed by Partners Capital with daily governance and oversight by Scott Kemp, interim University treasurer, and Rahnamay-Azar.

Partners Capital was founded in London 2001 by Stan Miranda and Paul Dimitruk. In 2019, the firm oversaw $27 billion in funds from offices in London, Paris, New York, Boston, San Francisco, Singapore and Hong Kong.

“With the launch of the Forever Orange campaign, confident, responsible stewardship of the managed endowment fund is a priority of the University,” said Rahnamay-Azar. “We are excited to begin our work with Partners Capital and to develop an investment portfolio that benefits ϲ students now and long into the future.”

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IRS Makes Update to 2020 Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate /blog/2019/12/10/irs-makes-update-to-2020-form-w-4-employees-withholding-certificate/ Tue, 10 Dec 2019 20:31:09 +0000 /?p=150113 Due to changes to the federal tax law passed in 2018, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has updated the 2020 version of Form W-4. Form W-4 is completed by every ϲ employee to determine how much federal income tax is withheld from each paycheck.

The IRS does not require all employees to complete the updated form. It will be used by employees hired after 2019 and can be used by employees that want to make a withholding change after 2019.

The IRS recommends that employees consider completing a new form each year or when their personal or financial situation changes. To assist employees with making adjustments to their withholding, the on theIRS websiteis available.The IRS has also published that may be helpful while completing the updated form.

If any employee is interested in completing an updated Form W-4, they may do so online by logging into or in person at the Payroll Service Center in Skytop Office Building.

If you have questions, please contact the Payroll Service Center at payroll@syr.edu or 315.443.4042.

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Dupli Announces Online Ordering Improvements; Training Sessions Begin this Week /blog/2019/11/18/dupli-announces-online-ordering-improvements-training-sessions-begin-this-week/ Mon, 18 Nov 2019 22:08:46 +0000 /?p=149508 Dupli has just completed a major overhaul to its website in order to improve the ordering process for its customers, and launched its new catalog-ordering platform on Nov. 11, 2019.

Since becoming the University’s primary printing and mailing distribution center in July 2017, Dupli has adjusted and adapted in response to feedback from campus constituents. The newest enhancements to its interface include:

  • A complete redesign of the e-commerce ordering experience
  • Specific templates for postcards, flyers, brochures, booklets and posters
  • A new search feature
  • User-friendly tutorials with screenshots
  • 150th anniversary toolkit
  • Calendars
  • Access to the site outside of University business hours
    screenshot of Dupli e-commerce stationary platform

Dupli’s redesigned website offers a more streamlined experience for users.In addition, the “Start my Print Project” and “Start my Mail Project” forms are now available within the catalog to allow quote, proof and checkout for non-stationery items. This new process replaces the Mail Project Form and Print Project Form, and will streamline the ordering and billing process for non-catalog items.

To place an order, you can create a requisition in eProcurement by visiting DUPLIONLINE on the merchant page. If you currently do not have access to eProcurement via MySlice, in your department to submit a request to gain access.

For students, the student print portal will remain at for student business card orders.

for Dupli ordering are being offered across campus beginning this week, as follows:

  • Thursday, Nov. 21, at 9:30 a.m.
  • Thursday, Nov. 21, at 2:30 p.m.
  • Friday, Nov. 22, at 9:30 a.m.
  • Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 9:30 a.m.
  • Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 2:30 p.m.

If you have any questions regarding eProcurement, please email purchasing@syr.edu or Betsy McInerney at 315.443.5926 or eamciner@syr.edu. To contact Dupli directly with questions, please email suorders@duplionline.com.

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ϲ to Review Steam Station, Seeks Modern Solutions for Enhanced Operations /blog/2018/01/05/syracuse-university-to-review-steam-station-seeks-modern-solutions-for-enhanced-operations/ Fri, 05 Jan 2018 20:47:55 +0000 /?p=127779 As ϲ’s Division of Business, Finance and Administrative Services (BFAS) continues its strategic planning process, its primary focus remains aligning the University’s resources and assets with the vision and mission articulated in the Academic Strategic Plan. As part of that effort, BFAS is launching a review of the University’s Steam Station operations.

Amir Rahnamay-Azar, senior vice president and chief financial officer, says reviewing the Steam Station operations is critical to ensuring that all business functions are efficient, effective and supportive of the University’s institutional priorities.

“Providing our students a world-class education, ensuring our faculty members have the tools and resources necessary to thrive as educators and researchers, and supporting the professional development of our passionate staff is at the heart of every decision we make in BFAS,” says Rahnamay-Azar. “I am pleased we are taking a close look at everything we do and look forward to seeing how we can evolve our Steam Station operations.”

The Steam Station produces steam 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and is best known for heating most of the Main Campus buildings. Consisting of the Riley and Alco Steam Plants, the Steam Station produces much of the University’s domestic hot water production, sterilization, cooling and humidification; it also runs the Chilled Water Plant during the warmer months. Along with serving ϲ, the Steam Station serves the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, ϲ VA Medical Center and Crouse Irving Memorial Hospital.

As part of the review process, the University is consulting with outside experts in the field to explore new opportunities that would benefit the campus community and prioritize the retention of the entire Steam Station team. Upon conclusion of the review process, BFAS leaders will provide an update to the campus community, which will include recommendations for future operational effectiveness.

About ϲ

Founded in 1870, ϲ is a private international research university dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching excellence, rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11 academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional disciplines that prepares students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main campus and extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three continents. ϲ’s student body is among the most diverse for an institution of its kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ϲ also has a long legacy of supporting veterans and is home to the nationally recognized Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their families. To learn more about ϲ, visit .

 

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