by Tai Arnold, Vice Provost for Student Success

Welcome to the inaugural issue of the monthly SUNY Empire Student Success Newsletter, written by contributors from across SUNY Empire State College to provide you with access to resources, details on college events, and ways to stay connected with other students, faculty, and staff.

This year has brought unprecedented challenges and uncertainty. COVID-19 disrupted our everyday lives, and through it all your focus on achieving academic excellence remains a priority. Thank you for how quickly you adapted to and embraced distance learning. SUNY Empire is so fortunate to have incredible faculty and students who were able to easily transition, while so generously giving of time and talents through volunteerism and commitment to community.

If you haven’t done so already, please take a few moments to review our Restart Plan for the fall, an in-progress overview that outlines our statewide strategy. While we are unable to reopen all locations for in-person instruction, please know you will be fully supported. We are here for you.

As we continue to navigate the pandemic, we are also working to answer the call for racial and social justice. We need to work together, do more, be better. SUNY Empire encourages open dialogue, candid and uncomfortable, real conversations, and plans to enact decisive, corrective action. It starts here, with us. Through our Presidential Task Force to Enhance Diversity and Inclusion, we continue to assess how our college community can assess the climate and expand our inclusive culture.

The editors welcome your feedback and suggestions; our contact information is SuccessNews@esc.edu. We plan to publish the newsletter monthly, so look for our next issue in September.

Please enjoy the rest of your summer. Take care of yourself and your loved ones, and remember we are better together.

Sincerely,

Tai Arnold