A Few Updates from Around Campus
Dear Colleagues,
With the Fall semester well under way, there’s a lot happening across our campus community. I wanted to take a moment to share a few timely updates on initiatives and events in the days and weeks ahead.
- This Thursday, we’re hosting a panel discussion on the upcoming midterm elections, featuring Professors Clemmie Harris, Jun Kwon, Luke Perry, and Daniel Tagliarina, along with Kira Maddox, director of Community, Belonging, and Engagement. The event will take place from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in Hislop Auditorium. I hope you’ll consider attending. It’s a great opportunity to hear different perspectives and explore the issues at stake and what the election could mean for our communities and our country.
- Our Middle States peer evaluation team will be visiting campus November 1-4. Calendar invitations are beginning to go out to groups the visiting team has requested to meet with. We’ll continue to share updates as the schedule takes shape.
- The Faculty and Staff Climate Survey Task Force will soon launch a follow-up to their Fall 2025 survey. This will offer another opportunity for the campus community to provide valuable feedback so we can see where we’re making progress and where more effort is needed. Checking in regularly like this is an important part of our ongoing commitment to making Utica University a better place to work and learn. I greatly appreciate the work many of you are doing to address key issues identified in these surveys. Rest assured that my office will remain focused on improving communication, visibility, and transparency, while colleagues across the University continue to find more ways for us to connect, enjoy some time together, and strengthen our sense of community.
- I’m happy to announce the launch of a new online apparel store for employees. The store offers customized apparel for offices and departments, as well as a selection of special 80th anniversary items. Many thanks to the Professional Staff Advisory Council for suggesting this initiative and helping to bring it to life. I encourage you to check it out at utica.edu/swag-store and bookmark the storefront for future perusal.
- Lastly, we will be hosting the Mobile Polar Plunge on campus Tuesday, November 17 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., through our partnership with Special Olympics New York. It’s a twist on the popular Polar Plunge, with participants taking a cold-water plunge to raise money for Special Olympics athletes. I’ve signed up, and I hope you’ll join me. You can learn more and register here. You can also watch the promo video to see the Mobile Polar Plunge in action.
As I said at the beginning of the semester, we’ve got a lot to look forward to this Fall, and that’s certainly proving true. Thanks for all you do in support of our students, our campus community, and our shared success.
Sincerely,
Stephanie R. Nesbitt
President