Programs and Initiatives

SUNY Oswego is proud to bring the CSTEP program back to campus in 2020 after a five-year hiatus. The Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) is a New York State Department of Education funded program developed to increase the number of historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students who are pursuing professional licensure and careers in science, technology, engineering, math, and health-related fields.

SUNY Oswego School of Education's MBK TOC II program provides tuition assistance, academic, social, professional and other financial support to aid students in successfully completing their teacher education program at SUNY Oswego. Every TOC II scholar receives $2,500 a year, financial support to pay for all certification exams, and field placement travel reimbursements or transportation. In addition, TOC II candidates participate in clinical residency and employment opportunities, professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities.

Beginning in 1970, EOP students at SUNY Oswego have a long and rich history of engagement, accomplishments and institutional commitment. In collaboration with the institution, the EOP staff serve as advocates for historically under-represented and under-served student access to higher education.

In 2019 - 2020, the college fully funded seven students through the Diversity Fellowship Program. We also changed our funding model to support winter and summer courses, and we started a Graduate Diversity Grant program for a one-time tuition grant. This program provided support to five additional students. 

Supported by the Heckscher Foundation, the Oz Grand Challenges Academy, a summer residential program (virtual in 2020), provides an opportunity for first-generation students to experience a vibrant campus life, inspire them to pursue a college degree, prepare them for going to college and ignite their intellectual curiosity.

In fall 2020 Faculty Assembly approved a new General Education category: Diversity, Identity, and Social Justice in the United States. This three-credit hour course will be optional during the 2021-2022 academic year and required beginning in fall 2022. Oswego students asked for this, and faculty understand the importance of having all students engage with diversity and inclusion content as a part of their education.

Hart Hall Global Living and Learning Center is a unique residential community for students focusing on academic excellence and social responsibility within a global context. As SUNY Oswego's Global Living and Learning Center, and because Hart is home to many international students, Hart residents have the opportunity to live and learn side by side with people from all over the world.

At SUNY Oswego Education Abroad, we are committed to helping all students access international education. We want to be sure that every student will have the tools to succeed both academically and personally during their program, to navigate their own identities, and to learn more about how to prepare for their time abroad with identity in mind.

The SUNY PRODiG Fellowship Consortium represents a collaborative effort of the thirteen comprehensive colleges in the SUNY system. The program consists of a three-pronged approach to increase faculty diversity on our campuses. Eligible candidates for this two-year program include late-stage ABDs or post-docs who are underrepresented minorities faculty in general and women faculty of all races in STEM fields. The focus of the collaborative is to introduce early-career diverse faculty to opportunities at a comprehensive college, and will provide outstanding mentorship and support to increase future success and retention as faculty.

Ongoing work of faculty and staff from the college’s nearly 40 years-old Faculty and Staff of Color Core Mentoring Group to discuss ways in which current mentorship models can be improved and reconfigured to meet needs of current and incoming PRODiG faculty and Fellows. A session with the CDIO was included in new faculty orientation in order to share information on institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and opportunities for engagement.

Each college and school at SUNY Oswego, as well as the Division of Student Affairs, has a diversity committee dedicated to developing intentional practice related to recruiting, retaining, and supporting diverse students, faculty, and staff and addressing systemic departmental and institutional obstacles to success for all.

Working together with the Dean of the School of Communication, Media, and the Arts, ARTSwego helped to create a new SUNY Oswego Artist-in-Residence program to be implemented in fall 2020. A central focus of this residency program is on artistic work that engages with issues of diversity, intersectionality, inclusion, and belonging. The Resident artist is expected to work with students across disciplines through teaching and creation of work SUNY Oswego's 2019 e-holiday greeting card “World of Wonder.” in their respective fields of study.

Coordinated by the CDIO and the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT), professional development for faculty and staff included an online MOOC on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that focused on micro/macroaggressions in the classroom and inclusive pedagogies.

Campus Accessibility Initiative Recognizing that accessibility touches nearly every aspect of campus life, SUNY Oswego has embraced digital accessibility, including course materials, the college website, software, and the numerous tools used in curricular and co-curricular programs, services, and activities. As a part of these efforts, the Faculty Accessibility Fellow Program is an opportunity for participants to advocate for accessibility on campus and coach others on accessibility practices; serve as liaisons for departments; research and explore the pedagogical implications of accessibility and universal design for learning; teach accessibility in class; connect accessibility practices to larger diversity and inclusion initiatives; offer CELT workshops related to accessibility that are teaching and learning focused; and expand discipline-specific accessibility expertise.

Deque University is an online digital accessibility training platform that provides comprehensive training on a wide variety of topics including web accessibility, document accessibility, accessibility testing, and more.

CELT's ongoing Tea for Teaching podcast is a series of informal discussions of innovative and effective practices in teaching and learning. Hosted by John Kane and Rebecca Mushtare, the series covers a range of topics including planning instructional spaces for inclusion, academic ableism, trauma informed pedagogy, cultural acclimation, working with first generation college students, teaching about race, etc.

Auxiliary Services staff receives annual Diversity Training on topics including community concept and social identity.

In June 2020, as Oswego students and alumni organized and led a Black Lives Matter march that started on campus, the college worked with alumnus Jeff Knauss ’07 and his Digital Hyve agency (who donated supplies and time) to paint a Black Lives Matter mural in front of Sheldon Hall. President Stanley and many administrators, faculty, staff and local community members joined students in a peaceful protest in support of Black Lives Matter on June 14, 2020.

The Alumni Association Board is working on creating a Diversity and Inclusion Committee. This committee will connect alumni to ongoing campus wide diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Also, this committee will develop specific DEI initiatives and programming for alumni.

The Alumni Association Board created a diversity and inclusion fund to support programming and other initiatives.

Chaired by CDIO Kendra Cadogan, the purpose of the Campus-City Relations Committee (CCRC) is to maintain and strengthen positive relations between the college and the City of Oswego, with efforts always grounded in the mission: One City. One Campus. One Community. Several students and employees of the college serve on the Mayor appointed CCRC.

Members of the CCRC meet regularly to initiate dialogue among residents, students, landlords, business owners, local law enforcement, college administrators and the Mayor’s office. The work of the CCRC strives to make clear that all members of the greater Oswego community benefit significantly when our collective energies blend to create a more vital, vibrant and inclusive living and working environment.