Student Affairs Annual Report 2024-25

Auxiliary Services Corporation 

Stephen McAfee, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Executive Director of Auxiliary Services

At-A-Glance

1. Resident Dining Meals Served – 800.142
2. Retail Dining Meals Served -251.579
3. Catering -900 events served with over 55,000 guests
4. Vending - Served approximately 175,250 customers
5. Student Health Insurance - Provided insurance to 432 unique students
6. College Store - 36,910 customers through our three channels of service, in person, online, and inclusive access
7. Summer Storage - 278 students participated in our program storing 18% more items than the prior year
8. Employed over 430 unique students and paid over $$1,638,150.97 in wages to support them
9. Auxiliary Services provided $199,000 to support programs that enriched the campus

Highlights and Key Accomplishments

1. We continue support Rich ‘n Pour café and its hands-on learning helping it to expands the students understanding of practical experience through assisting in the catering associated with TEDx Oswego in April.
2. Halal Station at Cooper - We expanded access to Halal food with the launch of a dedicated station in Cooper Dining Hall and transitioned all fresh chicken breast served on campus to certified Halal, sourced from a small, local meat packer in Central New York. These changes strengthened our commitment to culturally responsive food options while supporting regional agriculture.
3. Maple On Tap - Through the continued partnership between Auxiliary Services and Sustainability, our Annual Pancake Breakfast was hosted at Rice Creek Field Station as a community wide food safe event, and instead of charging admission, we collected donations to support the Break Meal Plans scholarship and SHOP Food Pantry.
4. We continue to support the composting project on campus by making all large campus events compost-friendly to help educate our students and community on how they can make a difference in reducing waste through diversion.
5. Through partnership with Facilities Maintenance and Operations and determination from our Campus Store staff, removed barriers and restriction limiting student access to the space. These changes allowed for the opening of Penfield Bookstore for walk-in service by our students fostering better service and connection between our staff and students to address their needs with dignity and respect.
6. Dining Services Improvements: Through strategic investment and a commitment to inclusive dining, Auxiliary Services delivered measurable outcomes in 2024–2025 that directly enhanced student support and well-being. We provided $25,000 in break meal plan scholarships—surpassing our approved budget by 20%—to assist 30 students facing food insecurity. Over 1,500 pounds of fresh produce, dairy items, and ready-to-go meals were distributed during academic breaks to ensure continued nourishment for students both on campus and at home. Additionally, improvements to our meal-to-go program and stabilized break meal pricing further reduced barriers to accessing nutritious meals year-round. These results reflect our mission to support all students through equitable, high-quality, and locally conscious dining services.
7. Auxiliary Services served as the primary sponsor of SUNY Oswego’s President’s Inauguration Celebration, reinforcing its commitment to enhancing the student experience and advancing campus-wide engagement. In alignment with the values of inclusion, sustainability, and student-centered programming, Auxiliary Services provided critical financial and logistical support for the event. From globally inspired cuisine prepared by faculty and staff to fully compostable materials that supported a zero-waste initiative, Auxiliary Services helped create an accessible, meaningful, and memorable celebration. Their sponsorship enabled a dynamic, student-focused event that not only welcomed President Peter Nwosu but also celebrated the diverse voices and values of the SUNY Oswego community.
8. The renovation of Pathfinder Dining Hall over the past year has substantially improved the dining and residential experience on the west campus of SUNY Oswego. The updated facility reflects a commitment to providing a modern, inclusive, and welcoming environment that meets the evolving needs and preferences of students. Enhancements to the space include a more diverse and customizable menu, expanded seating, improved lighting, and greater ease of movement throughout the facility. These changes have helped alleviate pressure on Lakeside and Cooper Dining, redistributed student traffic more evenly across campus, and created a convenient and accessible dining option for residents of Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and the Village. This renovation has elevated both the quality and variety of meals offered and has supported students’ overall well-being by reducing travel time for meals, improving communal spaces, and strengthening the sense of community on west campus.

Campus Events and Conference Services

Melissa Paestella, Director of Campus Events and Conference Services

At-A-Glance

1. Reservation Totals: 3,895
2. Booking Totals: 11,313

3. Student Organization Reservation Statistics by Event:

   1. Student Organization Meeting: 614
   2. Meeting: # of Events 308
   3. Practice/Rehearsal: 146
   4. Conference: 142
   5. Recreational/Social: 84
   6. Presentation: 57
   7. Performance: 41
   8. Ceremony: 11
   9. Film/Movie: 8
   10. Dinner/Gala: 2

   Total: 1,413

4. Break Transportation: 144 students served
5. Box Office: 47,140 tickets issued
6. Revocable Permits Processed (External Organizations): 44
7. Youth participated in campus-sponsored youth programs: 5,153
8. Youth Campus Visits: 51
9. Prayer and Meditation Room Accessed: 120 times

Highlights and Key Accomplishments

1. Expanded basic needs support: Campus Events and Conference Services (CECS) provided six charter buses for SUNY Oswego students during academic breaks. Many of the students who utilized the service to the Syracuse Regional Transportation Center and Syracuse Hancock International Airport were from the greater New York City area. CECS also served out-of-state students living in the Washington, D.C. area and the state of Minnesota. Additionally, CECS provided transportation for graduate students from the Syracuse campus to attend the SUNY Oswego commencement ceremony in May 2025. A shuttle bus transported nine students from the Syracuse campus to Oswego on the morning of May 17, 2025. This marked the first time transportation was provided for Syracuse campus students to attend a university commencement ceremony.
2. Increased civil discourse, civic awareness, and civic participation: The successful revisions of both the Free Speech, Civil Discourse, and Peaceful Assembly Policy and the Facilities Use Policy reflect clear progress in aligning institutional practices with legal compliance, stakeholder input, and user clarity. These policies now provide defined user categories, responsible units, and procedural expectations, reinforcing equitable and transparent space use across the university.
3. In partnership with Auxiliary Services and Facilities, CECS provided guidance and oversight for the renovation of the Marano Campus Center Food Court (Laker Landing), creating a modern, inclusive, and welcoming space for the campus community to connect and thrive. Updates included diverse seating options, improved acoustics through the installation of carpet and acoustic panels, and an overall redesign to encourage comfort and personal connections. Since reopening, the space has become a vibrant hub, with students, faculty, and staff gathering for meals, conversations, and events. The transformation has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback, reinforcing its role as a warm and inviting centerpiece of campus life.
4. Provided appropriate prayer and reflection spaces on every campus: In collaboration with Facilities and Card Access, Campus Events and Conference Services transformed Wilber 301 into an inclusive prayer and meditation space for all students, faculty, and staff. Since its opening in January 2025, the room has been accessed over 120 times, highlighting its importance as a quiet, inclusive environment for reflection and wellness. During Ramadan, Campus Events and Conference Services partnered with the Muslim Student Association to secure a private, accessible space that met their specific needs. Additionally, the team worked with other campus religious groups to help coordinate space and logistics as needed to support their prayer and meditation services throughout the academic year.
5. Established SUNY’s systemwide sustainability action plan: CECS oversees campus-wide digital signage across both the SUNY Oswego and Syracuse campuses, with content displayed on approximately 36 monitors. During the 2024–2025 academic year, a total of 357 digital signage slides were displayed campus-wide and at the Syracuse campus. These strategically placed monitors provide students, faculty, and staff with timely information on events, academic deadlines, and mentorship opportunities. The use of digital signage reduces reliance on printed materials, contributing to the university’s sustainability goals by lowering its carbon footprint. In collaboration with Campus Technology Services and the Office of Marketing and Communications, CECS identified and implemented a more energy-efficient digital signage solution during the 2025–2026 academic year. The new software, Rise Vision, will enhance the visual appeal and usability of digital displays for the 22 SUNY Oswego-affiliated digital signage content users. As part of the commitment to advancing SUNY’s sustainability goals, Campus Events and Conference Services collaborated with the Tech Education Department on an innovative reuse initiative. Students designed and constructed easels using repurposed lumber from the former Swetman gym bleachers. These custom-built easels now support a variety of campus events, showcasing student craftsmanship and a shared dedication to environmental responsibility and resourcefulness.
6. The Event Support Staff team (24 members) participates in training before the start of the fall semester to prepare each member for the Event Support role, where they learn technical skills as well as valuable professional development. Through their work, student employees build essential skills such as interacting with coworkers, faculty, staff, and visitors in a professional environment; adapting in dynamic environments; problem-solving; prioritizing and successfully managing their time; and developing strong organizational proficiency.
7. To encourage continued growth, staff members are also recognized within the department when they excel in their position through initiatives like Employee of the Month and the Student Spotlight feature. Additionally, there are opportunities for advancement within the department for Event Support Staff, where they can move from a team member to an Event Support Assistant, a leadership role that works closely with the team supervisors and provides further professional experience.
8. Some members of the Event Support Staff have gone above and beyond in their academics, earning recognition from both university departments and campus-wide initiatives for their outstanding contributions.
   1. Nadrata Abdul-Salam participated in the Presidential Panel for the CSTEP Conference as the co-moderator. She was also a key volunteer for SUNY Oswego’s TEDx.
   2. Kaija Hoyt was honored by Student Engagement and Leadership at the Student Leadership Ceremony for her impactful campus involvement. She also conducted a senior honors thesis on inclusive work environments and participated in a Quest presentation with her research. Kaija was also the recipient of the Society of Human Resources Management Award.
   3. Sydney Mayer was named in the 2025 ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Honor Roll.
   4. Shaheen Chowdhury was the recipient of the John J. O’Dwyer Memorial Scholarship.
   5. Jaylen Cameron was highlighted on SUNY Oswego’s student spotlight for his campus involvement. He was also nominated for the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, where he was recognized for his work with diversity, equity, and inclusion and his campus involvement.
9. Harleen Gerwal and Kelly Cullinan served as faculty advisors for a newly formed student organization, PAWS @ Oz. Launching in March 2025, PAWS @ Oz has over 50 members. Harleen has facilitated the group’s outreach for volunteer hours at Paws Across Oswego County, leading more than 30 students who have volunteered over 75 hours during the spring semester.
10. Holli Stone served as the Event Director for TEDxSUNY Oswego. In her role, she helped students develop valuable skills in event planning, logistics, marketing, public speaking, and team collaboration. Through their collaborative work, students learned the importance of networking and partnering with campus divisions and departments to achieve shared goals. Students also gained hands-on experience organizing a large-scale event, recognizing the significance of celebration, memorialization, and succession planning. By documenting and sharing what they’ve learned, student leaders contribute to continuity, foster mentorship, and help sustain meaningful engagement for future cohorts.
11. Campus Events and Conference Services played a key role in supporting the successful coordination of events, activities, and programs associated with the Presidential Inauguration. Working in close collaboration with campus partners, the team helped manage event logistics, coordinated support services, and ensured that all aspects of planning and execution aligned with the vision and goals of the inauguration. From venue preparation to vendor coordination and day-of-event support, the department provided essential expertise and leadership to help deliver a seamless and memorable experience for the campus community and invited guests.

Campus Recreation

Brian Wallace, Director of Campus Recreation

At-A-Glance

1. Facility usage
   1. Cooper Fitness Center: 38,437 uses
   2. Glimmerglass Fitness Center: 34,134 uses
   3. Laker Hall* (club sport participants only): 1,197 uses
   4. Lee Hall: 26,439 uses
   5. Skate Shop: 3,401 uses
   6. Swetman Gym: 5,449 uses
   7. Romney Field House* (club sport participants only): 619 uses
   8. Total: 109,676 uses
2. Unique facility users: 3,944
3. Programs and events
   1. 28 unique programs and events offered.
   2. Over 2,000 participants in those programs.
4. Intramural sports
   1. 12 leagues offered.
   2. 11 one-day or weekend tournaments offered.
   3. 2,078 participants.
   4. 878 unique users.
5. Fitness center
   1. 11 weekly group exercise classes in the fall semester.
   2. 13 weekly group exercise classes in the spring semester.
   3. 1,090 uses of group exercise classes.
   4. 137 personal training clients trained.
6. Club sports
   1. 27 registered club sport teams.
   2. 908 registered participants.
   3. 2 new teams (Gymnastics and Disc Golf).
7. Reservations
   1. 31 unique groups required reservations from Campus Recreation (not including club sport teams).
8. Aquatics
   1. 10 students completed swim lessons.
   2. Over 80 participants in youth swim lessons.
9. Student employees
   1. 112 total student staff with 17 unique positions.
   2. 4 graduate assistants.

Highlights and Key Accomplishments

1. Campus Recreation engaged over 3,900 students through its programs and services during the reporting period, representing a 4% increase compared to the previous year. Strategic marketing efforts were implemented to support and drive this growth in student engagement.
2. Analyzed the relationship between Academic Probation (AP) and Disqualification (DQ) status and student utilization of Campus Recreation facilities. Findings indicated that students on AP or DQ status are less likely to be frequent users of Campus Recreation services.
3. In collaboration with Auxiliary Services and members of the local community, a disc golf course was installed at the Fallbrook Recreation Center. The course is intended to serve both students and community members, enhancing recreational opportunities and campus–community engagement.
4. Club Sports participation continued to grow, with many teams experiencing notable success throughout the year. Of the 27 active clubs, 24 traveled for competitions or events. Sixteen clubs competed in formal leagues, five qualified for national tournaments, and two finished the season with national rankings.
5. The Health and Well-being Committee convened nine times during the semester and achieved several key milestones in support of a campus culture of well-being:
   1. Revised the Strategic Plan and compiled a summary of recent accomplishments aligned with institutional well-being priorities.
   2. Established a timeline for the adoption of the Okanagan Charter, reflecting the campus’s formal commitment to health and well-being.
   3. Updated the campus Well-being website to enhance access to resources and information.
   4. Selected an appropriate well-being assessment tool for implementation in the 2025–2026 academic year.
   5. Conducted a comprehensive mapping of current well-being outreach and programming efforts, categorizing them by content, delivery method, and timing.
   6. Continued implementation of the LakerThrive employee well-being program.
6. Developed and implemented a series of innovative programs and events designed to extend beyond traditional recreational sports offerings. Signature events included Grocery Bingo, Fresh Air, Fresh Start, Make and Takes, Splash-In Movie, Big Ball Volleyball, and an Esports Tournament. These programs were well attended and contributed to broadening student engagement in campus recreation.
7. Increased Intramural Sports participation by 15% as a result of adapting sport options and increasing marketing.
8. Purchased four new treadmills and other fitness equipment for Cooper Fitness Center after several years of limited capital investment.
9. With assistance from the student marketing team, produced both long-form and short-form videos showcasing the Campus Recreation experience. These videos serve as engaging tools for outreach, promotion, and storytelling.

Counseling Services

Lynn Braun, Director of Counseling Services

At-A-Glance

1. Clinical services
   1. Appointments scheduled – 7,583 (1% increase from 2023–24)
   2. Appointments attended – 5,852 (0.1% increase from 2023–24)
      1. 77% show rate
      2. Crisis/walk-in – 480 (17% increase from 2023–24, 29% increase from 2022–23)
      3. Post-hospitalization consult – 19 (10% decrease from 2023–24, 37% decrease from 2022–23)
   3. Number of unique students served – 792
   4. Enlisted BetterMynd telehealth services for online and SUNY campus students to provide 247 sessions to 154 registered users.
2. Group treatment
   1. Five support and/or topic groups and two process groups for fall 2024 and six support and/or topic groups and three process groups for spring 2025 were offered, with a total of 83 and 49 students attending, respectively.
   2. Increased process group offerings from one group in spring 2024 to three in spring 2025.
3. Training program
   1. For 2024–2025, hosted eight counselor trainees (four year-long interns and four practicum students) who saw 122 clients for 657 attended appointments.
   2. Trainees had a show rate of 74.4% for fall 2024 and 75% for spring 2025.
   3. Clinical trainees add diversity to staff including, but not limited to, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and first-generation status.
4. Crisis/case management
   1. For the 2024–2025 academic year, provided case management support to all 22 students who had been admitted to an inpatient mental health unit.
      1. 19 returned to campus for post-hospitalization discharge meetings with Counseling Services.
      2. Three medically withdrew while at the hospital or shortly after release.
5. Outreach/external
   1. COPE provided 33 outreach events for 645 students in the fall 2024 semester and 43 outreach events for 728 students in the spring 2025 semester.
   2. Supported incoming international students by participating in the fall 2024 and spring 2025 New International Student Orientations.
   3. Collaborated with Rice Creek Field Station, the Office of Sustainability, and Campus Recreation to offer Fresh Air, Fresh Start at the beginning of fall 2024 and spring 2025 to integrate nature and wellness.
   4. Staff presented at national conferences including AUCCCD, ACCA, NASPA, and NASPA Strategies, as well as state and local conferences and events including CCNY, Quest Day, and Oswego CELT.
   5. Provided 10 outreach events in the fall 2024 semester focused on marginalized student populations and reached 486 students. Provided 24 outreach events in the spring 2025 semester focused on marginalized student populations and reached 522 students in small group events.
   6. COPE raised $325 over four fundraising events to support the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the National ARFID Foundation, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and the National Eating Disorders Association.
   7. Supported the creation of the student-led Disability Association.
   8. COPE hosted six tabling events to raise awareness of food insecurity in the college population and to collect donations to help supply SHOP.

Highlights and Key Accomplishments

1. Utilization of Counseling Services After Hours Crisis on-call services by University Police increased from five total calls in the 2023–2024 academic year to 15 calls in the 2024–2025 academic year. With this increase in utilization, non-voluntary hospital transports decreased from 16 total during the 2023–2024 academic year to nine total transports for the 2024–2025 academic year.
2. Of the clients who accessed Counseling Services during the 2023–24 academic year, 64% returned to school in fall 2025 and 14% graduated, for a total persistence rate of 78%.
3. Clinical services are highly effective. For students who receive seven or more sessions, Counseling Services creates a higher rate of change than many other college counseling centers across the country, as measured by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH):
   1. For students with depressive symptoms, Counseling Services creates greater rates of change than 91% of other college counseling centers.
   2. For students with social anxiety, Counseling Services creates greater rates of change than 91% of other college counseling centers.
   3. For students who present with symptoms of frustration and anger, Counseling Services creates greater rates of change than 85% of other college counseling centers.
   4. For students with generalized anxiety symptoms, Counseling Services creates greater rates of change than 84% of other college counseling centers.
4. Supported the transition from one Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) meeting each week to a structure that includes a Care Team and Academic Care Team meeting each week, with additional BIT meetings as needed to best support students. Over 150 unique cases were discussed in Care Team meetings during the 2024–2025 academic year, with action steps and updates provided. Seventy-nine percent of cases discussed and tracked in Care Team meetings in spring 2025 have either graduated or are registered for fall 2025. Seven out of the eight students who had been admitted to a local mental health inpatient unit during the spring 2025 semester were able to continue the academic year and are enrolled for fall 2025.
5. Counseling staff members facilitated, hosted, and participated in 91 outreach events in the fall 2024 semester (27 requests, 36 initiated, 25 collaborations, and three contributions to others’ work), reaching 2,985 students, faculty, and staff. Counseling staff members facilitated, hosted, and participated in 102 outreach events in the spring 2025 semester (20 requests, 43 initiated, 30 collaborations, and nine contributions to others’ work), reaching 3,776 students, faculty, and staff.
6. Nineteen events occurred—seven in the fall and 12 in the spring—that included connecting with EOP students interested in COPE and mental health careers and classroom presentations. There were 167 participants in seven events, with six visiting professionals in the fall 2024 semester. There were 468 participants in 12 events, with 25 visiting professionals in the spring 2025 semester.

Health Services

Angie Brown, Director of Health Services

At-A-Glance

1. A total of 6,494 student appointments were completed in the 2024–2025 academic year. This total does not include utilization of the self-care clinic, purchase of emergency contraception, or requests for rapid COVID tests.
2. A total of 44% of visits were sick appointments (2,833).

Highlights and Key Accomplishments

1. Retention rates for first-year students from 2022 and 2023 showed a 74% retention rate for those who utilized Health Services. Preliminary data from 2024 for first-year students shows an increased retention rate of 82% for those who utilized our services.
2. Created a partnership with Graduate Studies to target summer admission students and assess and complete immunization compliance. A gap was identified in which these students were not notified of missing immunizations until after the start of the fall semester, causing undue stress. Health Services also partnered with the Syracuse campus and attended the MST orientation to educate students about immunizations and requirements.
3. Completed a transition-of-care guide to assist first-year students with the transition from high school to college.
4. Partnered with Counseling Services to create a wellness newsletter (Wellness Waves) that provides information about our services, area events, and ways to support well-being.
5. Launched an at-home STI (sexually transmitted infection) collection kit program. Students shared that they were uncomfortable coming into the Health Center for testing and preferred a more convenient and private option. In addition to being available at Health Services, these kits are now stocked in the new health vending machine.
6. Partnered with the Office of the Dean of Students health promotion unit to add a second health vending machine on campus. This vending machine has expanded its content to include emergency contraception, at-home testing kits, menstrual cups, a variety of menstrual products, and pregnancy tests.
7. Continued a long-standing partnership with Oswego County Opportunities (OCO), which provides routine reproductive care for students once a week. In the 2024–2025 academic year, OCO moved into the Health Services clinic, sharing exam rooms and the lab so students can access care in a familiar space. OCO completed 176 visits in 2024–2025 with 105 non-duplicated patients, which is consistent with the volume seen in 2023–2024.
8. Partnered with the Student Association (SA) and the Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) to distribute harm-reduction bags at the fall Wellness Fair.

Intercollegiate Athletics

Wendy McManus, Assistant Vice President for Athletics

At-A-Glance

1. Student-athlete population (unduplicated): 469
   1. Female sport student-athletes: 213
   2. Male sport student-athletes: 256
2. Athletic Training Data
   1. Service Data
      1. During the 2024–2025 academic year, 19,383 athletic training services were performed, a 44% increase from 12,653 services in 2023–2024. The prior year (2022–2023 to 2023–2024) saw a 60% increase in services, highlighting continued growth in demand.
   2. Referrals
      1. Orthopedic: 72 student-athletes were referred for initial orthopedic conditions.
      2. Dermatology: 26 student-athletes were referred for dermatology conditions.
   3. Surgeries
      1. Eleven student-athletes required surgery for various injuries.
         1. Three student-athletes had hand/wrist surgeries.
         2. Three knee surgeries.
         3. One hip surgery.
         4. Three shoulder surgeries.
         5. One ankle surgery.
3. Annual Student-Athlete Survey
   1. After each athletic season, the End of Season Student-Athlete Survey was emailed to each member of our 24 intercollegiate athletics teams. The survey yielded 174 responses from the 565 individuals (duplicated) invited to participate, for a 32% response rate.
   2. Highlights include:
      1. 92% reported feeling very comfortable or comfortable with their team climate.
      2. 76% indicated that their coach promotes a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive climate.
      3. 80% stated that priority registration will help limit missed class time for athletic competition.
4. Mid-Season Chatbot
   1. Fall 2024: A chatbot survey was implemented mid-season for fall, winter, and spring sports. The response rate was lower than anticipated, with 42 responses. Highlights include:
      1. 32 students reported they were doing great or okay.
      2. 10 students reported they were not doing well.
         1. 3 cited their relationship with their coach.
         2. 3 cited mental health concerns.
         3. 4 selected “other” or did not provide a specific reason.
5. Community Service Participation
   1. During the 2024–2025 academic year, intercollegiate athletic teams had another successful year serving the Oswego community.
   2. Total hours: 4,797, an increase of 2,678 hours.
   3. Economic impact: $166,870, an increase of $73,553.
   4. Participation rate: 94%, an increase of 21%.
   5. Fifty community service opportunities were attended.
   6. Twenty-nine organizations were supported, including:
      1. Civic and community: 3,389 hours.
      2. Children and youth: 463 hours.
      3. Education: 370 hours.

Highlights and Key Accomplishments

1. SUNY Oswego’s intercollegiate athletics program marked another year of outstanding achievement, both in competition and in the classroom. A record 214 student-athletes earned placement on the SUNYAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, reflecting an increase of 27 students from the previous year and underscoring our strong academic commitment. Athletically, 76 student-athletes received SUNYAC All-Conference honors, an increase of 36 from last year, while three Lakers achieved All-American status in their respective sports. The year also included three conference championships:
   • SUNYAC: Men’s Ice Hockey and Women’s Lacrosse
   • Empire 8: Men’s Tennis
2. SUNY Oswego was honored as the 2024–2025 NCAA Division III Community Service Champion and received the 2023–2024 NADIIIA Community Partnership Award at the 2025 NCAA Convention, reflecting our teams’ ongoing commitment to civic engagement.
3. Student-athletes collectively completed 4,797 hours of community service, representing a 64% increase from the prior academic year and demonstrating their positive impact on the Oswego community.
4. SUNY Oswego student-athletes continued to excel academically in 2024–2025, with 214 student-athletes named to the SUNYAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll for maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher through the Spring 2025 semester.
5. In addition, 117 student-athletes earned Dean’s List honors (GPA of 3.30–3.79), and 107 student-athletes achieved President’s List recognition (GPA of 3.80–4.00), highlighting strong academic performance across our athletic programs.
6. Thirty-three student-athletes were inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society.

Office of Accessibility Resources

Kathleen Colucci, Director of Accessibility Resources

At-A-Glance

1. The Office of Accessibility Resources provided academic accommodations to 769 students.
2. 327 students were provided Medical Housing Accommodations.
3. 100 students were provided ESA accommodations.
4. Number of exams proctored throughout the academic year: 1,846 (Fall 949, Spring 897).
5. Final exams proctored: 712 (Fall 354, Spring 358).
6. Over four years (2021–2025), the number of registered students rose by 51.7% — from 580 to 880. The most significant increase occurred between 2021–22 and 2022–23, showing a sharp rise in demand. Even as the rate of increase stabilizes in 2024–25, the total volume remains high and requires sustained leadership attention. In addition, the number of students registering with the Office of Accessibility Resources has demonstrated a sustained increase in complex diagnoses.
7. The number of registered students continues to grow, with a significant increase in those seeking Housing Accommodations. The number of Housing Accommodations processed in a 63-day period in 2024 doubled during the same period in 2025.

Highlights and Key Accomplishments

1. The Office of Accessibility Resources is fully staffed for the first time, increasing student access and improving the timely resolution of access-related concerns.
2. The Office of Accessibility Resources is continuing to move forward with the adoption and implementation of AIM, designed to improve the student registration experience and enhance communication with registered students.
3. The Office of Accessibility Resources launched the Empire State Service Corps program by welcoming two student participants for the Spring semester. Both students gained valuable hands-on experience observing the daily challenges faced by college students with disabilities.
   1. One student enhanced the office’s social media presence and conducted research on the impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education, specifically through the lens of accessibility.
   2. The second student served as a liaison between the Office of Accessibility Resources and the campus Disability Association Organization and developed a project titled The Power of Access.
4. The Office of Accessibility Resources increased student enrollment in the use of Glean note-taking software from 75 to 100 students and now maintains a 92% utilization rate. This increase reflects improved student agency and independence in their learning.

Office of the Dean of Students

Christy Huynh, Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students

At-A-Glance:

1. Responded to 2,872 emails (ODS email) and 2,363 phone calls to the ODS main line.
2. Out-of-class notices: 318 out-of-class notices were sent this year.
3. University Withdrawals: 225 University Withdrawals (150 in Fall and 75 in Spring), 47 Medical Leaves (25 in fall and 22 in Spring) and 28 tuition reduction requests (12 in fall and 16 in spring).
4. Return from Medical Leave: 13 students returned from medical leave (8 in fall, 5 in spring).
5. Oz Concern Navigator: 3,680 new users (123% increase from last year) viewed 11,703 pages (66% increase from last year) during 5,405 unique sessions (95% increase from last year). The top areas searched were academic, emotional and financial.
6. Chosen Name: contact with 51 students requesting a chosen name.
7. Case Management (Care Team): The Care Team includes members from Counseling Services and the Office of the Dean of Students. The team meets weekly throughout the academic year to provide holistic case management and outreach to students. The Care Team met 26 times during the course of the AY24-25 and managed 217 cases.
8. Case Management (Injury and Illness cases): All reports of student injuries or illness are managed in partnership between the Office of the Dean of Students and Health Services. This past year, 63 incidents were reported and managed.
9. BIT: The Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) includes staff from the Office of the Dean of Students, Counseling Services, Associate Provost, Residence Life and Housing, Student Conduct and University Police. With the increase and success of the case management team, BIT cases were reduced significantly. This year 9 cases were managed by the BIT.
10. The Academic Care Team (ACT) meets weekly to discuss academic concerns and flags that have not been resolved. The team consists of the Academic Advisement Center, ACE, EOP, Athletics, Residence Life and Housing, Counseling Services and the Office of the Dean of Students.
11. Basic Needs Referral Process: In February 2025, a basic needs request process was formalized to ensure students are connected to a case manager, are referred to all relevant services and are provided holistic support. When appropriate, students are referred to the Student Emergency Fund. Since February 2025, 76 basic needs cases have been managed.
12. Individualized meetings with EOP staff to review student progress. The Associate Dean of Students meets with the EOP Staff monthly to discuss specific student needs and relays new changes in the basic needs resources with the EOP community.
13. DC-CAP supplemental advising: The Associate Dean of Students and Assistant Dean of Students for Alcohol and Other Drug Education serve as Student Affairs advisors.
14. SNAP outreach: In November 2024, the Office of Financial Aid provided a list of Pell-eligible students to the Office of the Dean of Students for SNAP outreach. 1,012 students were emailed from the list stating they may be eligible to apply for SNAP benefits.
15. SNAP application assistance (Empire State Service Corps): In fall 2024, the Assistant Dean of Students, Basic Needs Case Manager launched the SNAP Peer Application Assistance program to support students applying for SNAP benefits. Two Empire State Service Corps (ESSC) members hosted SNAP Peer Application Assistance open hours at EOP on Wednesdays from 1–3 p.m. They also scheduled 1:1 meetings to help students apply. In total, 31 students were assisted with SNAP applications, 18 students completed their SNAP applications, and 5 students received SNAP benefits.
16. SHOP: This year, SHOP was supported by a staff of a graduate assistant, interns (2 in the fall, 3 in the spring), Empire State Service Corps members (2), and volunteers (43) who provided over 840 hours of service.
17. SHOP (Oswego and Syracuse campuses): 2,071 visits came from 560 unique users and 9,012 pounds of food were distributed.
    1. Oswego SHOP: In total, 1,964 visits came from 524 unique users and 8,623 pounds of food were distributed.
    2. Syracuse SHOP: Since its opening in February 2025, 107 visits came from 36 unique users and 389 pounds of food were distributed.
18. Expanding SHOP to Syracuse: On February 12, 2025, the SHOP expanded its operation and opened a satellite location at the Syracuse Campus. Outside of high demand for non-perishable food items and toiletries, there was a high demand for school supplies from student teachers.
19. Partnered with Syracuse campus to identify ways to engage students with learning, leadership experiences outside the classroom and a SHOP at Syracuse internship was created for Spring 2025.
20. As part of implementing the SHOP at Syracuse, students at the Syracuse campus were surveyed in Fall 2024 to inform what needs were prevalent among the student population. Forty-two students participated and the survey revealed nearly half (45%) of students reported needing basic needs supplies on an as-needed basis and over a quarter (26%) of students needed basic needs supplies on a weekly or biweekly basis. Forty to forty-two percent of students stated the basic needs supplies most needed were non-perishable food items, toiletries, winter clothing, and school supplies.
21. In Spring 2025, the SHOP at Syracuse pilot was assessed to determine how service offerings were impacting students. From the total population of students enrolled at the Syracuse campus, 18.4% of students utilized the SHOP. Primarily, SHOP was used by international students in the Biomedical and Health Informatics (BHI) program (42%) and Syracuse Central School District student teachers in the Master of Science in Teaching (MST) program (42%). The most utilized resources were non-perishable food items and toiletries, followed by school supplies and reproductive health items.
22. Fresh Food / Produce Give-a-way: In collaboration with Auxiliary Services, the Office of the Dean of Students provided fresh produce, dairy, pastries, and frozen meals to students during the Thanksgiving and Spring breaks. A total of 172 students received 1,260 pounds of food during this year’s fresh food giveaways (for Thanksgiving, over 620 pounds of food were distributed to 85 students and for spring break, over 640 pounds of food were distributed to 87 students).
23. Winter Clothing / Professional Clothing: SHOP partnered with Career Services, Residence Life and Housing, the TEDx planning committee, and Athletics. For Career Services, SHOP participated in the fall and spring career fairs (81 students), and Senior Night, a Career Services event for graduating seniors (13 students). Before spring break, SHOP hosted a pop-up shop at The Village (40 students). SHOP was invited by the TEDx planning committee to table before the inaugural TEDx SUNY Oswego event (1 student). In November, Athletics partnered with SHOP to collect winter clothing during a hockey doubleheader (2 coats collected).
24. SHOP provides food and toiletries at “satellite shops” in the EOP and C-STEP offices and bags of food to campus departments including Counseling Services, Health Services and the Office of the Dean of Students to increase access.
25. Pop-up SHOPs were hosted in Cayuga Hall (20 participants); Cooper Connector (20 students); and The Village (40 students).
26. Tours of SHOP were provided for CSTEP (20 students) and Return to Oz (15 alumni).
27. SHOP sick kits created and distributed, 27 kits distributed.
28. PantrySoft: The Assistant Dean of Students received a $1,000 grant to purchase PantrySOFT, pantry management software and an accompanying barcode scanner to enhance SHOP’s registration and inventory management processes.
29. University Advancement has made it a priority to showcase the emergency fund needs to our alumni to solicit additional donations. The largest donor this past year was Steve Messina ’91 with a $50,000 donation to the SHOP.
30. SHOP created an Amazon wish list as an alternative and tangible way to support SHOP on both campuses. The tailored wish lists are based on the identified needs on each campus. For example, at the Syracuse campus, we encourage donors to purchase school supplies for our student teachers.
31. Homeless Liaison development: This year, in collaboration with Residence Life and Housing, 14 students were housed in emergency housing. To continue the growth and support of the Homeless Liaison role, the Office of the Dean of Students hired a new case manager to fulfill the role of homeless liaison.
32. Laptop Loaner Program: The Assistant Dean of Students, Basic Needs Case Manager, in partnership with Penfield Library, screened students for a laptop loan. This year, 36 students sought out a laptop loan. Students met with the Assistant Dean of Students to determine need. In total, 26 students were approved for a laptop, 1 student was referred to CSTEP, and 2 online students received emergency funds to purchase laptops.
33. Break Dining Scholarship: During the winter break, 31 students were granted winter break dining waivers. This was made possible by the Fullum Fund and our Student Emergency Fund. During the summer of 2025, 26 students received the break dining scholarship, funded by Auxiliary Services and the Student Emergency Fund.
34. Student Emergency Fund: 154 students received $53,158 to support emergency financial needs.
35. Harm reduction efforts and opioid education
    1. Trained a designee at the Syracuse campus to oversee naloxone training as part of our ongoing harm reduction efforts and opioid education.
    2. Provided 9 naloxone trainings for 157 participants.
    3. Provided one Recovery Ally Training.
    4. Overdose Awareness Day 8/31.
    5. Party Smart Safety Training for student organization leadership, 2 presentations, 100 students trained.
    6. Greek new member training (AOD safety), 100 students.
    7. Open Mic – 15 programs with 376 participants and 79 performances.
    8. It’s Okay Not to Drink week including Open Skate (67 participants), Scavenger Hunt (over 100 participants), tabling (35 students) and naloxone training (8 participants).
    9. Safe Spring Break program, 70 participants.
    10. HIGHatus program – launched in April 2025.
    11. Harm Reduction Kit Making – 22 students made and distributed 100 kits.
    12. AOD presentation for financial aid and money matters students, 40 participants.
    13. AOD presentation to Faculty Assembly (100 employees).
    14. Recovery Initiative survey (27 participants).
    15. AlcoholEDU was embedded into new student orientation; 1,977 students (1,827 in fall and 150 in spring).
    16. AlcoholEDU for Sanctions – 84 students.
    17. CannabisEDU – 43 students.
    18. BASICS / CASICS – 37 students.
    19. Identity Fraud Seminar – 9 students.
    20. AOD consultations – 9 students.
36. Overdose Prevention Efforts included distribution of naloxone kits, and fentanyl and xylazine testing strips
    1. Naloxone kits provided
       1. Fall 2024 – 77.
       2. Spring 2025 – 80.
    2. Fentanyl testing strips
       1. Fall 2024 – 270 distributed.
       2. Spring 2025 – 220 distributed.
    3. Xylazine testing strips
       1. Fall 2024 – 192 distributed.
       2. Spring 2024 – 152 distributed.
37. Wellbeing outreach by student peer educators, Oz Peer Eds and Sexperts
    1. Relaxation Station event each semester (focused on self-care), 19 participants.
    2. Stress Free Zone event each semester, 43 participants.
    3. Make and Takes – 4 programs with a total of 105 participants.
    4. Tabling/outreach/education – total of 1,779 points of contact (Sexperts tabling, 20; post-election day stress-free tabling, 123 students; Involvement Fair in fall, 1,000, and in spring, 100; Sexperts tabling, 25; Breast Cancer tabling, 48; Sexpert tabling, 45; post-election day stress-free tabling, 123; Valentine Making with Pride Alliance, 15; Shamrock your midterms/study drug outreach, 30; Plan B promotion, 15; spring break giveaway tabling, 50; social media contest, 22; STI microbe hunt, 30 entered and 8 winners; Stress Zone, 20; GYT, 50; microbe raffle; Paint and Sip, 20; final raffle basket, 35 with 2 winners).
    5. Offered several open skate sessions throughout the academic year for stress relief/exercise – 6 programs with 416 participants.
38. Sleep Health Programs: 30 Day Sleep Challenge had 49 participants (36 in fall and 13 in spring).
39. Sleep Challenge for employees: 16 participants.
40. Provided pronoun workshops (Residence Life SOS staff, 80 participants; Athletics, 25 employees), SafeZone training for CELT (5 participants), team building session for EXCEL staff (8 participants), All in LLC training (80 participants), ASAP (Adult Student Assistance Program) session, icebreaker for DSA Town Hall (100 participants).
41. Partnered on MCC Takeover in fall (over 1,000 students), Color Run (268 participants/volunteers), Grocery Bingo (over 150 participants/volunteers in fall, 70 in December and 110 in spring), Late Night Study Break (520 participants).
42. Presentations to classes (PED, 22 students; CHE 305, 27 students).
43. Two ODS staff instructed GST 104.
44. ODS outreach and tabling (all orientation programs; New Faculty and Staff Info Fair; Involvement Fair in fall, 1,000, and spring, 40; Mental Health Wellness Fair, 1,000; Return to Oz, 125; EOP Conference, 125; Welcome Social for International and Study Abroad students, 100; Dream Big! Career, Internship and Graduate Fair, 30; Campus Opportunities Expo, 25; Library Success Fair, 10; Power Up Career Development, 10; Tyler Hall, 12; Empty Bowls, 10; SHOP tabling, 20; Hart Hall in partnership with ISSS, 20; Shineman, 25; SHOP tabling, 10; Career Fair, 43).
45. Sexual health products are now available at the Syracuse campus. Provided supplies to Syracuse Campus in February and April 2025 including menstrual pads, menstrual cups, latex dams, condoms, female condoms, lubricant, and pregnancy tests.
46. Harm reduction supplies are now available at the Syracuse campus including fentanyl testing strips, xylazine testing strips and naloxone kits.
47. Sexual health supplies and harm reduction supplies available in “Health Hub” vending machines on Oswego campus
    1. Health Hub 1 (24-hour room of Penfield Library)
       1. Fall 2024: 975 envelopes dispensed, containing 3,454 products.
       2. Spring 2025: 860 envelopes dispensed, containing 3,125 products.
    2. Health Hub 2 (Laker Lounge, Marano Campus Center) launching in Fall 2025 for deployment of products and will also include menstrual cups and Plan B for purchase.
48. Delivery of sexual health products through “Junk Mail” (Oswego campus): Fall 2024 – 24 orders filled; Spring 2025 – 170 orders filled.
49. Sexual health products, hygiene kits and harm reduction supplies are available in SHOP.
50. The Office of the Dean of Students coordinated two outreach events at the Syracuse campus to provide wellbeing and engagement resources to students. These events included representatives from the Office of the Dean of Students, Student Engagement and Leadership, Campus Recreation and Health Services (50 participants in fall and 75 in spring).
51. Code of Conduct revisions approved by the University Council in February 2025 and June 2025.
52. The Office of Student Conduct recruited and trained 12 new student hearing board members.
53. The Office of Student Conduct developed 4 new sanctions that promote positive student engagement, education and reflection.
54. Provided educational sanctions following student alcohol and drug violations focusing on self-efficacy.
55. Coordinated Hazing Prevention Week outreach events in partnership with Student Engagement and Leadership and Campus Recreation with support from Auxiliary Services (10/14/24–10/18/24):
    1. Distributed 15 dozen donuts (total of 180) for “Lakers Donut Haze.”
    2. “Wear Purple Day” photo, 43 participants.
    3. Anti-hazing stickers were distributed to the campus community to showcase support and advocacy against hazing.
    4. Hosted guest speaker, Lianne Kowaik, for 235 staff, student athletes and Greek members. Attendees learned of Lianne’s son Harrison’s experience pledging a fraternity and succumbing to his injuries from hazing.
    5. In collaboration with Student Engagement and Leadership, the Office of Student Conduct trained a total of 170 new fraternity and sorority members and 315 club officers on hazing prevention.
    6. Presented to 60 students for new fraternity and sorority member mandatory hazing prevention training.
    7. In collaboration with Intercollegiate Athletics, provided hazing prevention compliance meetings with all 490 athletes.
56. All ODS staff are deeply committed to professional development, service to the campus, the community, and professional associations. This is demonstrated through their commitment to serving on numerous committees, taking on leadership roles in professional organizations, and being honored on campus and in the community with multiple awards. ODS staff presented numerous times this year including presentations at Syracuse University on “The College Emergency Food System: From Technical to Adaptive Solutions,” at the New York State College Health Association Annual Meeting on sleep programming, and at the College Student Personnel Association of New York State Annual Conference on the vending program.

Highlights and Key Accomplishments:

1. The Office of the Dean of Students continued to expand and strengthen services and support to students at the Syracuse Campus. In February 2025, SHOP at the Syracuse Campus was launched to support the basic needs of students at the Syracuse campus (video of SHOP at Syracuse Campus grand opening). The new location offers shelf-stable food items, toiletries, clothing, and school supplies. Since its opening, 36 unique users visited 107 times and 389 pounds of food items were distributed. The SHOP at Syracuse also provides opportunities for Syracuse campus students to volunteer and work at the site. An internship at SHOP at Syracuse was created for Spring 2025 to support the new pantry.

   The Office of the Dean of Students also expanded options and access to sexual and reproductive health products at the Syracuse Campus. It was stocked with internal and external condoms, dams, lubricant, finger cots, Always maxi pads and pregnancy tests.

   The Assistant Dean of Students for Alcohol and Other Drugs trained a designee at the Syracuse campus to oversee naloxone training as part of our ongoing harm reduction efforts and opioid education. Harm reduction products are now available at the Syracuse Campus including naloxone, fentanyl and xylazine testing strips, and drug deactivation bags.

   Two information fairs were organized to provide information about programs and services at the Syracuse Campus. The Office of the Dean of Students, Student Engagement and Leadership and Campus Recreation tabled during the Fall 2024 information fair and in Spring 2025, the Office of the Dean of Students, Student Engagement and Leadership, Campus Recreation and Health Services participated.

2. SHOP (Students Helping Oz Peers), the food, clothing and toiletry pantry, strengthened and expanded services to support students’ basic needs. In AY24-25, there were 2,071 visits (107 Syracuse and 1,964 Oswego) from 560 unique users (36 Syracuse and 524 Oswego) and 9,012 pounds of food (389 lbs. Syracuse and 8,623 lbs. Oswego) were distributed. This past year 43 volunteers and 2 Empire State Service Corps members provided over 840 hours of service to support SHOP.

   On February 12, 2025, the SHOP expanded its operation and opened a second location at the Syracuse Campus. Since its opening, 107 visits came from 36 unique users and 389 pounds of food were distributed. Outside of high demand for non-perishable food items and toiletries, there was a high demand for school supplies from student teachers.

   The Office of the Dean of Students partnered with Auxiliary Services to coordinate Fresh Food Giveaways before Thanksgiving and Winter breaks. This program is designed to help address both food insecurity concerns as well as reducing excessive food waste during extended breaks in the academic year. Items distributed included fresh fruits, vegetables, lentils, tofu, dairy products and frozen meals. In total, for the 2024-2025 academic year, 172 unique users were provided over 1,260 pounds of food through the Fresh Food Giveaways.

   SHOP implemented PantrySOFT software to improve data tracking and inventory management. This program and accompanying barcode scanner for inventory was partially funded by a $1,000 Swipe Out Hunger grant as part of the Assistant Dean of Students’ participation in the Swipe Out Hunger Leadership Council.

   SHOP partnered with many departments and participated in outreach events to distribute winter and professional clothing. SHOP participated in Career Services fall and spring career fairs (81 students) and Senior Night for graduating seniors (13 students). Before spring break, SHOP hosted a pop-up shop at The Village (40 students). SHOP was invited by the TEDx planning committee to table before the inaugural TEDx SUNY Oswego event and, in November, Athletics partnered with SHOP to collect winter clothing during a hockey doubleheader.

   During AY24-25, SHOP was supported through generous monetary and in-kind donations. In partnership with University Advancement, $20,989 were raised in addition to Steve Messina ’91 commitment of $50,000 in increments of $10,000 for the next five years. The Office of Sustainability donated mini refrigerators, school supplies and 632 pounds of non-perishable food after their OzThrift sales. Auxiliary Services donated over 800 pounds of frozen meals throughout the year and 1,260 pounds of food through the Fresh Food Giveaways. To continue donor engagement, SHOP created an Amazon wish list as an alternative and tangible way to support SHOP on both campuses. The tailored wish lists are based on the identified needs on each campus. For example, for the Syracuse campus, donors are encouraged to purchase school supplies for student teachers.

3. The Office of the Dean of Students continued to expand its case management model to ensure holistic support for students’ basic needs. Beginning in Spring 2025, all students requesting basic needs support were assigned a case manager. Two new Assistant Dean of Students/Basic Needs Case Managers were hired this past year, one focused on food insecurity and the second focused on housing insecurity, childcare and transportation. Since February 2025, 76 basic needs cases have been supported.

   SNAP outreach and application assistance increased significantly this past year. In November 2024, the Office of the Dean of Students partnered with the Office of Financial Aid to identify 1,012 Pell-eligible students and provided customized outreach. In fall 2024, the SNAP Peer Application Assistance program was launched to support students applying for SNAP benefits. Two Empire State Service Corps (ESSC) members hosted SNAP Peer Application Assistance open hours at EOP on Wednesdays from 1–3 p.m. They also scheduled 1:1 meetings to help students apply. In total, 31 students were assisted with SNAP applications, 18 students completed their SNAP applications, and 5 students received SNAP benefits.

   In collaboration with Auxiliary Services, the Office of the Dean of Students co-sponsored Fresh Food/Produce Giveaways during the Thanksgiving and Spring breaks to provide fresh produce, dairy, pastries, and frozen meals to students. For Thanksgiving, over 620 pounds of food were distributed to 85 students. For spring break, over 640 pounds of food were distributed to 87 students.

   The Office of the Dean of Students supported students experiencing housing insecurity. This year, in collaboration with Residence Life and Housing, 14 students were housed on campus in emergency housing due to emergent housing insecurity or displacement. To continue the growth and support of the Homeless Liaison role, a new basic needs case manager, Kimberly Fuqua, was hired to expand housing support services as well as transportation and childcare needs.

   In partnership with Auxiliary Services, the Office of the Dean of Students provided 50 students with break dining scholarships totaling $40,080 to provide safe, affordable housing for students during winter and summer breaks (winter: 19 students were awarded $22,620; summer: 31 students were awarded $17,460.00). This year 154 students were supported through student emergency funds totaling $53,158.92 to support emergency needs including medical bills, food, utilities and transportation.

   April Lopez, Assistant Dean of Students, is co-editor for NDSS Journal on Basic Needs and was recently appointed to a national role with the Swipe Out Hunger Leadership Council. As a member of this council, she collaborates with professionals across the country to fight student hunger and elevate student voices in shaping solutions. Leadership council members were also awarded $1,000 grants to support their campus food security programs. April is also active in the SUNY Homeless Liaison Network, the SUNY Pantry Collaboration, the American College Health Association (ACHA) Basic Needs Task Force, and the Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC) Momentum Institute.

   The Office of the Dean of Students staff is continuing to elevate their knowledge and skills to support basic needs case management. April Lopez completed a 12-week Basic Needs Student Coalition Momentum Institute credential program and Grace Maxon-Clarke, Associate Dean of Students, participated in NABITA’s 5th Annual Case Management Summit.

4. The Office of the Dean of Students expanded both the options for and access to sexual and reproductive health products. To reflect the expanded products, the vending machines were renamed “Health Hubs.”

   In addition to the vending machine located in the 24-hour room in Penfield Library, a second vending machine was installed in the Laker Lounge in Marano Campus Center. The Office of the Dean of Students partnered with leadership in the Division of Student Affairs, Health Services, Auxiliary Services, and American Food and Vending to add this additional vending machine, which will be ready for use in August 2025 and will include Plan B and menstrual cups for purchase at low cost ($10 each).

   In response to student feedback, a privacy screen was added in front of the vending machine in Penfield in April 2025. New products were added to the vending machines including Always maxi pads and pregnancy tests, which are free of charge to students.

   Several hundred samples of Plan B were donated and added to the selection of items that can be requested through the contraceptive delivery system. This new offering was promoted and there was a 584% increase in requests through the contraceptive delivery system (from 25 requests in Fall 2024 to 171 requests in Spring 2025). Having Plan B accessible puts the institution in compliance with NYS Senate Bill S4400C, which will require each SUNY institution to have at least one vending machine making emergency contraception available for purchase. Plan B was also provided to Title IX to have accessible to students who may need it.

   To expand access, free sexual and reproductive health products were supplied to clubs and organizations as requested as well as residence halls and residence hall staff members. Additionally, the SHOP at Syracuse Campus was stocked with internal and external condoms, dams, lubricant, finger cots, Always maxi pads and pregnancy tests.

5. This year marked a significant expansion in harm reduction efforts across campus. Fentanyl testing strips and drug deactivation bags were made available through the Health Hub vending machine. Harm reduction containers stocked with fentanyl and xylazine testing strips were placed in six residence halls, Health Services, the Office of the Dean of Students, and Counseling Services for wider access. A trainer was certified at the Syracuse campus to deliver naloxone training and distribute testing supplies. Comprehensive harm reduction kits containing naloxone, wound care items, testing strips, and hygiene products were distributed through SHOP and the Office of the Dean of Students. In total, 515 fentanyl testing strips, 369 xylazine testing strips, 157 naloxone kits, 54 harm reduction kits, and 70 drug deactivation bags were provided to the campus community. Over 150 students and employees completed naloxone training and a staff member was trained to oversee naloxone training at the Syracuse campus as part of ongoing harm reduction efforts and opioid education.
6. The Office of the Dean of Students partnered with Penfield Library to offer semester loans of laptops to students. The Assistant Dean of Students met with students to determine the need for a semester-long laptop loan. This year, 36 students sought out a laptop loan and 26 students were approved for a laptop, 1 student was referred to CSTEP, and 2 online students received emergency funds to purchase laptops.

7. The Office of the Dean of Students partnered with the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment to conduct equity research of programs including the Student Emergency Fund, Laptop Loaner Program and SHOP to ensure programs are serving students in an equitable manner. The equity research found that these programs were successful at supporting the most marginalized students.

   The research indicated that the Student Emergency Fund participants were statistically more likely to be URM, female, disabled, international, continuing/returning, or in CSTEP compared to the undergraduate population. Emergency Fund participants were statistically less likely to be first-year students. It also found that the Laptop Loaner Program served significantly more transfer students and international students. Additionally, it showed that SHOP usage patterns indicate significantly more use by URM, females, international students, ACE participants, CSTEP participants, and students living on campus. Athletes used SHOP significantly less than non-athletes. Two cohorts that were identified for future outreach about resources include off-campus students and athletes.

8. The Office of the Dean of Students (ODS) partnered with the International Student and Scholar Services Office (ISSS) to enhance support to international students. The Office of the Dean of Students presented to international students during Orientation to share resources and services. In October 2024, information about SHOP (food, clothing and toiletry pantry) resources were shared with ISSS to raise awareness about SHOP resources for international students. Social media posts were designed to be posted on ISSS social media channels and flyers were distributed at the ISSS Office and related events. On November 20, 2025, ODS hosted a program/resource fair in Hart Hall for international students as part of ISSS International Week.

9. The Office of Student Conduct established a Hazing Prevention and Education Committee to coordinate hazing prevention and education efforts across the Division of Student Affairs units overseeing student groups, to ensure a consistent, unified message. The committee planned and executed a weeklong series of outreach events around hazing education and prevention. This included collaborating with Auxiliary Services, who donated 15 dozen donuts (total of 180) for “Lakers Donut Haze,” and with Campus Recreation in creating purple t-shirts for the “Wear Purple Day” photo, which had 43 participants. Anti-hazing stickers were distributed to the campus community to showcase support and advocacy against hazing.

   In collaboration with Student Engagement and Leadership and Campus Recreation, the Office of Student Conduct hosted guest speaker Lianne Kowaik for 235 staff, student-athletes and fraternity and sorority members. Attendees learned of Lianne’s son Harrison’s experience pledging a fraternity and succumbing to his injuries from hazing.

   In collaboration with Student Engagement and Leadership, the Office of Student Conduct trained a total of 170 new fraternity and sorority members and 315 club officers on hazing prevention for the 2024-2025 academic year. In collaboration with Intercollegiate Athletics, the Office of Student Conduct conducted hazing compliance meetings with all 490 athletes.

   To ensure compliance with the STOP Campus Hazing Act (SCHA), the Office of Student Conduct has implemented new initiatives to meet the act’s legal requirements. Beginning in December 2025, the student conduct website will host a campus transparency report that will display disciplinary action taken against student organizations found responsible for acts of hazing. This report will be updated regularly to display up to five years of hazing-related student conduct data. Beginning in Fall 2025, the Office of Student Conduct will offer free hazing education to the entire campus community, including faculty and staff, through an expanded partnership with PreventZone. This initiative will enhance the community’s ability to identify and report hazing-related behavior in a timely manner. The course can be taken asynchronously throughout the year whenever requested.

   Existing hazing training workshops provided to student-athletes and student organization leaders will be expanded to include topics such as bystander intervention and ethical leadership. Within the Code of Conduct, updates to the hazing policies will take effect for the 2025-2026 academic year to comport with language ascribed by the law.

Residence Life and Housing

Sara Rebeor, Assistant Vice President for Residence Life and Housing

At-A-Glance:

1. Operations
   1. Total fire alarm activations were 211 for 2024, down from 267 in 2023.
   2. Residence Life and Housing saw almost a 50% decrease in the number of OFPC citations during the annual inspection from 58 in spring 2024 to 32 in spring 2025.
   3. Residence Life and Housing distributed over 3,300 surge protectors to all students living on campus last year to reduce possession of prohibited extension cords.
   4. Mobile recycling doubled in the 2024–2025 academic year. Shifts were increased from one shift per week to three shifts on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week. The total number of rooms collected from was 11,173 and the team collected 837 total bins of recyclables. This is almost a 100% increase from the calendar year 2023–2024, which had 5,658 rooms collected from and a total of 409 bins of recycling collected.
   5. The recycling room utilization increased in the 2024–2025 academic year. In 2024–2025 there were 6,429 occurrences of students utilizing the recycling rooms in the 10 residence halls. This was an increase of over 1,000 occurrences from 2023–2024, which totaled 5,361 occurrences. While usage of the recycling room has increased, there is a growing concern on how the role of the recycling technician fits into sustainability initiatives within the residence halls. A goal for the upcoming academic year will be to revamp the job description for the Recycling Technician role to further align with the initiatives being driven by the Office of Sustainability.
   6. Package delivery to students continues to be a major operational function of our Student Operations Services staff in the residence halls. This year we received and delivered 23,210 packages to students since we opened in August 2024. The parcel lockers have been a welcome addition to each area, allowing students the ability to receive their package when it is convenient for them. This year was a full year utilizing the parcel lockers and WTS software. The software has been more user friendly and had very few issues. It has provided greater mail tracking and accountability.
2. Recruitment
   1. The number of applications for the Resident Assistant position continues to increase every year. There was a 21.5% increase in applications from last year to this year.
      1. Total number of positions – 134
      2. Total number of applicants – 321
      3. Total number hired – 134
      4. Total number of returners – 82
   2. The number of completed applications for Student Operations Services staff (SOS) were down approximately 10.7% in 2025, from 261 in 2024 to 233 in 2025. A goal for next academic year will be to engage more students in the SOS application process and to increase the number of applications for the 2025–2026 academic year. Student Operation Service Staff Selection Spring 2025:
      1. Total number of positions – 102
      2. Total number of applicants – 233
      3. Total number hired – 102
      4. Total number of returners – 28
3. Training
   1. Resident Assistants participated in 60 hours of training in August and January. August training heavily focused on fire safety given the University’s intensified educational focus on this topic for this year. Student staff participated in three hours of training from the Oswego Fire Department that included smoke simulations along with hands-on fire extinguisher training. They also spent an additional two hours learning about prohibited items, health and safety inspections, and fire prevention.
   2. An additional focus of training also included civic engagement education. With this being a presidential election year and student emotions and conflict likely to be higher given the divisive nature of current American politics, student staff were provided information on freedom of speech and University speech and protest regulations. They were also given the opportunity to practically apply what they learned through case studies and scenario acting based on what might occur specifically in the residence halls. 86% of student staff identified that they strongly agreed or agreed that the information learned would be useful in their work. The top takeaway was how to build an inclusive community while still valuing different perspectives.
   3. Lastly, with an increase in the residential population identifying on the autism spectrum, student staff were also trained by an alumni guest on neurodiversity and how their strategies for connection might need to be adapted to ensure positive relationships with these students.
   4. January training provided opportunities to review knowledge areas that RAs were identified as needing improvement in during the fall semester, most notably incident report writing. Training also saw the inclusion of a former RA alumnus who presented on the focus of his current doctoral work having to do with the “Anti-Racist Mindset.” The LEAD conference also continued. This gives our student staff the opportunity to present in a conference-like environment and build important professional development skills.
   5. Student Operations Service staff participated in 20 hours of training between August and January. August training focused on the position responsibilities, desk operations, lock change procedure, mail procedure, Title IX, sustainability, and emergency response protocol. January training focused on going back to basics. Desk procedure and customer service were revisited.
4. Support
   1. H.E.L.P. Program – Helping Employees Learning Performance
      1. Fall 2024 – Two newly hired Resident Assistants participated in this program to maintain their position.
      2. Spring 2025 – Three Resident Assistants, one new and two returning, participated in this program.
      3. Fall 2025 – No Resident Assistants need to participate in this program for the upcoming semester as they all met the academic standards of the position.
5. Occupancy
   1. 3,278 students lived in on-campus housing fall 2024 and 3,020 students lived in on-campus housing spring 2025.
   2. Housed 527 (2024) vs. 419 (2023) residents over Thanksgiving Break, which is a 26% increase over the previous year.
   3. Housed 230 (2024) vs. 249 (2023) residents over Winter Break.
   4. Housed 596 (2024) vs. 466 (2023) residents over Spring Break, which is a 28% increase over the previous year.
   5. Successfully implemented a requirement for all residents to submit a break application, leading to enhanced support and improved communication from Residence Life and Housing.
   6. Partnered with the Dean of Students Office to offer a comprehensive Summer Housing Scholarship and Dining Waiver Application, resulting in 53 applications. In 2024, only 34 Summer Housing Scholarship applications were received.
   7. Provided 23 Summer Housing Scholarships (2025) vs. 13 Summer Housing Scholarships (2024), an increase of 77% over the previous year.
   8. Provided summer housing for 63 Summer Residents (2025) vs. 49 Summer Residents (2024), an increase of 29% over the previous year.
   9. Successfully minimized paper usage for advertising across all occupancy-related processes by strengthening social media campaigns, facilitating direct engagement with residents through tabling, leveraging Laker Connections to highlight key processes, and refining email communication formats to boost student engagement.
   10. Boosted student engagement in priority housing, with applications rising from 824 in 2023 to 1,210 in 2024, marking a 47% increase over the previous year.
   11. Achieved a 23% increase in total student applications completed during the room selection process, growing from 1,755 to 2,157 compared to the previous year.
   12. As of mid-May, Fall 2025 returning student applications are up to 2,228 vs. 1,915 total applications received by the opening of Fall 2024, which is a 16% increase with three months left before opening.
   13. As of now, 2,165 students have been assigned to Fall 2025 housing, compared to 2,081 students at the same time last year for Fall 2024. This reflects a growth of 84 students, marking a 4% increase.
   14. Implemented a weekly occupancy data tracking system, covering applications, assignments (both current and new), releases, exemptions, and overall space utilization. This enhanced reporting strengthens historical records, supports more accurate future projections and trend analysis, and ensures timely updates for strategic partners on campus housing occupancy.
6. Residential Education
   1. Residence Hall Activities: Residence hall staff facilitated 265 programs during the 2024–2025 academic year. 63 of these programs were out of the residence halls and focused on connecting students to a campus event sponsored by another office or organization. Examples include the Involvement Fair, the Color Run, Vote by Mail Party, Late Night Takeover, Open Mic, Whiteout Hockey game, etc. Over 4,900 students participated in these activities with an average attendance of 19 per program.
   2. Laker Connections: Residence hall staff facilitated over 14,600 intentional interactions with students during the 2024–2025 academic year (an average of three per student in the fall semester and three per student in the spring semester). The top three themes that emerged from these conversations centered around roommate relationships, academic concerns, and well-being. Living Learning Communities: The department continued two LLCs from the previous academic year, one of them being expanded to a second floor. Additionally, one more LLC option, “Be First,” was piloted for the 2024–2025 academic year.
      1. “All In,” located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of Waterbury Hall, supported LGBTQIA+ students and allies for first-year students and upper-division students. Ellen Gooch (mental health counselor) served in the Faculty Mentor role. This year we expanded this LLC from a first-year-only option to one that also included upper-division students on a different floor. Prior to the start of the academic year, both floors were 100% occupied with 60 students each who had specifically requested to live in this community. We retained 98% of these students from the fall to spring semesters. We currently have 15 new and returning students registered for the Fall 2025 optional service-learning course connected to the LLC, GST 102: Contemporary Social Issues. Through qualitative data collected as part of their application to return to this LLC, we found that this housing option has a profound impact on participants. For example, one student stated, “I am interested in living in the LLC again because I really enjoyed it this first time and have made so many friends that I think I'll keep for life. I want to help support the incoming freshman on the 2nd floor and show them what the LLC is all about.” Another explained, “I am a storyteller. I am studying creative writing and theater with the mission to compose stories that authentically represent the LGBTQIA+ community. The All In LLC nurtures a space for those who are longing for belonging; the kind of environment I strive to produce with the art of storytelling.” Finally, given how anxious many of our non-binary students are feeling in the current political climate, one student said, “I want to continue being in a community that fosters and protects those who are in the LGBTQ community, a safe place for me and my friends especially when we are in such uncertain times.”
      2. “Live Well,” located on half of the first floor of Oneida Hall, supported first-year students interested in all aspects of well-being. Amy Bidwell (faculty member in the Wellness Management department) served as the Faculty Mentor. We had an 87% retention rate from fall to spring semester. LLC students will continue to take HSC 198 as a required course to connect their living environment and academic interest with their well-being goals. In terms of qualitative information regarding the experiences students are having, as an example, one student stated, “The class was a great introduction to Oswego and assimilating to college life as a whole. It was also a great way to grow closer with the other LLC members. Some of my best friends on campus are people I met within the LLC community and I am very grateful for that.”
      3. For this year, we piloted a third LLC for first-year, first-generation students. “Be First” was located on the first floor of Cayuga Hall and Celinet Duran-Jimenez (faculty member in the Criminal Justice department) served as the Faculty Mentor. There were 25 students assigned to live in this community and we retained 92% from fall to spring. One student provided the following feedback: “My experience with the Be First LLC has been great so far. It was a supportive environment focused on helping students succeed academically and personally.” Another student stated, “Having a network of people who were going through the same experiences made the college transition a lot smoother.”
   3. Community Council: Eight residential students served in e-board positions for the two Community Council groups. 100% of these residents were new members to Community Council this year. 750 residents attended the six programs that were facilitated by these two groups over the 2024–2025 academic year. The councils merged into one halfway through the year due to the president and vice president for one of the councils focusing more on classes. The first Community Council email was set up through CTS and a LakerLife profile was set up for both councils (merged into one halfway through the year). A new purchase request form was also made to make requests to Community Council for funds easier. There was collaboration with other campus partners for events and a mixture of passive and active programs.

Highlights and Key Accomplishments:

1. Fire safety in our residence halls was a major concern during the 2023–2024 academic year. Policy violations and impact to the community (in hall and in town) were significant. Alarms in the halls were a disruption to students in the community and the town volunteer fire department. To decrease this impact and increase student knowledge of how their actions impact others, the following was implemented:
   1. Increased educational efforts to new and returning students using an online fire safety module designed specifically for residential students and fire safety at Oswego (100% of residential students completed the module), fire safety education presentations at new student orientation, and education to all residential students during community meetings in their residence halls.
   2. Updated the schedule of health and safety inspections of student rooms to include both announced and unannounced inspections at break times and during the fall and spring semesters.
   3. Reviewed and adjusted the campus response protocol for alarm activations to ensure University Police are the first responders to all alarms to determine if a fire department response is needed.
   4. These changes greatly reduced the number of fire alarm activations and fire safety violations in the residence halls:
      1. Total fire alarm activations were 211 (2024–2025), down from 267 (2023–2024), a 21% decrease. Activations are tracked by calendar year.
      2. There were significant drops in major fire safety conduct violations:
         1. Failure to evacuate decreased by 72%, from 43 (2023–2024) to 12 (2024–2025).
         2. Smoking decreased by 65%, from 191 (2023–2024) to 66 (2024–2025). Tampering with devices decreased 84%, from 188 (2023–2024) to 31 (2024–2025).
         3. Cannabis usage decreased 63%, from 238 (2023–2024) to 88 (2024–2025).
         4. Violation of residence hall rules (prohibited items, candles) decreased by 18%, from 1,123 (2023–2024) to 923 (2024–2025).
         5. The annual Office of Fire Prevention and Control inspections in the residence halls saw almost a 50% decrease in the number of citations, from 58 in 2024 to 32 in 2025.
   5. Due to their success, unannounced inspections will continue in the upcoming academic year. Announced health and safety inspections saw fewer violations being reported but created a greater strain on the residence hall staff. To be more effective and reduce this strain, announced inspections will only take place at the start of each break period. This will reduce overlap with unannounced inspections and create greater consistency in violations being reported, as unannounced inspections will be conducted campus-wide by the same team of Residence Life and Housing and Environmental Health and Safety professionals for all buildings. Overall, the University has made significant strides in increasing fire safety awareness and reducing violations in the residence halls. This good work will continue in future years, and educational efforts will continue to be revamped to make sure all students are aware of campus policies and the consequences for violating them.
2. On-campus housing not only provides students a community of peers to live, learn, and grow with, but also allows students to focus on their academic studies and leadership opportunities knowing their housing needs are met. Students are recognizing the benefits of living on campus, as seen in our returning student housing applications for the 2025–2026 year and the number of students staying on campus during breaks.
   1. As of mid-May, Fall 2025 returning student applications are at 2,228 vs. 1,915 total applications received by the opening of Fall 2024, which is a 16% increase with three months left before opening.
   2. Housing insecurity needs are increasing for our students during academic year breaks and summer break. The residential rate for the academic year is inclusive of housing costs for the academic year break periods. The numbers below illustrate the increased need for break housing among our students:
      1. Housed 527 (2024) vs. 419 (2023) residents over Thanksgiving Break, a 26% increase over the previous year.
      2. Housed 230 (2024) vs. 249 (2023) residents over Winter Break.
      3. Housed 596 (2024) vs. 466 (2023) residents over Spring Break, a 28% increase over the previous year.
   3. The need for summer housing has also been on the rise. We housed 63 Summer Residents (2025) vs. 49 Summer Residents (2024), an increase of 29% over the previous year. Summer housing costs are not included in the academic year housing rate. Recognizing the financial impact of summer housing on our students, Residence Life and Housing provides summer housing at a minimal rate to cover operational costs. In addition, Residence Life and Housing provides a limited number of summer housing scholarships to students with significant financial need. Residence Life and Housing provided 23 Summer Housing Scholarships (2025) vs. 13 Summer Housing Scholarships (2024), an increase of 77% over the previous year.
3. Laker Connections (intentional one-on-one conversations that our Resident Assistants are having regularly with their residents) creates opportunities for our RAs to connect with their students on topics we know can be a challenge for new students (roommate relationships, homesickness, getting involved, academics, etc.). Our RAs share information gathered through these conversations with a student’s support network by submitting notes in the Starfish platform. This has allowed our staff and others to become aware of a student who is struggling earlier than normal and then proactively offer appropriate support. One way we have seen this occur is through the University’s Academic Care Team (ACT). When this group is reviewing students who are struggling academically, we are also able to look at the intentional interaction notes to see if there might be something else going on or to help us identify the student’s relationships and who might be the best person to reach out and have an impact. The assessment we conducted at the end of the fall semester indicated that the follow-up our staff was doing with these students was positively impacting the likelihood of them ultimately persisting here.
4. Fall 2024 data: Residence Life and Housing positively cleared 19.2% of residential students on ACT’s list of students academically in jeopardy of not persisting. Of that group of students, 75% were retained: 62.5% landed on Academic Probation and 4.1% were Disqualified. Additionally, 81.4% of that group met with their academic advisor after Residence Life and Housing intervention.
5. Civic engagement: Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, a divisive campus climate where students did not have the skills or knowledge to engage in civil discourse was a major concern. To help educate our professional and student staff on how to lead in our residential spaces where emotions would likely be high and potential conflict intensified, a comprehensive training was developed with University partners. Collaboration included the Faculty Chair of the Political Science Department and Advisor to Vote Oswego, the Office of Student Conduct, and the Institute for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Transformative Practice. During this three-hour training, participants were educated on the history of free speech in the United States and provided with an overview of the current political landscape. They were then made aware of University free speech codes and protest regulations. Following this lecture-based information, participants had the opportunity to practically apply their knowledge through case study work and role-playing activities. The training concluded with a debrief on how participants could employ strategies for building a supportive, inclusive community in the face of divergent political and value-driven beliefs. This training was largely successful, with 86% of student staff indicating that they strongly agreed or agreed that the information learned would be useful in their work. The top takeaway was how to build an inclusive community while still valuing different perspectives.
6. During the 2023–2024 academic year, we piloted “All In,” a Living Learning Community centered on supporting our LGBTQIA+ identifying students as well as allies. While originally designed to be a housing option for first-year students, halfway through the year it became clear that this was a need and desire expressed from students in all class years. Therefore, based on student feedback, for the 2024–2025 academic year we expanded this housing option to include upper-division students. At the beginning of the year, we were at 100% capacity and had a waitlist for students wanting to be part of the community. Additionally, qualitative data collected showed that students felt this housing option had a significant impact on their overall college experience. For example, one student shared, “As a member of the LGBTQ+ community and a transgender student on campus, living in the All In community allows for meeting new people with an open mind, and also allows for me to hear other perspectives on LGBTQ+ experiences on campus.” Another student expressed, “I have spent the last four semesters in the LLC; it is a safe place I have been able to express myself more genuinely in. I want to continue to stay and give back to the wonderful community that is here where we can feel safe to exist as ourselves.” Many similar sentiments have been collected that serve as evidence that All In is integral to providing a safe and inclusive space where one of our historically marginalized student populations can thrive.
7. Facilities projects: Several projects were identified for the residence halls for 2024–2025, and progress on each was monitored by the Residence Life and Housing and Facilities Services working group. Some projects have had delays and will be completed during the 2025–2026 fiscal year.
   1. Johnson Hall shower mockup – in progress and scheduled for completion summer 2025.
   2. Elevator and roof design (multiple areas) – both capital projects have been delayed by required additional information from the Office of the State Comptroller, purchasing, and Facilities Services.
   3. West Campus Quad design – RFQ process is underway, with design expected to take place during the 2025–2026 year.
   4. Hart Hall North and South apartment furniture replacement – brand new furniture to replace aging furniture will be installed in June 2025 for 16 studio apartments in Hart Hall.
   5. Funnelle Hall window treatment replacement – replacement in kind of all Funnelle Hall window treatments to be completed by the end of summer 2025.
   6. Cayuga Hall lounge furniture – replacement of furniture in four large lounges in Cayuga Hall to be completed in September 2025. Delays occurred due to purchase order processing between the vendor and DASNY.
   7. Onondaga and Seneca water heaters – replacement water heaters were ordered for Onondaga and Seneca Halls, with installation estimated during the 2025–2026 academic year.
   8. Onondaga Hall suite lighting – a successful 2023–2024 suite lighting mockup removed automatic lights from one Onondaga suite and replaced them with manual switches and new overhead lighting. Six suites will have their lighting converted during summer 2025, with additional suites scheduled each year until completion of the building.
   9. Johnson and Riggs fire alarm replacement – all fire alarm devices are scheduled to be replaced in Johnson and Riggs Halls by the end of summer 2025.
   10. Johnson Hall pergola – pergolas over side entrances to be installed and completed by the end of summer 2025.
   11. Johnson Hall humidity remediation – an investigation into mold occurrences in Johnson Hall will be completed by August 2025. This report will provide causes and steps for remediation.
   12. Johnson and Riggs Hall front steps design – to be completed during the 2025–2026 academic year. A design to replace both sets of front steps will be completed in 2025, with anticipated construction of new steps at Riggs Hall occurring during summer 2026.
   13. Cayuga and Oneida generator replacement – to be completed summer 2025.
   14. Pathfinder tunnel wall graphics – currently in design; installation of a mural is to be completed by August 2025.
   15. Seneca Hall wall carpet removal – removal of red wall carpets in Seneca Hall, as well as refinishing of the walls, will occur by the end of summer 2025.
   16. Oneida Hall Residence Hall Director apartment counter/cabinet replacement – cabinets, appliances, and counters were replaced in the Oneida Hall Director apartment in June 2025 to provide a better living environment for the Hall Director.
   17. Funnelle Hall Residence Hall Director counter replacement – completed June 2025 to replace a failing countertop in the Funnelle Hall Director apartment.
   18. Village D2 kitchen counter replacement – completed June 2025 to replace a damaged counter in the Village townhouse D2.
   19. Village Buildings A and C interior painting – to be completed by the end of summer 2025; complete interior painting of all townhouses in Village Buildings A and C.
   20. Seneca Hall bottle fillers – 30 bottle fillers were ordered to replace all water fountains in Seneca Hall. The project began in summer 2025 with completion expected by the end of the 2025–2026 academic year.
8. Professional staff searches: This year was marked by vacancies within our professional staff. Several Hall Directors and Assistant Directors left for new professional opportunities. While a traditional Residence Life and Housing search process takes place in the spring semester for vacancies the following year, we had vacancies early in the academic year with prolonged search processes to find the most qualified candidates. The professional staff rallied together, supported one another, and worked to fill in the gaps to ensure our students were supported. Throughout the year we hired five new Hall Directors, three new Assistant Directors, and one Administrative Assistant. We also ran a search for the 2025–2026 academic year in which we hired two new Hall Directors and five new Assistant Hall Directors.

Student Engagement and Leadership

Vanessa Taylor, Director of Student Engagement and Leadership

At-A-Glance:

1. Space allocations for clubs and organizations
   1. Total number of organizations who utilize space allocations:
      1. Total number of lockers and cabinets: 26
      2. Total number of organization office spaces: 11
      3. Total number of type B workspaces: 17
2. Student Involvement Fair
   1. Fall 2024: 138 tables representing student organizations and campus departments
      1. 2,200 estimated total attendees
   2. Spring 2025: 109 tables representing student organizations and campus departments
      1. 860 estimated total attendees
3. ALANA Conference
   1. The ALANA Conference was held from Monday, September 16, 2024, through Saturday, September 21, 2024.
      1. 465 total attendees
4. MLK Celebration
   1. The annual MLK ceremony was held on Thursday, February 6, 2025.
      1. 75 total attendees
   2. A new MLK Celebration event was held on Friday, February 7, 2025.
      1. 40 estimated attendees
   3. MLK Day of Service was held on Saturday, February 8, 2025.
      1. 248 total attendees
      2. 20,040 meals created for Rise Against Hunger during the event
5. I Am Oz
   1. Fall 2024: Chamique Holdsclaw, Tuesday, October 29, 2024
      1. 100 total attendees
   2. Spring 2025: Rebecca Hargrove, Wednesday, March 5, 2025
      1. 35 total attendees
6. Student clubs and organizations
   1. Total registered organizations: 144
   2. Total unique students who hold a leadership position in a club or organization: 807
   3. Total number of unique organization advisors: 140
   4. Total number of new organizations for 2024–2025: 2

Highlights and Key Accomplishments:

1. President’s Inauguration Student Showcase
   1. Celebrated the inauguration of SUNY Oswego’s 11th president.
   2. Featured student organizations from multicultural groups, fraternity and sorority life, club sports, and media.
   3. Showcased campus diversity in student involvement.
2. Advanced Event Planning Workshop Training
   1. Collaborated with multiple departments to develop comprehensive event planning training.
   2. Provided student organizations with tools to plan and execute large-scale events such as galas and dinners.
   3. Supported leadership development and event management skills.
3. Student Leadership Ceremony – Addition of Rising Star and Organization Awards
   1. Introduced two new award categories to recognize emerging student leaders and new organizations.
   2. Celebrated students and groups actively creating community and engagement opportunities.
   3. Reinforced the value of initiative and inclusion in student leadership.
4. Creating Sensory Rooms for Large-Scale Events (in collaboration with the Dean of Students Office)
   1. Launched designated sensory-friendly spaces at large-scale campus events to provide a calming and inclusive environment for neurodiverse students.
   2. Partnered with the Dean of Students Office to equip rooms with appropriate furniture, lighting, fidget tools, and quiet activities.
   3. Received positive feedback from students, especially Laker Launch crew members.
5. Integrated Attendance Tracking through Laker Life at Laker Launch Events
   1. Successfully utilized the Laker Life platform to streamline attendance tracking at the majority of Laker Launch events.
   2. Enabled real-time data collection, improving accuracy and providing insights into event reach and student engagement patterns.
   3. Facilitated better assessment of student participation, helping to inform future programming and resource allocation decisions.
6. Expanded Student Employment Positions
   1. Increased the number of student employee roles by adding four positions, offering more hands-on leadership and event management experience.

Student Orientation and Family Engagement

Justin Dickerson, Director of Student Engagement and Family Engagement

At-A-Glance:

1. Summer 2024 Oswego program attendance
   1. Registrants: 1,573
   2. Attendees (students): 1,461
   3. Attendees (supporters): 1,142
   4. No-shows: 99
2. Online orientation final completion numbers
   1. Students enrolled in course: 1,798
   2. Completed:
      1. Title IX: 1,629
      2. Code of Conduct: 1,490
      3. Financial literacy: 1,452
      4. DEI and belonging: 1,480
      5. Civic engagement: 1,317
      6. Residence Life and Housing (on-campus students only): 1,284
3. Laker Navigator calls
   1. Video appointments: 72
   2. Calls: 2,473
   3. Unable to leave voicemail: 60
4. Matriculation and retention rates as of October 2, 2024, by program
   1. Attended Oswego Orientation: 96.6%
   2. Laker Navigator calls: 61.4%
   3. Laker Navigator video calls: 82.1%
   4. Long Island Orientation: 96.4%
   5. NYC Orientation: 98.5%
   6. Online orientation completion: 96.6%
   7. Downstate students with no time on campus before move-in: 96.4%
   8. No orientation: 70.2%

Highlights and Key Accomplishments:

1. Expanded Downstate Orientation [Student Success]
   1. Expanded Downstate Orientation to include both New York City and Long Island locations.
   2. Resulted in higher participation rates and satisfaction among students and supporters.
   3. Participants highlighted the accessibility of locations closer to their homes.
2. Student Success Programming [Student Success]
   1. Laker Leaders in Training hosted a series of student success programs during the spring semester.
   2. Programs focused on stress relief, studying, and self-care.
   3. More than 300 students collectively attended six programs, including off-campus and international students.
3. Laker Navigator Graduate Assistants [Student Success]
   1. Launched a formal Laker Navigator graduate assistant program to support student success year-round.
   2. Graduate assistants supported SOFE initiatives, served on divisional committees, and hosted new programs.
   3. Provided sustained assistance to students and supporters throughout the year.
4. Online Learner Orientation [Student Success]
   1. SOFE and the Division of Extended Learning collaboratively designed and launched an Online Learner Orientation.
   2. Orientation was tailored specifically for online learners and Syracuse students.
   3. Participants received promotional items upon completion to encourage engagement and build collegiate pride.
5. Sequenced Student Leader Learning [Student Success / Research and Scholarship]
   1. Partnered with Experiential Learning to sequence student learning for Laker Leaders.
   2. All Laker Leaders are now placed in a course aligned with their experience level.
   3. Ensures leadership development opportunities are commensurate with each student’s time and experience in the role.