For decades no student has been denied or granted admission to °µÍřTV based upon their race. This is true at the majority of colleges and universities in the U.S. We do many things to recruit a talented and diverse student population to our campus. That diversity enhances the learning opportunities for all our students, and it prepares them to be better leaders in the evermore diverse communities they will call home after graduation.

At °µÍřTV, our mission is to educate students for productive, creative, and reflective lives of achievement, leadership, and service in a diverse, dynamic, and interdependent world. A diverse student body is integral to that mission. As LACRELA’s open letter states, holistic review of applicants is critical to recruiting a well-rounded class — from racial and ethnic diversity, to gender and geographic representation, to socioeconomic diversity. We strive to create a culture on our campuses that mirrors the world our graduates are entering.

We know that the single most powerful thing a person can do to improve their economic position is to get a college degree. In order for colleges and universities to fulfill our promise of economic and social mobility, we must continue rectifying the systemic barriers that have kept so many talented students of color out of higher education. This is what we are called to do.

Although yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling is disheartening, °µÍřTV will continue the important work of expanding access to the transformative experience of a college education and ensuring that students from minoritized populations feel they belong here and thrive.

The post Message from the President about U.S. Supreme Court Decision appeared first on °µÍřTV.

The Power 100 list recognizes the most powerful educators in Pennsylvania.

“Higher education is facing significant hurdles,” said Signe S. Gates ’71, chair of the university’s Board of Trustees. “°µÍřTV is fortunate to have at its helm a leader as strategic and forward-thinking as Jonathan Green. I am confident that our university’s future is secure under his thoughtful leadership.”

Green was inaugurated as °µÍřTV’s 15^th president in 2017. Since then, he has:

• Led °µÍřTV through the Covid-19 pandemic, during which the university was able to return to in-person instruction, fulfill virtual cross-cultural study and internship opportunities.
• Supported the diversification of °µÍřTV’s Board of Trustees to include more women (44%) and individuals of color (18%), as well as diversified his senior leadership team.
• Created a university-wide initiative as part of the university’s strategic plan to guide °µÍřTV toward becoming a more inclusive community.
• Launched Give Rise, the largest capital campaign in the university’s history ($160 million goal).
• Transformed °µÍřTV’s two academic schools into four schools — business, humanities, natural and social sciences and the arts.
• Enrolled °µÍřTV in the American Talent Initiative, an alliance of over 120 colleges with the goal of substantially expanding enrollment of talented students from low- and moderate-income households. °µÍřTV is one of only about a quarter of the colleges in the consortium to meet its commitment.

A native of upstate New York, Green earned a Bachelor of Music from the Fredonia School of Music; a Master of Music from the University of Massachusetts; and a Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He also completed additional studies at Oxford University and Chautauqua Institution.

As a composer, Green has received awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, the North Carolina Arts Council and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and the Conductors Guild, and is the author of eight music-reference books.

As a higher education leader, Green serves as secretary/treasurer of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, a board member of the Annapolis Group, and member of the Tax Policy Committee of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. He has also served as a board member of the American Conference of Academic Deans. He has made numerous presentations on a variety of topics in higher education for the American Council on Education, the American Talent Initiative, the Annapolis Group and the Council of Independent Colleges. In 2020, Green was honored with the Arthur V. Ciervo Award by College & University Public Relations and Associated Professionals for his exemplary efforts in advancing the understanding of higher education.

The post President Green Named to Statewide Ranking of Higher Education Leaders appeared first on °µÍřTV.

Highlights from the 2021-22 academic year include:

• Establishing the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity in Action (IDEA) Council, a 13-member committee focused on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) on campus
• Producing a 20th anniversary event and video memorializing alumni lost on September 11, 2021 in partnership with Marketing & Communications
• Creating an interfaith dinner featuring individuals from the Muslim, Jewish, secular humanist, and Unitarian backgrounds
• Co-hosting the Transgender Day of Remembrance with the Center for Diversity and Inclusion
• Hiring Rabbi Nina Mandel as Director of Jewish Life and Dr. Rachana Sachdev as Coordinator, Faculty Inclusion and Diversity

Since first announcing the Building Inclusive Excellence Curriculum (BIEC), we have had more than 200 employees participate in at least one course. Nearly 50 colleagues have completed six or more units, 44 have finished their foundational courses, and another 123 employees are in process of completing those. We have heard your feedback and are now offering multiple (staggered) enrollment for the BIEC.

As we continue to make progress this spring, here are our efforts underway:

• Finalizing the division’s mission and vision statements
• Creating a new dashboard with information focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Identifying new collaborative partners across the institution for initiatives
• Piloting new courses to delve deeper into DEI topics from the curriculum
• Reimagining our Inclusive Excellence suite in the Degenstein Campus Center

We offer our sincere thanks to all who have embraced our programming and initiatives. We look forward to growing with you as we continue to elevate the DEI consciousness of the community.

Sincerely,
Michael Dixon
Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer

The post Looking Back, Looking Forward appeared first on °µÍřTV.

We are starting the formation of working groups to help develop the Self-Study Report that will be the foundation of the university’s reaccreditation process. Please find a link below where you can sign up to volunteer for a Middle States working group. This is an opportunity to examine the institution’s strengths and weaknesses, offer recommendations for change, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the °µÍřTV.

The chairs and co-chairs are in place and preliminary work has started through the steering committee. Your participation will help your working group further define its focus and advance the work of conducting a self-study of °µÍřTV. The working groups will start meeting this spring and will continue throughout next year. For more information, visit our or reach out to Danielle Brown.

To see the working groups and volunteer, .

Thank you,

Danielle D. Brown, Accreditation Liaison Officer, Assistant Provost for Institutional Effectiveness / Strategic Initiatives

Nick Clark, Steering Committee Chair, Associate Professor and Department Head of Political Science

The post Volunteers Sought for SU Reaccreditation appeared first on °µÍřTV.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has resulted in senseless violence, loss of life, and an alarming humanitarian crisis. As we follow the tragedy through the reporting of our free press, Russia has systematically shutdown the independent media and silenced those that spoke out against the bloodshed.

As much of the world continues to hope for a peaceful resolution and for the safety of those impacted by the war in Ukraine, we recognize that members of the campus community experience the tragedy in different ways. In order to provide additional opportunities to discuss the unfolding events and provide supports for members of the campus community, I want to highlight the following opportunities for reflection, learning, and care.

• Light a Candle for Ukraine: Horn Meditation Chapel (located in the side door of Weber closest to the Degenstein Campus Center) will be open starting today (Friday, March 4) to light a candle and to spend time in reflection and prayer. Chaplain Kershner and Rabbi Nina Mandel will be available (if not in person, by phone/text/email) for prayer and spiritual care.

• Faculty Panel Discussion: On Wednesday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m., members of the °µÍřTV faculty will offer a panel discussion on the crisis in Ukraine. Additional details will be shared with the campus next week. The community dialogue will be moderated by Kirk Harris, Assistant Professor of Political Science, and include the following panelists:
  • • Lyudmyla Ardan, Assistant Professor of Economics
    • Nick Clark, Associate Professor of Political Science
    • Andrea Lopez, Associate Professor of Political Science
• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): Students are encouraged to visit the CAPS website for information on scheduling an appointment or for 24/7 crisis services call 570-372-4751.

Yours ever,

Jonathan D. Green
President

The post Message on Ukraine appeared first on °µÍřTV.

We are excited to share that progress is underway on our initiative to refresh and soon relaunch °µÍřTV’s brand. This is pursuant of our key 2026 Strategic Plan objective to focus messaging around a cohesive brand … helping everyone at the university to be able to communicate with a unified voice about SU’s values and strengths.

As President Green announced to faculty and staff in his December message, a campus-wide committee — after an extensive evaluation process — had selected J2 branding consultants to help us synthesize our assets and better articulate the return on investment that a °µÍřTV education provides. J2 has extensive experience in branding, has provided robust solutions to other university clients, and is well versed with our geographic market.

The branding work began with the strategic plan objective: to measure internal and external perceptions of the university. For the past two years, we have been measuring perceptions of prospective students and their families with our partners at The RepTrak Company, known for their global standard of assessing and analyzing reputation using proven data-science models.

As the next step, J2 is measuring perceptions of faculty, staff, current students, parents, alumni and trustees. They already kicked off initial interviews with several senior leaders, held informational meetings with our partners at RepTrak and EAB, and are reviewing data and messaging of SU and our competitors.

We value everyone’s opinion, though it is impossible to interview everyone. While some of you may be asked to participate in interviews or focus groups, everyone will be invited to participate in a campus survey in the coming weeks.

The objective of rebranding is not an exercise to redo our logos or design specific marketing material. Rather, after working with our campus community throughout the semester, J2 will deliver messaging and positioning to help strategically elevate our name familiarity and boost our academic reputation by leveraging °µÍřTV’s distinctive assets.

While the branding design phase by J2 will be done by the summer, the real work lies ahead with implementing the messaging through a relaunch, as well as moving into a next phase of redesigning SU’s website. As the branding work progresses, we will provide periodic updates to you in Faculty/Staff Weekly. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me if you have thoughts or questions.

Sincerely,
Aaron

Aaron Martin
Vice President for Marketing and Communications

The post Branding SU, with J2 and You appeared first on °µÍřTV.

Greetings for 2022! I hope that winter break allowed you time to relax and rejuvenate. Please see my below to welcome you back this semester.

Yours ever,
Jonathan Green, President

The post Welcome Back appeared first on °µÍřTV.

November 8th is National First-Generation College Celebration. This is especially meaningful for us because °µÍřTV was founded to serve first-generation students.

Benjamin Kurtz, our first president, established the Missionary Institute to provide an educational opportunity for young people who had a sense of vocation (of feeling called) for meaningful lives of service, but who lacked the advantages of some of their neighbors. The Classical Division and the Female Academy of the Missionary Institute are what survive today as °µÍřTV. We have remained an institution committed to the success of first-generation students ever since.

Our mission to educate students for productive, creative, and reflective lives of achievement, leadership, and service in a diverse, dynamic, and interdependent world, is built upon our initial goal of providing a transformational education for students who were then nearly all the first in their families to attend college.

Today, 3 out of 10 SU students are first in their families to attend college. The high percentage of SU graduates each year who are first-gen affirms that this remains a core value of the University, and it is certainly a point of pride for all of us to celebrate.

Jonathan D. Green
President

The post National First-Generation College Celebration appeared first on °µÍřTV.

As we reach the middle of a challenging semester, I remain so proud of the many ways all of you have worked together to keep each other safe and to fulfill our mission as a living/learning community. I know that it has been a difficult achievement.

Students across the country have found it especially challenging to reenter in-person communities. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, °µÍřTV, like campuses around the nation, has encountered heightened concerns connected to Title IX, sexual discrimination, racial and cultural tensions, and social anxieties. All of this has been compounded by a loss of faith in institutions and collective exhaustion.

In the days following Patrick Latsha’s death, we witnessed the best of what we are as a community. We lifted each other up and cared for each other in myriad ways. It is that spirit that will help us to grow and become better together.

When we return from Fall Break, there will be an open forum at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, October 21st in Faylor Auditorium to discuss progress in our Title IX efforts and strategies to continue improving safety and equity on campus. Also following break, the Division of Inclusive Excellence will announce large-scale programming to address bias issues on campus and in our surrounding region as we work together to be sure all members of our community are able to flourish.

On the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week (November 22 and 23), all classes will be available remotely to allow extended time with family and friends for those who desire it. This includes faculty and staff. Many of you have expressed concerns for the wellbeing of our faculty and staff. In addition to adding the aforementioned remote option, we are extending the Winter break for employees to 2 full weeks to thank them for their hard work and to provide adequate time to recharge and renew.

First, you need to take care of yourselves. Please use the Fall Break as a restorative time of reflection.

As we return, next week, I look forward to working with all of you to continue becoming better as a place of learning, transformation, and true community.

Have a good break.

Yours ever,

Jonathan D. Green
President

The post Remote Classes Nov. 22 and 23, Campus Discussions After Break appeared first on °µÍřTV.

Earlier this summer, we invited you to submit names for the new one-stop-shop that would be in place before the fall semester.

You responded to that call. After careful consideration of all the student suggestions and faculty and staff contributions, we are excited to announce that the one-stop-shop is named Hawk Hub.

And we stuck to our word. Today, hours before our 164th academic year was officially opened at Convocation, the Hawk Hub had already assisted many new students and families who arrived to campus for Move-In Day.

Centrally located in the Degenstein Campus Center, the Hawk Hub will be a resource for both new and returning students. We will share more information in the coming weeks, but for now we’d like you to mark your calendars for Friday, Sept. 3, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. There will be a grand opening event where you can stop by to see and learn more about the Hawk Hub. Additionally, there will be a chance for students to leave with giveaways, while the grand prizes for the “Name the Hub” submissions will be announced at 11:40 a.m., noon, 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m.

As the staff continues their onboarding, we appreciate your patience while they learn how to respond to your questions and provide top-level service. After an in-person visit to the HawkHub, you’ll receive a satisfaction survey via text. We encourage your constructive feedback as we learn and adapt to your needs.

I would like to thank the members of the one-stop planning and implementation committee for their tireless work and dedication to getting the hub up and running in time for the start of the 2021–22 year.

Tabitha Bemis, Assistant Director of Career Development Center
Danielle Brown, Assistant Provost of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Initiatives
Jennifer Bucher, Vice President for Human Resources
Reuben Councill, Senior Associate Director of Transfer Admission
Brady Gallese, Director of IT Infrastructure and Operations
Cindie Lizardi, Senior Administrative Assistant and Risk Management Coordinator
Mary Markle, Program Coordinator (Student Life)
Alissa Packer, Associate Professor of Biology and Speaker of the Faculty
Micaela Pozo Castro ’22, Student Representative
Justin Rummel, Assistant Vice President for Student Financial Services
Li Lian Schultz, Student Support Specialist II (Hawk Hub)
Jennifer Spotts, Director of Strategic Communications
Ivan Zaw ’22, Student Representative

Degenstein Campus Center (upper level)
570-372-4111

Regards,

Mike

Mike Coyne
Executive Vice President
°µÍřTV

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