SUNY Canton will be holding its third annual 5K Run/Walk Challenge at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 9.
The College invites members of the community to take part in the event, which will be held at the campus’ Edson A. Martin Athletic fields adjacent to the Convocation, Athletic and Recreation Center (CARC), nicknamed Roos House. The event is free, and the first 25 entries will receive a t-shirt. Preregistration can be found online at http://www.canton.edu/challenge/.
“This event is part of an overall wellness initiative for our students,” said Interim President Carli C. Schiffner. “We have introduced healthier dining options, offer exercise classes at the CARC and are moving toward a completely tobacco-free campus next year.”
For more information about the event, contact Farren Davis at 386-7958 or davisf@canton.edu.
SUNY Canton will continue its popular Living Writers Series next month with New York Times sports columnist and bestselling author William C. Rhoden.
Rhoden will be discussing his work at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, in the Convocation, Athletic and Recreation Center nicknamed Roos House. The event is free and open to the public.
William Rhoden, author of “Forty Million Dollar Slaves,” will answer questions about his writing at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, at Roos House.
“Focusing on the juggernaut of professional sports, Rhoden forces us to examine and question some of the fundamental ideas our culture has to offer about race, power, and history,” said Assistant Professor of English Phil LaMarche, who created the series to allow students enrolled in his Living Writers Course to meet and hear from the authors whose books they are required to read in class.
Rhoden is perhaps best known for his book “Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete,” which deals with the challenging issue of the status of the black athlete in contemporary America. Using the pervasive metaphor of the plantation, Rhoden describes a modern sports industry defined by white ownership and black labor.
During a journalism career that has spanned more than three decades, Rhoden has tackled complex issues in the sports world. He has written “The Sports of the Times” column since 1990, and his work has been included in a number of anthologies including “The Best American Sports Writing 2007.” Rhoden is also a frequent guest on ESPN’s long-running Sunday morning show, “The Sports Reporters.”
Rhoden’s accolades include a Peabody Award for his writing on the HBO documentary “Journey of the African American Athlete.” Most recently, he wrote the HBO documentary “Breaking the Huddle,” about the integration of College Football, which won a 2009 Emmy for outstanding Documentary Film. He is also author of the critically acclaimed book, “Third and A Mile: The Trials and Triumphs of The Black Quarterback.”
Rhoden will answer questions and be available for book signings after the event. Copies of “Forty Million Dollar Slaves” will be available for purchase.
Upcoming presenters will include Iain Haley Pollock, author of “Spit Back a Boy,” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, and Siobhan Fallon, author of “You Know When the Men Are Gone,” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 24. Both events will be held in the College’s Kingston Theater and are free and open to the public.
Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Manager, or call 315/386-7527.
SUNY Canton was recently rated best in several categories when compared with its peer colleges, according to SUNY’s 2012 Student Opinion Survey.
Every three years, all SUNY colleges and universities administer the survey to assess the quality of student life on each campus and use the results as a barometer to grow and adapt.
Cierra Wells uses a loaned iPad at SUNY Canton’s Southworth Library, which was rated highly in a student survey for its resources and services.
“The results of the survey reflect the tremendous job our faculty and staff do to help students reach their educational goals,” said SUNY Canton Interim President Carli C. Schiffner. “It is to their credit that we were rated first in these categories.”
When compared against other SUNY technology sector colleges, SUNY Canton’s Southworth Library Learning Commons scored highest for providing resources and services. The library has recently undergone major student-centered renovations, including expanding its laptop loan program, creating an iPad loan program, and adding new furniture.
“Much of the content students are expected to read for their education is available digitally,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Molly A. Mott. “What has traditionally been a storehouse for books has become a hub of technological innovation.”
The College’s computer network was also top among its peer colleges, according to the survey. Most of the College’s Information Services Operations are housed in the Southworth Library Learning Commons.
The College was also first among tech sector colleges in the areas of:
General academic advising
Financial aid services
Availability of courses within a given major
Additionally, the College’s new athletic facilities received high praise from students. SUNY Canton’s new Roos House athletic center was listed first among similar SUNY colleges. Other areas that ranked high in the survey were student health services and personal counseling.
The information is gathered from a sampling of undergraduate students and gauges their satisfaction with services, facilities, environment and more. SUNY Canton’s rankings were calculated when compared against seven other colleges of technology within the SUNY System.
Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Manager, or call 315/386-7527.
Special Event on Sept. 14 to Raise Funds and Awareness for Alzheimer’s Patients
A group of SUNY Canton employees will be hosting a free fun night at Roos House to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association.
The event, named “Purple People Fun Night,” will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., Friday, Sept. 14, at Roos House athletic center.
The evening’s activities, which are open to the public, will include ice skating, swimming, spinning, Zumba classes, and basketball. SUNY Canton’s mascot, Rudy the Roo, will be making an appearance.
“We are encouraging everyone to wear purple to help raise awareness about the debilitating disease,” said Tina M. Flanagan, a calculations clerk in SUNY Canton’s Business Office, who is organizing the event. “Purple is the official color to support the end of Alzheimer’s. We will be awarding the top three best-dressed attendees.”
The Forget-Me-Knots is a local group, made up of many SUNY Canton employees, supporting the efforts to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. The group derived their name from the purple Forget-me-not flower.
Although the event is free, donations to the Alzheimer’s Association will be accepted. There also will be a 50/50 raffle, with all proceeds benefitting the association. Food will be available.
Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Manager, or call 315/386-7527.
The SUNY Canton student steel bridge team outscored its regional competitors by building the most efficient and economical bridge at the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Upstate New York Student Conference Championships. The competition is co-sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC).
SUNY Canton student steel bridge team vice president and bridge designer William W. Corbine of Potsdam (far right) tightens the final bolts on the College's bridge during the assembly stage of the competition.
The College hosted the bridge portion of the competition on Friday at the brand new Roos House Athletic Center. It was the 13th time in 17 years that SUNY Canton students have captured the regional title.
“Congratulations to our student steel bridge team for their regional victory and good luck to them in the nationals,” said SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy. “I’m very proud of the time and energy they’ve poured into designing and making their bridge. I’m also extremely proud of all the work the team did to make hosting the competition such a great success. I’m certain that these experiences and successes will serve them well as they prepare for successful careers.”
The competition challenges student teams to construct a one-tenth-scale model bridge designed to meet certain criteria, including construction speed, lightness, display, stiffness, economy, and efficiency.
“The students made all of the right choices from the beginning to make this bridge the winning entry,” said Robert R. Blickwedehl, a College instructor and SUNY Canton ASCE student chapter advisor. “I look forward to seeing them compete against top colleges and universities in the nation once again this year.”
The team will now prepare to head to the ASCE/AISC national competition scheduled for May 25 at Clemson University in South Carolina.
The judges use a formula to project how much implementation of each entry would cost, and the total cost determines the winning entry. The SUNY Canton bridge entry would cost an estimated $4.3 million and took just under eight minutes to construct. It was approximately $1.8 million cheaper and was assembled eight minutes faster than the nearest rival entry from second-place winner École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS) from Montreal, Quebec.
In order of finish, after the SUNY Canton and ETS entries were:
Cornell University
Clarkson University
SUNY at Buffalo
Hudson Valley Community College
The United States Military Academy at West Point
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rochester Institute of Technology
“This was the best regional competition that we’ve been to as far as I can remember,” said Paul D. Hitchman, a faculty advisor for the student steel bridge team. “I can’t thank the faculty, staff, students and administration enough for helping us make the event a tremendous success.”
Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Manager, or call 315/386-7527.
SUNY Canton will have cars on ice at the Canton Automotive Regional Car Show.
From 10 am. To 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, the Roos House Athletic Center ice rink and field house will be home to unique, classic, new, and custom motor vehicles. Event organizer and SUNY Canton Assistant Professor Brandon J. Baldwin said the event is one of the only indoor car shows in the area.
“We’ve invited local and national vendors and scheduled live music for the event,” Baldwin said. “There will be lots of great cars inside one of the coolest new buildings on campus.”
Entry fees are $5 for adults, $3 for youth, and children 13 and under can attend for free.
“We have interlocking tiles that we place over the ice rink for this type of event,” said Roos House Director of Operations John D. Vandevere. “We are able to accommodate multiple or large-scale events at the venue by offering the ice rink as a useable space other than for skating.”
Individuals wishing to display a car must preregister and be on-sight before 10 a.m. For more information, or to register, please contact the SUNY Canton Roos House Athletic Center at (315) 386-7051.
The SUNY Canton Athletic Department will be hosting an alumni gathering and game for former members of the men’s soccer team beginning at noon, Saturday, April 28, at the College’s Roos House Athletic Center.
Men’s Head Soccer Coach Mark D. Howlett is coordinating the event. Interested SUNY Canton alumni should RSVP to Howlett by phone, (315) 386-7422, or by email howlettm@canton.edu.
“We are looking forward to having our soccer alumni back on campus to meet the current team and share their love of the game,” Howlett said. “There have been many exciting changes at SUNY Canton in the last five years. I’m certain former players will be amazed by the new athletic center and fields.”
SUNY Canton students will have home turf advantage while trying to build their bridge better and faster than their regional competition.
SUNY Canton and Clarkson University are cohosting the three-day American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Upstate New York Student Conference, featuring the Upstate Regional Student Steel Bridge Competition.
SUNY Canton ASCE Chapter members Briana K. Fosher of Rouses Point, Mike J. Muller, Jr., of Canton, and William W. Corbine of Potsdam, assemble their team's steel bridge during a practice run.
SUNY Canton’s ASCE student chapter has traditionally dominated the competition by annually planning, designing, and building a bridge that is stronger and more efficient than all of the other colleges and universities in the Northeast. The steel bridge portion of the conference begins at 8:30 a.m. Friday, April 20, at SUNY Canton’s Roos House Athletic Center Ice Rink.
“This is the first time we’ve ever hosted an ASCE conference at SUNY Canton,” said Paul D. Hitchman, one of the faculty advisors for the student steel bridge club. “Our new Roos House building will provide a great venue for the event.”
The competition portions of the conference are free and open to the public, and the bridge team anticipates many fans and onlookers at the event.
“This year’s challenge is to build a cantilever bridge from a man-made dam,” said SUNY Canton ASCE student chapter president Daniel R. Jones of Canton. “Our bridge is very different and more complicated than in previous years, but we’ve been practicing extensively.”
The SUNY Canton steel bridge team has won the regional championships a remarkable 12 times in 16 years and accrued a national championship title in 2009. Other colleges and universities competing include the University at Buffalo, Rochester Institute of Technology, Cornell University, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Ecole de Technologie Superieure, Hudson Valley Community College, and Clarkson University.
“We begin designing and planning for this competition on the first day of the fall semester, or almost eight months in advance,” said ASCE student chapter vice president and bridge designer William W. Corbine of Potsdam. “I like to think we have an advantage over other larger schools in the competition because we build our bridge on-site and then practice until we can build it fast and efficiently.”
Corbine and Jones are both seniors in SUNY Canton’s civil and environmental technology program.
The SUNY Canton Alumni office is hosting a reception for former team members and other graduates who want to be involved with the regional conference. The special RSVP only event will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, April 20, in the mezzanine area overlooking the ice rink.
The mission of the Student Steel Bridge Competition is to supplement the education of students in the technology and engineering fields, with a student-driven project. Students oversee all aspects of the fabrication, assembly, and testing of their one-tenth scale model bridge to maximize performance and economy as a way to best apply their comprehensive engineering aptitude.
For a complete schedule of events in the competition, which includes an awards banquet for participating teams, and a concrete canoe race at Norwood Pond, please visit: http://www.canton.edu/news/index.php/asce-2012/
Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Manager, or call 315/386-7527.
More students and a fresh new look made 2011 a banner year of growth and innovation at SUNY Canton.
Approximately 6,092 students enrolled at SUNY Canton during the combined terms in 2011, according to SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy, including a record fall enrollment of nearly 4,000 students.
The 2011 total unduplicated headcount figure represents a 20 percent increase in the past two calendar years. In 2009, the College had a total combined enrollment of 5,103.
“We’ve grown our enrollment annually by offering in-demand majors taught by experienced and professional faculty who prepare students for their chosen careers.” Kennedy said. “Our supplementary semesters and online enrollments are growing rapidly alongside our traditional course offerings. We are reaching more students than ever before with our competitive hands-on programs and online courses.”
Among the semesters with the greatest growth were:
Winterterm 2010-2011 had approximately 1,170 enrollments, up 46 percent from the previous year.
Summer Session 2011 had approximately 1,430 enrollments, up 16 percent from the previous year.
Fall 2011 semester had approximately 3,825 students, up almost 50 percent from Fall 2006, and up 75 percent from Fall 2000, breaking the College’s all-time enrollment high.
In addition to the new enrollment highpoints, the College grew in almost every way. The following are some the highlights from the 2011 calendar year.
New Majors
SUNY Canton added bachelor’s degrees in veterinary technology and health and fitness promotion. The veterinary technology degree gives students in the two-year program more advanced options and has become one of the most popular new majors for incoming freshmen. Health and fitness promotion is an extension of the physical therapist assistant program and allows continuing study options for the program’s two-year graduates.
The new programs are continuing into 2012 and the College recently announced that it would be adding a Bachelor of Science in applied psychology for the Fall 2012 Semester.
New Buildings
SUNY Canton celebrated the completion of the new Grasse River Suites and the new Convocation, Athletic, and Recreation Center, nicknamed Roos House, during the fall 2011 semester. The College’s two newest buildings have dramatically enhanced the overall atmosphere of the campus and significantly aided the College’s overall growth.
The $45 million Roos House added a new field house, ice rink, pool, fitness center, and office space for athletic and coaching staff. Between home games and student recreation, the building has become a hub of activity on campus.
The $26 million Grasse River Suites offers upperclassmen an independent apartment-style living option on campus and is helping the College house more students than ever before. The newest residence hall was built without funding from New York State or its taxpayers.
The College is currently planning two additional residence halls to continue its overall physical expansion.
A New Look for canton.edu
SUNY Canton made significant design changes to its website, allowing for larger images and easier user navigation. In 2011, the website received more than 2.2 million visits and more than 5 million individual page views.
The largest growth in visits came from mobile devices. The college had more than 29,000 mobile visits in 2010, and more than 89,000 mobile visits in 2011.
Additionally, the website received visits from 191 countries, including Canada, Russia, China, India, England, South Korea, Germany and Japan.
Updated Commercials
To highlight the ongoing growth, the college updated its television commercials. Students highlight the most relevant additions and changes at the College, including new majors, new sports, and new buildings. The two new 30-second spots can be viewed on the College’s YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/cantonpr/.
Kangaroos Move Forward
The SUNY Canton Kangaroos began its NCAA exploratory year, the first step in a process the College hopes will eventually lead to provisional and full-fledged Division III membership, The College began offering women’s volleyball and men’s golf in the past year, and new varsity teams in men’s and women’s lacrosse will begin play this spring.
College starts in High School
SUNY Canton received a $150,000 grant from the New York State Education Department in order to start the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program on campus. The College also received a $200,000 grant from the State Education Department enabling them to work with Ogdensburg Free Academy, Massena High School and St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES as part of the Smart Scholars Early College High School program.
Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Manager, or call 315/386-7527.
Pictured are (l to r) Dine D. Kennedy, Margaret S. Aubertine (a 1975 SUNY Canton graduate) Darrel J. Aubertine, SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy, Robert J. Liggio, a senior forward from the men's hockey team, Roody the Roo, SUNY Canton College Council Chair Ronald M. O'Neill, SUNY Canton College Foundation Board Chairman Bernard C. Regan, and SUNY Canton Athletic and Public Relations Director Randy B. Sieminski cutting the ceremonial ribbon at Roos House.
SUNY Canton men's ice hockey forward Robert J. Liggio of Canton addresses the audience at the Roos House grand opening celebration. Liggio said, "Whether you were an Aggie, a Northman, or a Northstar – we now are all a part of the Roos House and we look forward to participating or watching our teams create future successes."
SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy addresses guests at the SUNY Canton Roos House grand opening and ribbon cutting celebration. Kennedy said that the new athletic center would benefit both the community and the college, and thanked all of the individuals who had worked on creating the building.
More than 150 people attended the official grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony at SUNY Canton's new Roos House athletic center, which features an ice rink, a field house, a four-lane lap pool, student access areas, and the College's fitness center and athletic offices.
The SUNY Canton Kangaroos men's ice hockey team celebrates a goal against Lebanon Valley College in front of a full house of fans. The Roos' inaugural game ended in an 8-0 shutout.
