O S W E G O ParentsS P R I N G 2 0 0 3

A Publication of the

Office of Alumni and

Parent Relations

OSWEGOParents

Non Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 317

Oswego, NY

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

SUNY Oswego’s School of Businesshas achieved accreditation of itsundergraduate and graduate pro-

grams by AACSB International.The Association to AdvanceCollegiate Schools of Business isthe premier accrediting agency forbusiness schools in the world.

Oswego joined Syracuse andCornell universities as the onlyAACSB-accredited schools inCentral New York and became oneof seven campuses in SUNY withthis prestigious accreditation.

“It ranks us with the best andassures our students that they are getting exceptional preparation forcareers in the competitive world ofbusiness,” said Oswego PresidentDeborah F. Stanley of the accreditation,which Oswego completed in the minimumfive years.

Oswego’s School of Business offers abroad undergraduate program with majorsin accounting, business administration,finance, human resource management,management accounting, management science and marketing that together enroll1,100 undergraduate students. The MBAprogram enrolls 65 graduate students,many of them professionals pursuing part-time study.

“Oswego’s programs are distinctive inproviding students a global perspective, ahigh level of computer literacy, an interdis-ciplinary approach to problem solving, andpractical hands-on experience,” said LannyKarns, dean of the School of Business.“AACSB accreditation provides external val-idation not only that we aim high in for-mulating our programs but that we deliverfor our students.”

As part of the accreditation process, anAACSB peer review team of three businessschool deans spent three days on campusin October applying a wide range of qualitystandards relating to curriculum, facultyresources, admissions, degree require-ments, library and computer facilities,financial resources and intellectual climate.

The team report singled out four areasfor special commendation:• “Students have very positive attitudes

and high morale regarding their experi-ences in the School of Business.”

• “Faculty members clearly have studentlearning as the top priority.”

• “The renovation of Rich Hall and its con-version to the School of Business build-ing will provide an exceptional facility tosupport a high quality program.”

• “The School has developed a freshman‘Gateway to Business’ course that ishighly innovative in what it achieves andhow it is taught.”

Oswego Accredited by NCATE, Reaccredited by Middle States

The School of Business Accreditation wasone of three received by SUNY Oswegorecently.

The Commission on Higher Education ofthe Middle States Association of Collegesand Schools notified SUNY Oswego thissummer that it has reaffirmed the college’saccreditation. Like every reputable institu-tion of higher learning in the UnitedStates, Oswego undergoes an accreditationreview every 10 years.

The site visit team, which evaluated thecampus, gave the college two commenda-tions: one for the first-year retention pro-gram that consists of First-Year Advisement,FirstChoice, First-Year Residential Experience,and Sheldon Leader Program, and theother for the scholarship funds available tostudents for international study.

“We are pleased to have our accredita-tion reaffirmed,” said President Stanley,“and we are especially gratified to see ourhard work in developing our vision of alearner-centered campus acknowledgedwith these commendations, which weunderstand are not handed out lightly.”

In the fall of 2001, Oswego receivednational accreditation for its School ofEducation through the National Councilfor the Accreditation of Teacher Education.

The college’s roots in education stretchback over 140 years. In 1861, EdwardAustin Sheldon founded the OswegoNormal School, which is believed to be thefirst urban teacher training program in theUnited States.

“Accreditation is important to prospec-tive students, to graduate schools and toemployers because it validates our goodwork and the high caliber of learning thatoccurs at SUNY Oswego,” said Dr. JosephGrant, vice president for student affairs andenrollment management, speaking aboutall three accreditations.

School of Business EarnsInternational Accreditation

Office of Alumni and Parent RelationsKing Alumni HallSUNY Oswego Oswego, NY 13126

IN THIS EDITION:• Business School Accredited• Professor Bequeaths Over $1 Million for Scholarships• New Smoking Policy• Fast Facts About Freshmen

The newly accredited School of Business will move into RichHall next fall following an $8.4 million renovation of thebuilding. The AACSB International accrediting team calledthe academic building design “unusually well thought out interms of technology, pedagogy in general and student-faculty interaction.”

Students Say ‘Thanks!’Three current Presidential Scholars reflect

on what their scholarships mean to them.

“Being an out-of-state student is difficultto finance with respect to transportationand tuition. The Presidential Scholarship Ireceived as an incoming freshman madeit possible for me to attend college 1,100miles away from my hometown ofDuluth, Minn. I have benefited from thesupport and pres-tige offered by theprogram in multi-ple ways, ways thatcontinue to opendoors for me everysemester.”

Kimberly Trela ’04Duluth, Minn.Major: Journalism

“Because of the generosity of the spon-sors, I did not have to worry about thefinancial burden of college. I will now beable to continue my education atOswego, working toward my Master’s inBusiness Administration. I believe thePresidential Scholars Program is very

worthwhile becauseit encourages stu-dents to be the bestthey can be andrewards them formaintaining excel-lent grades.”

Megan Ingersoll ’03Oswego, NYMajor: Accounting

“If I hadn’t received the PresidentialScholarship, I wouldn’t have been able toattend SUNY Oswego. I’ve had so manyopportunities at Oswego, and I know Iwould not bewhere I am now inmy educationalcareer if I hadn’tbeen selected forthis prestigioushonor.”

Chad Bigelow ’03Mexico, NYMajor: Education

OSWEGO PARENTSPublished each semester by the SUNY Oswego Office of Alumni

and Parent Relations

Michele Reed, Editor

Kyle Konkoski ’03, Intern

Jim Russell ’84, Photographer

Kiefer Creative, Design

Midstate Litho, Production and Printing

Office of Alumni and Parent RelationsKing Alumni HallSUNY Oswego

Oswego, NY 13126

Betsy Oberst, Executive Director

Phone: 315-312-2258FAX: 315-312-5570

E-mail: alumni@oswego.eduhttp://oswegoalumni.oswego.edu

2 � O S W E G O P A R E N T S

Generations of Oswego students will havehelp to fulfill their dreams of a collegeeducation, thanks to Dr. Girgis Ghobrial.

The kindly geography professor has be-queathed over a million dollars to Oswego,the largest gift in the college’s history.

“Dr. Ghobrial was among our most gen-erous donors in supporting student schol-arships during his lifetime,” said KevinMahaney, vice president for developmentand public affairs. “We are deeply gratefulto him for permanently endowing thesescholarships through this enormously generous bequest.”

The bequest willestablish the Girgis B.Ghobrial ScholarshipFund. Incomes fromthis permanent endow-ment will providescholarship support forstudents attendingSUNY Oswego.

“This is a transfor-mational gift for thecollege,” President Deborah F. Stanley said.“It dramatically increases our endowmentfor scholarship support.”

The former chair of the college’s geog-raphy department, Ghobrial spent 41years of his life in Oswego, 32 of themteaching generations of Oswego students,Stanley said.

“He was a valued member of the SUNYOswego family and, obviously, we were animportant part of his life as well,” Stanleysaid. “For an individual to bequeath nearly

his or her entire estate for the benefit ofour students is a remarkable act of loveand generosity.”

Supporter of scholarships During his lifetime, Ghobrial funded

numerous annual scholarships acrossmany departments, always doing so inmemory or honor of his parents, fellow fac-ulty members and other individuals whoplayed an important role in his life.

Ghobrial loved to meet students and tohear their stories, and took great joy inhelping them realize their dreams of an

education, Mahaneysaid. After his retire-ment in 1992, Ghobrialremained active withthe college and attend-ed many events.

Students’ kindnessIn a 2001 interview

with Oswego alumnimagazine, Ghobrial

recalled how his special relationship withstudents was underlined when the blizzardof 1964 crippled the city. He said studentsshoveled his driveway, and three girls wholived nearby baked and delivered a cherrypie for him. “Their kindness reminded methat people in this country are very gener-ous, very good,” the native of Egyptrecalled.

That kindness, Mahaney said, has beenreturned to the college many times over bythis gift.

The Oswego Reading Initiative has setFast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, journalist Eric

Schlosser’s tasty bestseller, as their sum-mer 2003 official reading selection.

Fast Food Nation topped fourother selections, including TimO’Brien’s The Things TheyCarried, Leif Enger’s Peace Like a River, Malcom Gladwell’s TheTipping Point and EdwidgeDanticant’s Breath, Eyes, Memory.

A group of faculty, staff andstudents choose a book to beread campus-wide over the sum-mer months that can then berelated in the upcoming academic yearto course curriculum in all departments.The goal is to enhance students’ learn-

ing experience through the reading ofthe common text.

Schlosser’s book is a non-fiction exposéthat, in true muckraker fashion, details

America’s obsession with fast food,malls and the inevitable obesityand socioeconomic gap that isresulting from these trends.

“Fast Food Nation has liftedthe polystyrene lid on the globalfast food industry … it couldeven change the way we eat,”said the Observer.

The book will be ORI’s secondannual selection following thispast year’s choice of the non-fic-

tion tale of World War II refugees broughtto Fort Ontario, Haven, by Ruth Gruber.

—Kyle Konkoski ’03

Professor emeritus Girgis Ghobrial, center, enjoyed meeting the recipients of his scholarships at HonorsConvocation every spring. Thanks to his bequest of over a million dollars, the largest gift in the college’shistory, students will continue to receive Ghobrial Scholarships for generations.

Taking It to the Drive-Through

“This is a transformational gift for the college. It dramatically increases

our endowment for scholarship support.”– President Deborah F. Stanley

Professor Bequeaths Over $1 Million for Scholarships

SUNY Oswego is putting cigarettes – and their smokers – out.

Smoking is now prohibited on campusin all academic buildings, along with theresidence halls of Hart, Johnson, Moreland,Oneida, Riggs, Scales and Seneca.

All smokers living in these buildings mustsmoke outside. This is due to a policy enact-ed this fall by the Oswego State SmokingPolicy Review Group, ultimately under thedirection of the President’s Council.

The Policy Review Group, comprised ofstaff, faculty and student representatives,

researched health concerns linked to ciga-rette smoking and followed this researchwith a survey of students.

Charles Weeks, director of Residence Lifeand Housing, cited many different reasonsfor the decision.

“The survey was part of it,”Weeks said. “We researched themedical information that wasout there, we held focus groupsand we surveyed other collegesand universities in the SUNY sys-tem and private colleges as well.

With all four of these sources,we came to our conclusions.Ultimately, we were concerned with thehealth effects of second hand smoke.”

Cayuga Hall will prohibit smokingin fall 2003 and then “one or more”halls will become non-smoking the

next fall. By that time, all resident diningcenters will also prohibit smoking.

Stickers have been placed on the mainentrances of buildings across campus,

warning that smoking is not per-mitted inside and within 20 feet of the building.

Weeks added that there is a contingent of studentsopposed to smoking whowant to “stamp it out,” butthere is a significant number

of students who are also not infavor of prohibiting the lifestyles

of smokers.“We will continue to examine where we

are in this issue,” Weeks said. “It’s notunreasonable to assume that we’re headingin the direction of having very little to nosmoking on campus.” —Kyle Konkoski ’03

The newly formed InterdisciplinaryProgram Activities Center hasfound a temporary home in Room

105B of Mahar Hall before it will makepermanent residence in the soon-to-beCampus Center.

Dr. Stephen Rosow, director of thecenter, says IPAC is designed to encour-age the development and support of theinterdisciplinary programs on campus.It gives a home to programs like globalstudies, international trade, Americanstudies, linguistics, women’s studies andother specialized programs that don’thave homes within departments.

“I think that IPAC gives a certain pres-ence to the campus. Interdisciplinary pro-grams are one of the areas that this cam-pus has staked out as important. SUNYOswego has always encouraged interdisci-plinary studies, making it a requirementfor the intellectual issues requirement,”says Rosow. “It will ultimately make inter-action easier among all majors.”

The center will also organize the long-running Arts and Sciences Lecture

Series. This past fall, center staffbrought speakers James DerDerian ofBrown University and Peter Vale, aNelson Mandela professor at RhodesUniversity in South Africa.

“Bringing scholars to campus andletting our faculty lecture as well iscreating a dialogue among the differentdisciplines and encouraging and facili-tating conversation across disciplines,”Rosow adds.

In the future, the center might expandexisting programs and give them addi-tional support or possibly participate inthe creation of new programs. Already,some faculty members are looking into a cinema studies major and a forensicanthropology and forensic studies pro-gram. Next spring, the IPAC is hoping to offer a course designed completelyaround the Oswego Reading Initiativebook, Fast Food Nation. Rosow hopesprofessors from all the topics involved in the book – economy, psychology, andso on – will help formulate the course.

—Kyle Konkoski ’03

S P R I N G 2 0 0 3 � 3

Students at Oswego’s School ofEducation will soon be exposed, morethan ever, to the urban school setting

with the addition of the Center for UrbanSchools in Swetman Hall.

The center is a spin-off of the 15-year-old Project SMART (Science andMathematics Applied Resources forTeaching), a program designed to sparkinterest in and practical understanding ofscience, mathematics and technology forelementary and middle school students.The project initially served small town andrural teachers, but with recent fundingallocations and the leadership of Dr. PatRusso, chair of the center, and Dr. BarbaraBeyerbach of the curriculum and instruc-tion department, the project has grown toinclude the urban school component.

The Center for Urban Schools will allowfor more urban field placements in loca-tions like Utica and New York City, in-serv-ice mentoring, urban-related partnershipsand urban student recruitment andresource location. The goal of the center isthat all students would be equipped towork in any urban school district upongraduation, from Syracuse to the Bronx,

whether theychoose to or not.Close to 60 stu-dents a semesterare student teach-ing in urban fieldlocations since thelaunch of the centerin spring 2002.

The program hasbeen in existencefor a few years, butjust recentlyreceived fundsthrough ProjectSMART to allow thecenter to become a physical reality withmore organization and structure.

“Even for students who don’t take posi-tions in the city after graduation, [The Centerfor Urban Schools] greatly enhances their lifeexperience. They generally describe it as life-altering,” Beyerbach said.

Also, students can expect more opportu-nities in New York City with increased stu-dent-teaching placements, summer teach-ing assistantships and a “Schools andUrban Society” course that includes a two-

week field placement in Manhattan.“Many students have a negative view of

urban life. Teaching there lets them see avast picture of what schools are,” saidRusso. “It will expand their view of them-selves as teachers. This program is abouthow to enhance students and enhance theschool.”

For more information on the Center forUrban Schools, visit their Web site atwww.oswego.edu/~prusso1.

—Kyle Konkoski ’03

Center for Urban Schools Debuts at Oswego

No Ifs, Ands or Butts – Smoking is Out

A Mix of Disciplines, One Home

Student teachers from SUNY Oswego are shown with students of JHS 56 in theBronx during a six-week placement during Winter Break 2002.

Grupo Corpo, a wildly popular 19-memberdance troupe from Brazil, will be coming toSUNY Oswego to perform their routine calleda “simmering stew of Brazil’s African, Arabicand European influences.” The dancers willdemonstrate their saucy style at WatermanTheatre March 12. The event is made possibleby Artswego and the Office of InternationalEducation. Discounted student tickets areavailable for all Artswego performances.

Photo by José Luiz Pederneiras

PLAN NOW FOR GRADUATIONIt’s not too early to make reser-vations for May commence-ment. The annual Torchlight

dinner and ceremony are scheduled forFriday evening, May 16. To make reserva-tions for families and graduates, call theOffice of Alumni and Parent Relations at315-312-2258.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLEApplications for scholarships and awards for the 2003-2004academic year are now being

accepted with deadlines for some of thescholarships being as early as Jan. 31.Students may qualify for one or more ofover 240 scholarships available throughthe Oswego College Foundation.Scholarships are awarded based on courseof study or areas of special interest, aca-demic performance, and/or financial need.Find the listing of scholarships and awardsalong with instructions for applying andapplication forms online at http://oswe-goalumni.oswego.edu/scholarships.Scholarships are funded through the gen-erosity of Oswego State alumni, faculty,staff, emeriti, and friends of the university.For additional information call 315-312-3003 or email manwarin@oswego.edu.

‘MOM, DAD, SEND MONEY’The Student Association Check-Cashing facility, located on themain level of Hewitt Union, is

open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4p.m. Parent checks must be $50 or lessand one check can be cashed per day.

THE ROAD HOMEThe OCT Bus Service has chartershome to New York City and theLong Island area during Spring

Break. Student Association provides this serv-ice. The contact phone is 315-312-3231.

SNACKS, FLOWERS AND MOREThe Corner Store, run byStudent Association, has freshbagels, drinks and snacks along

with a new floral service. Order flowersand have them delivered, by calling 315-312-3603. The store also has a gift selec-tion along with gift baskets.

GET TICKETS ON CAMPUSTicketMaster in Hewitt Union isthe place for students to purchasetickets to events anywhere in the

Northeastern United States. To purchasetickets, call 315-312-2929.

FILE FOR GRADUATIONStudents are required to file forgraduation. Degree informationfor May and August 2003 was

mailed to the students’ local address inApril 2002. The form or online filing isdue in the Registrar’s Office no later thanFeb. 15, 2003, in order for the students tohave their names listed in the commence-ment program at the May 17, 2003, cere-mony. December 2002 graduates and theMay and August 2003 graduates are eligi-ble to participate in the May 2003 cere-mony. Students can file online to gradu-ate under myOswego.edu. Follow regis-tration links. There will also be a separateDecember 2003 ceremony on Dec. 20 forthose students who will complete theirrequirements during the Fall 2003 semes-ter. In order to have their names printedin the program for that ceremony, stu-dents should file to graduate no later thanSept. 30, 2003.

SURF FOR INFOThe Oswego Alumni AssociationWeb site invites you to visit athttp://oswegoalumni.oswego.edu.

4 � O S W E G O P A R E N T SCalendarSpring 2003

Jan. 22 Spring semester classes begin

Jan. 31 - “The Henricksen Feb. 22 Collection of Chinese

Painting” and “Lenore Schwarz Neumaier: A Voice Silenced,” Tyler Art Gallery

Feb. 7 River City Brass Band, Artswego

Feb. 27-28 “The Secret Garden,”Mar 1, 7-9 Waterman Theatre,

Tyler Hall

March 7 - 40th annual Juried April 7 Student Art Exhibition

and “Helene Brandt: Recent Sculpture,” Tyler Art Gallery

March 12 Grupo Corpo, Artswego

Mar 24-28 Spring Recess

April 7 College Admissions Open House

April 18 - Bachelor of Fine Arts/May 17 Master of Arts Thesis

Exhibition, Tyler Art Gallery

April 23 Honors Convocation and Quest ’03, no classes

April 24-26 “The Diary of AnneMay 3-4 Frank,” Waterman

Theatre, Tyler Hall

May 9 Last day of classes

May 12-16 Final exams

May 16 Torchlight ceremony and dinner

May 17 Commencement

Kendis Gibson ’94, right, entertainment anchor with CNN Headline News,speaks to students in a communication studies class in September. He visitedclasses as part of the Alumni-in-Residence program, sponsored by theOswego Alumni Association.

Campus Clips

Fresh Facts d Oswego had 7,594 applicants for the 2002 freshman

class, and accepted 4,386.

d Sixty-four percent of freshman students received finan-cial aid this year.

d Freshmen were awarded over $2 million in renewablescholarships over a four-year period, this year.

d Incoming freshmen received 146 PresidentialScholarships ($13,600 over 4 years). Other merit scholar-ships awarded to freshmen included 74 awards of $5,000over 4 years and 163 awards of $2,000 over 4 years.

d This fall, 91 percent of freshman students lived on campus.

d Nine percent of the incoming freshmen this year were inthe top 10 percent of their high school class.