Learner-Centeredness “ We have been careful to preserve SUNY Oswego’s mission as a place of learning where the academic endeavor is at the heart of all we do.”
—President Deborah F. Stanley, 1996 Better Than We Dared Believe
Long before “student-centered learning” became a catchphrase in higher education, President Stanley and the SUNY Oswego campus in the 1990s were re-examining the institution and putting students at the core of everything the campus does.
In December 2020, President Stanley announced the Laker Success Package to step up efforts to support students and their families who were facing unexpected challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The package included Imagine 2021, a robust virtual career development program that brought together alumni, employers, guest speakers and students for career exploration, skill building and professional networking. It also expanded the college’s Alumni Sharing Knowledge program to guarantee an alumni mentor to every student who desires one. President Stanley also spearheaded a variety of programs, including Upskilling in a Digital World, to connect students with alumni who shared invaluable insights about skills needed in today’s workplaces.
“Students to me are the driving force,” President Stanley said. “Learner-centeredness became the concept by which we renovated the programs of the institution and the physical spaces. It is the lens we use to direct our decision-making and resource-allocation. How does this affect the student experience today and how will it deepen their learning for tomorrow?” One of the first programs President Stanley initiated was the Oswego Guarantee. The original promise in 1995 committed to maintain stable costs for room, board and tuition; provide access to courses needed for on-time graduation; and keep class size small for more individualized attention. In 2013, the college added the $300 Oswego Graduation Return on Investment for students who complete their four-year degrees on time.
President Stanley also worked to ensure that the college met students where they were. That led to the establishment of the Syracuse Branch Campus, which enabled Syracuse-area residents to complete in-demand degree and certificate programs. SUNY Oswego was also among the first SUNY
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2003
Student success first-year experiences delivered
School of Business moves to renovated Rich Hall
2005 Media Summit launched
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1995
Festa Graduate Leadership Fellows founded
Oswego Guarantee launched
2001 Oswego Reading Initiative begins
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WINTER 2022
