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Friday, Feb. 3, 2017 VOLUME LXXXV ISSUE I SINCE 1935 www.oswegonian.com
Oswego State Stanley responds to U.S. executive order New policy president signs Campuswide email cautions students after immigration ban advocates for letter to Trump absent students Maria Pericozzi News Editor mpericozzi@oswegonian.com
Maria Pericozzi News Editor mpericozzi@oswegonian.com Oswego State President Deborah Stanley recently signed an open letter to President Donald Trump urging him and the members of the United States Congress to have a future of clean energy. Stanley was among presidents and chancellors from more than 170 other colleges and universities to sign the letter. The group of higher education institutions asked President Trump and the U.S. Congress to support participation in the Paris Agreement, research in academic institutions and federal agencies, and investments in the low carbon economy as part of a resilient infrastructure. Second Nature, a Boston-based nonprofit organization, that aims to productively build a sustainable and positive global future organized the letter. “Your support for these three areas is a critical investment in the future of the millions of students we serve,” the letter reads. “We will continue to prepare graduates for the workforce as well as lead in world-class research and innovation in order to secure a healthier and more prosperous future for all.” Stanley said the action letter has not received a response from Trump. It was sent to the new Congressional delegation and incoming presidential transition team on Jan. 17. She is hopeful that Trump and members of Congress will
Students received an email from Oswego State President Deborah Stanley on Sunday responding to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order titled “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States.” The executive order, which was signed on Jan. 27, suspended the entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days, banned Syrian refugees indefinitely and blocked entry into the United States for 90 days for citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Ye-
men. The ban includes green card holders from those countries re-entering the United States. “We, at SUNY Oswego honor your presence among us as learners, colleagues and scholars and want you to know we stand ready to be of service at this time,” Stanley said in the email. Stanley advised students and faculty to carefully consider any travel outside of the country and suggested consulting an experienced immigration lawyer before making travel plans. Stanley said the administration will continue monitoring all worldwide cautions, alerts, warnings, orders and guidance from SUNY and the United States government. “While we have very few students from
the specific countries named in the executive order, we are taking the issues seriously,” said Associate Provost for International Education and Programs Joshua McKeown. “Providing our best and most informed advisement, taking into account SUNY guidance and the standards of the international education professional organizations, is the key.” McKeown said that the office has reached out, communicated with and confirmed the safety and well-being of students affected and let them know that they are there to help. According to Stanley, Oswego State does not have any study abroad or in-
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No. 2 Oswego State continues storied rivalry with SUNY Plattsburg on Saturday night. Check out coverage of Whiteout excitement inside and online at www.oswegonian.com/sports.
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Kassadee Paulo Contributing Writer news@oswegonian.com Dealing with a death in the family or a severe illness can be difficult for students. Oswego State’s Dean of Students office can help students with making academic arrangements. As of fall 2016, the Dean of Students office offers an out-of-class notice policy for students who must leave campus unexpectedly for emergency circumstances and cannot attend classes for at least three consecutive days. These students, a family member, friend or resident assistant may call or email the Dean of Students office before the absences, rather than emailing several professors all at once. After the Dean of Students office is made aware, they contact the faculty members to tell them the student will be absent for a certain number of days in a row. When the student returns, they check in with the office and give any needed supporting documentation. According to the Student Handbook under the Attendance Policy section, the Dean of Students will provide outof-class notification to faculty members if notification is prior to or concurrent with the absence, if the absence is due to circumstances beyond the student’s control or absence for three or more class days and the student is absent from campus. This policy has existed on campus
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Herbarium premieres in Shineman featuring plants dating back to 19th century Retired professor preserves more than 50,000 dried specimens to feature in Oswego State plant museum Winnie Blackwood Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com
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More than 50,000 dried and mounted plant specimens can be found in Oswego State’s newly opened herbarium in Shineman Center. Andrew Nelson, the project’s leader and retired Oswego State professor, said a herbarium is a museum collection of plants specimens. The process of preserving begins with the plant being pressed and dried, then glued or taped to a standardized sheet of paper labeled with the specimen’s name. More than half of the collection was given to Oswego State as a donation from Syra-
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cuse University in the mid-‘70s, but resided in the basement of Piez Hall, the former science building, in storage until the construction of Shineman Center in 2013. “The purpose of a collection like this is for reference and for maintaining a record of work that’s been done,” Nelson said. “When it was stored in the basement of Piez Hall, it was not really available for reference.” With its new home in 306 Shineman Center, the collection can be used for reference and studying purposes, as well as proper maintenance of the plants. “This is something that used to be a standard part of academic approach to biology,” Nelson said. “Then it went out of favor for a while and it’s coming back into favor because you find that it’s a valuable reference
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that provides the stability, the background structure for biology.” The herbarium will also be used as a source for courses. Kamal Mohamed, an Oswego State professor, the director of the Rice Creek Field Station and a member of the herbarium project, said he will be offering a capstone systematic course in the fall, where students can work in the herbarium. “It provides training in identifying plants,” Mohamed said. The experience students receive from working in the herbarium could help students when they are looking for jobs in the future. Senior zoology major Robert Jarvis
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Photo provided by Office of Communications and Marketing Faculty members help maintain the collection for reference purposes, located in Shineman Center.
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