Focus on Plattsburgh Spring 2007

34.1 MB·English

by  SUNY Plattsburgh

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Salvatore Graven was appointed by to the College and community as an
former Gov. George Pataki to the alumnus."
SUNY Plattsburgh College Council Joining Graven as a new College
in December. Graven, (pictured left Council member is Kimberly Garrison,
with former Lt. Gov. Mary O. the new Student Association (SA)
Donohue) will complete the president elected at the end of last
unexpired term of Suzanne Perley, semester. Garrison, a junior anthropol-
who recently resigned from the coun- ogy major from Canajoharíe, N.Y., ran
cil. His term will expire June 30, 2011. unopposed for president. She served as
Graven, a resident of Albany, N.Y., the SA executive vice president this
is a 2002 alumnus of SUNY past year and is an active member of
Plattsburgh who graduated with a the campus community.
bachelor's degree in political science. "The position of SA president
Since 2002, Graven has worked in means a lot to me because it has
the Governor's Office. He served as been held by some great campus
an advance representative for the leaders," said Garrison. "It gives me
Governor's Scheduling Office from an opportunity to develop myself
2002 to 2004 and then served in the and others around me as we mature
Executive Office as a special assistant into a group of adults that will be
and travel aide to Pataki. successful in the future."
"It is a great honor to receive this Garrison replaces Michael
— Salvatore Graven '0• appointment by the governor," said Cashman '03 G'06, who was the first
Graven. "I'm excited to serve on the president of the SA to be elected
Council. It will be great to give back two consecutive terms. q '
Campus Remembers Willard "Bill" Flynt
lti
SUNY Plattsburgh r. Flynt served College for • r. I"lY~.}~Ít...rellt.Ctf.:~itL~~ L.i.t_S~1i. to
mourned the loss of inl•e~arfrr~lyv u~{ ) ~y'~e..~a1r~s~:,, ~~1(cid:9)~.fJ:'-~~ r(cid:9) n~ ~otltta;.1b~~l~y~ ' c!~ de; S`>Ut~NJYi4 Y i"att5burgh attend g
Willard Ce "Bill" of students and, t11-ít=; his retirei ± _,._., _ events after his retirement.
Flynt, who passed 1974, as the Col(cid:9) s flrst VI~ ~. iie last events h e f~~L..tSi._{6,.-~.á
away Monday, Dec. president for S. udent affairs. His campus was the namin<
25,2~~.~06 at the age devotion to `ie common A.vel}ar ü .-f1C.f:'°__ in honor of William D.

of 94e A memorial student body earned him the gr(cid:9) L1? ndrv(cid:9) current vice president
service mil "?e ield on Saturday, .lan. f-.~.. (cid:9) a~~e~?_..3(cid:9) 53.?..~..t (cid:9) of(cid:9) :.rÀ{.14~I.~:a.lids(cid:9) L~£(cid:9) f!~'.~S7 TL i~}... for student affairs. during
•2 0 at All e rtúrt Center at 2 p.m. 1.:X"Iclergrad. (cid:9) students.::: T Iolliecol:iing.ïl. October.
;Am
Two marketing students
in the School of Business IRK
and Economics were
recently presented the
prestigious 2006
Collegiate Gold ECHO
Award during the Direct
Marketing Association
annual convention in
San Francisco, Calif.
Michelle Poirier and
Christine Ilardi traveled
to California and were
presented the award by comedian The gold-winning SUNY
Faculty
Dana Carvey during the convention's Plattsburgh student team targeted
black tie gala. marketing and advertising profes-
Participate in
"When I found out Michelle and sionals at large organizations in the
Math Conference I won the award, I was speechless," travel industry for their campaign
said Ilardi, a senior marketing major entry, titled, "Enhance Your
Five faculty members of the and graphic design minor from Campaign with Mail Moments."
Mathematics Department recently Glens Falls, N.Y. "The experience Dr. Nancy Church, the students'
participated couldn't have been better. It was not faculty advisor and distinguished
in the corn only exciting that I was in San service professor and chair of
bined fall Francisco, but it was exciting to be marketing and entrepreneurship,
meeting of 7, surrounded by some of the best said, "When I got their project in
the Seaway - professionals in the marketing field. I class, I knew it was the best one I've
and Metro am truly honored to have won the ever seen," said Church. "I was pretty
sections of the Mathematical ECHO Award. It was an experience I excited for them and for SUNY
Association of America (MAA) a will never forget." Plattsburgh to have a winning team."
Marist College in Poughkeepsie Poirier, a senior marketing major The students received a round-trip
••• from Piecefield, N.Y., said that the flight, accommodations and
Dr. Rob Keever, associate team put a tremendous amount of complimentary registration to the
professor, gave the presentation, work into the campaign project. convention as part of their grand
"Mathematics in Learning "Winning such a prestigious award prize. Poirier and Ilardi also had the
Communities." Keever is also the was both very surprising and opportunity to present their
coordinator for learning communities rewarding. It was an honor to receive award-winning campaign during a
at SUNY Plattsburgh. , recognition," said Poirier. "Our trip session at the convention.
Dr. Sam Northshield, professor, to San Francisco was fun. I enjoyed Patrick O'Connell, program
•
presented "The Stern and Fibonacci both the time spent at the manager for advertising with the U.S.
Diatomic Arrays." Dr. Greg convention and exploring the city." Postal Service said, "This entry also
uenell, assistant professor, presented The 2006 Direct Marketing presented a complete budget, with
"Envelopes and String Art." Educational Foundation (DMEF) appropriate monies to data processing,
Justin Wampler, lecturer, and Dr._ Leonard J. Raymond Collegiate lettershop and production and
Margaret Morrow, associate profes- ECHO competition, sponsored by the postage. This is one of only a handful
sor, also attended the conference, U.S. Postal Service, judged direct of teams that included a business
which was held in October 2006._. marketing campaign projects reply card as a response device. This
Morrow, chair-elect of the submitted by students from across group displayed their intelligence by
Seaway section, participated on the the country. The SUNY Plattsburgh grasping the importance of this
joint planning committee for the team was one of more than 120 valuable response device and included
fall meeting. 0 entries in this year's competition. its use. Bravo!" Li
[2](cid:9) FOCUS
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Student Exchange Program Between Canada, Mexico
and the United States Supported by FIPSE Grant
SUNY Plattsburgh has received its Northern Colorado. The two U.S. British Columbia, Canada. SUNY
third North American Mobility Grant schools formed a consortium with Plattsburgh will host exchange
through the Fund for the two schools from Canada and two students from Canada and Mexico
Improvement of Post Secondary from Mexico. The grant provides a during the spring 2008 semester.
Education (FIPSE), administered by $3,000 stipend to students to attend "These students will stay in the
the U.S. Department of Education. a full semester at one of the partner residence halls on campus, and we'll
"The purpose of the grant is to schools outside of their country of provide special programming and
promote student exchanges between residence. events for all participating students,"
Canada, Mexico and the United During this first year of the grant, said Church.
States," said Dr. Nancy Church, the consortium partners are When hosting, each partner insti-
distinguished service professor and developing a memorandum of tution will also present a two-and-a -
chair of marketing and entrepreneur- understanding of how the exchanges half-day symposium for the students
ship in the School of Business and will work. The student exchanges as well as faculty members from the
Economics, who took a lead in will occur in the second, third and other schools in the consortium.
securing the grant. fourth years. Each partner institution "Each grant has a theme," said
The four-year grant, which began will host students from the other Church. "The current grant's theme
Sept. 1, 2006, with a budget of more two countries for a semester. The is `Strategic Market Expansion in the
than $200,000, will be shared among first exchange will send 12 students NAFTA Nations.' Some of the courses
SUNY Plattsburgh and its American from Mexico and the United States offered to the exchange students will
partner institution, the University of to Capilano College in Vancouver, be targeted to the theme." 7
)> FACULTY AND STAFF SHOWCASE
Dr. Mark Cohen presented a paper on prehistoric demography at a conference on
the Neolithic Demographic Transition in December 2006 at Harvard University. The
conference was inspired in significant part by Cohen's own work in the 1970s and
'80s. He also presented a paper on theoretical approaches to Olmec prehistory at the
International Conference of Americanistas in Seville, Spain, last summer.
Allison Swick-Duttine, director of Fraternity/Sorority Life and Leadership
Development, was the recipient of two awards at the Association of Fraternity
Advisors Annual Meeting in December 2006, in New Orleans, La. She received the
Fraternal Information and Programming Group's Outstanding Educational
Programming Award for her work educating students and colleagues about
eliminating unrecognized former fraternal organizations. She also received the
Association of Fraternity Advisors Outstanding Volunteer Award for her work as
editor of Perspectives, the magazine of the association. Swick-Duttine co-facilitated
four presentations during the conference: "Crossing the Line: Anti-Hazing Strategies
for Campuses and Organizations"; "Working with Local Fraternities and Sororities";
"The Monster in the Basement: Unrecognized Groups and Their Threat to the
Foundations of Fraternalism"; and "Values-Based Viruses: Empowering Students
with Values-Based Conversation Tools to Spread Positive Change."
To submit an entry for Faculty and Staff Showcase, please send information to
[email protected]
Bullying. It's a hot topic in education,
especially with several incidents in
the past, including the school
shootings at Columbine and
Montreal.

J.W. Wiley, the director of the
Center for Diversity, Pluralism and
Inclusion, was the consultant for the
Mountain Lake PBS Media Lab
production of "pissed-Respect: The
Impact of Bullying." The video,
which originally aired on Mountain
Lake in October 2006, will soon be
released on DVD format and
marketed to educators nationally.
"This project was a partnership about a half hour. The
with the Plattsburgh City School second part, which is an hour long,
District, which received a grant to is for educational professionals. A
make the video. I am a consultant special feature, which is also included
on the project and worked with Rich on the DVD, presents a 45-minute
Allen, the director of the media lab panel discussion by educators and
FOCUS is published eight times per
at Mountain Lake. We started administrators.
semester by the Office of Public
Relations at the State University of running with it from there," said "This project is the thing I'm most
New York College at Plattsburgh. Wiley. proud of in my career so far," said
The video will be shown on Wiley, who worked more than 250
Editor: Frances Hagen Dumenci
campus Thursday, Feb. 1, in Yokum hours in the course of a year while
Art Director: Paula Trahan '85
200 at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is the video was in production.
Assistant Editor: Gerianne Wright
welcome to attend this free showing. "Children learn about bullying
Spring 2007 FOCUS Schedule The DVD is divided into two from someone. This video provides a
Feb. 2 sections. The first part is specifically point of departure for conversation
Feb. 16 for school-aged children and runs amongst kids and adults." El
March 2
March 23
April 6
April 20 » NOTEBOOK
May 4
To submit a story idea for FOCUS,
please email [email protected]. • The Adirondack Wind Ensemble (AWE) will celebrate its fifth anniversary with a
gala concert on Sunday, Jan. 28, at 3 p.m. in the E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium,
Information for inclusion in the
Hawkins Hall. To celebrate the five-year milestone, AWE will feature its first
"Notebook" section must be
guest soloist, New York City saxophonist Paul Cohen, who will perform Ingolf
received two weeks prior to
Dahl's Concerto for Saxophone in its rarely heard original 1949 version. Tickets
publication date. (See above fall
are $10 for general admission and free for all students and are available only at
schedule for dates.)
the door on the afternoon of the performance. For more information, contact
the Music Department at 564-2180.
Institutional Advancement
Office of Public Relations
• Van safety training classes will be held on Thursday, Jan. 25, Tuesday, Feb. 13,
113 Hawkins Hall
and Thursday, Feb. 22, from 1 to 4 p.m. The classes will be held in the Service
564-2090 • 564-2094 (fax)
Building Conference Room. Those interested in participating in one of these
[email protected]
upcoming classes or for more information, contact Gina Doty at 564-5011.
[4](cid:9) FOCUS Events Calendar: http://banweb.cc.plattsburgh.edu/pls/banprd/events.focus
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PUBLISHED BY (cid:9)SUNY PLATTSBURGH RGH FOR THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY

SONY Plattsburgh to Commence
Officer Training Corps in F
CIasses
SUNY Plattsburgh will offer students members of the Reserves or National
the opportunity to participate in an Guard currently attending college,
Army Reserve Officer Training Corps students who will be juniors in fall
(ROTC) program beginning in fall 2007 and will attend Cadet Basic
2007. Camp this summer, or current ROTC
After considering similar resolutions students transferring to SUNY
from both the student and faculty Plattsburgh from another program.
senates last fall, President John Ettling The primary purpose of ROTC is
gave approval for the development to prepare college students to
of a partnership agreement between become officers in the active Army,
SUNY Plattsburgh and the Army Army National Guard or Army
ROTC program at the University of Reserves upon graduation.
Vermont. "The plan is to have an office on
In fall 2007, two courses will be campus staffed by a secretary and a
offered through the UVM Army full-time instructor assigned perma-
ROTC partnership program at SUNY nently to Plattsburgh from the UVM
Plattsburgh. A one-credit first-year host program," said Dr. David Hill,
military science course, "Introduction dean of education, health and
to ROTC and the U.S. Army," will be human services.
offered to incoming freshmen. The For more information on the
other is a third-year course, "Leadership SUNY Plattsburgh ROTC program,
and Training for Small Organizations," contact Dean Hill at 518-564-3066 or
offered to students who are either Lt. Col. Sephen Koebrich at UVM at
veterans of prior military service, 802-656-2966/5757. q
McKibben to Receive Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters
The State University, of New York! Plattsburgh hopes to instill in our March 20~6 as a guest speaker in
through its College at Plattsburgh students," said President John the Profile in ~O>~n:nait~enf
will bestow upon William McKibben Ettling. Lecture Serie
the degree of Doctor of "Given the importance of his McKibben was one of the first
Humane Letters, which will be presented message, his presence on our campus e~vironxnenta~~srs to sound the
about'
during Winter Commencement both in his writings and in his al~rm bvut global warrrling in
ember lectures, it is fitting that SUNY award his 1989 book, The !~~~~ 'o~ Nature,
~vironmentali~s t a_nd about'OvexF oP t:z lation in
er ~~~be C~tie. q „
State education Departr-
Pi n for Ac.cerQCo
The Teacher Education
Program at SUNY
Plattsburgh sent the
State Education
Department a plan for
the revision of its teacher
preparation programs
with the request for a
deferral to the deadline
for national accreditation.
The plan will give the
College until January
2010 to achieve national
accreditation for its
teacher education
program. The program is
currently seeking accreditation from The teacher education program is
What happens to all the records — the Teacher Education Accreditation currently addressing three primary
payroll, financial, accounting, Council. areas: improving program coherence;
personnel, purchasing, blue prints, "The plan we sent to the State developing and implementing an
medical, insurance, student, and Education Department outlines what assessment system; and reviewing
others — generated by the College we need to accomplish in order to program content, making sure it is
Gina Doty, the new records manag- achieve national accreditation of our not only up to date but also antici-
er in Business Affairs, is responsible ::Ï programs," said Dr. David Hill, dean pates the needs of schools in the
for developing and implementing of education, health and human future.
campus records-management services. "The outline includes Progress has included the hiring
program. proposed actions, timelines, responsi- of an assessment expert; program
"There is a policy for all SUNY bilities, budget, expected outcomes changes that have been approved
schools about record retention, and assessment." by the Faculty Senate for the
mandated timeframes about what The areas for improvement in the Childhood Education Program; and
records need to be kept and for teacher preparation programs came working on changes to the literacy
how long," said Doty. "I am drafting from concerns identified by the and special education programs as
policies and procedures for the National Council for Accreditation of well as the master's program. In
campus so that we stay in compli- Teacher Education during its visit to addition, there has been improved
ance with SUNY regulations." x . ;; campus in September 2004. communication and consultation
As part of her job, which s "We have been working on these with school districts throughout the
began in August 2006, Doty is areas for the past two years," said region.
creating a survey that will be sent Hill. "We are in the process of a "The State Education Department's
to all administrative staff members comprehensive review of all teacher approval for a deferral is an acknowl-
in February. education programs to make sure edgement that we have a good plan

"It is very important that people that they are aligned with each to improve our programs. I feel pretty
respond to the survey so I can he other in terms of having the same good about this. We're well on the
them with managing thei general goals," said Hill. "In way," said Hill. "This work will allow
records," said Doty. "Records are addition, we have designed a us to move forward with exciting
becoming very important in how comprehensive assessment system changes and improvements in our
we do business. It is really impor- that will allow us to show how well teacher education programs. The fac-
tant for us to know where they are we're preparing professional educa- ulty has been working diligently and
and how to find them. I will be tors and to recognize areas in productively on program updates —
coordinating with all departments which we should design program they have done a lot of good work
and their records." q improvements." on this."
[2](cid:9) FOCUS
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Moving forward with the new Student-Alumni Center
for Professional Development
Michael Cashman '03 G'06 has been to students reaching out to alumni — understand what the "Plattsburgh
named the coordinator of the alumni will also have the opportunity Spirit" is and how they can be
new Student-Alumni Center for to talk with fellow alumni about successful post graduation.
Professional Development. The career advice. "I am very excited to be working
one-year appointment is part of the Carolyn Delcore, director of the with Rose and Carolyn," Cashman
strategic initiative approved by Career Development Center, worked said. "I'rn just as excited to have the
President John Ettling last summer. together with Rose Anderson '95, opportunity to work with members of
Cashman's responsibilities will director of alumni affairs, to propose the SUNY Plattsburgh family —
include making connections between the center as a strategic initiative. students, faculty, staff and alumni —
current and former members of the "Promoting student awareness and in this new position because I truly
student body. use of the Center will be a priority believe this is a fantastic institution
"Students and alumni will be able in the first phase of its operation," with so many talented people."
to connect virtually via the Web," said Delcore. "Equally important will Anderson said that the Center is
said Cashman. "For example, a be efforts to solicit input from facul- the realization of one of three goals
student may be considering a certain ty regarding how best to strengthen in terms of how alumni are connected
career path, and he or she may want connections among students, faculty with the College. The three goals
to tap into the wisdom of one of our and alumni." are to engage alumni in referring
dynamic alumni in the field to get a A few goals of the new position prospective students, in career net-
better understanding of the career." include reconnecting alumni to the working on all levels, and in giving
Connections will not be confined College and helping current students to the College. q

)> FACULTY AND STAFF SHOWCASE
Dr. Gary Brannigan, professor of psychology, co-authored the article, "The Bender-
Gestalt II," which was published in the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry.
The article was commissioned by the Board of the American Orthopsychiatric
Association to honor the major research on the Bender-Gestalt Test, published in
1938, and the Bender-Gestalt II, published in 2003. In an introduction to the article,
Dr. Richard Ruth noted, "The revised test, still simple and still elegant, is affordable
(no small virtue), psychometrically sound and robust and still among the most
useful and powerful of tools for clinical psychologists, school psychologists and
neuropsychologists around the world."
Dr. Kathleen Lavoie, dean of arts and science, co-authored the book chapter,
"Preserving the Unseen as you Clean," which appeared in Cave Conservation and
Restoration (National Speleological Society, 2006).
Mark Richard, associate professor of history and Canadian studies, presented a paper
on "The K.K.K. in French-Speaking Centers of Maine in the 1920s" at the October
2006 meeting of the American Council for Québec Studies, held in Cambridge, Mass.
To supblamttistb aunr gehn.terdyu f or Faculty and Staff Showcase, please send information to news@

FOCUS [3]
IYC Painter, Sculptor Share Exhibit
writ-) Stag Art M~
The Plattsburgh State Art Museum
is pleased to present "Two Mediums,
One World," an exhibition featuring
the work of two prominent artists
from New York City.
The exhibit of paintings by
Hermine Ford and sculptures by
John Newman opens to the public
Saturday, Feb. 10, beginning at 3
p.m. with a discussion by the artists
in Yokum Hall, room 200. An
opening reception at the Burke
Gallery, Myers Fine Arts Building Hood Museum at Dartmouth
will follow. This special exhibition, • (Hanover, N.H.) and the
which will be on display through Metropolitan Museum of Art (New
April 7, is presented in collaboration York City), to name a few.
with Norte Maar. The discussion and Newman (b.1952) sculpts
reception are free and open to metaphors. Mixing metal and stone,
everyone. paper and glass with a combination
Ford (b.1939) paints patterns. of advanced technology and primal
Combining textiles of cultures, techniques, he creates personages
FOCUS is published eight times per
semester by the Office of Public mosaics of the past, she interlaces that exist as characters acting out the
Relations at the State University of her compositions with brushwork artists' unique dialogue. Newman's
New York College at Plattsburgh. and drawing inspired by topography, work can be found in many promi-
landscape, bends in a river and nent public exhibits including the
Editor: Frances Hagen Dumenci
shapes of stones. Ford's work can be Art Institute of Chicago, Los Angeles
Art Director: Paula Trahan '85
found in many prominent public County Museum of Art and the
Assistant Editor: Gerianne Wright
collections including Corcoran Whitney Museum of American Art
Spring 2007 FOCUS Schedule Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.), (New York City), among others. O
Feb. 16
March 2
March 23
April 6
April 20
May 4 » NOTEBOOK
To submit a story idea for FOCUS,
please email [email protected].
• The Institute on Quebec Studies invites you to its third annual Distinguished
Information for inclusion in the
Quebec Address on Monday, Feb. 5 at 1:30 p.m. in the Krinovitz Recital Hall,
"Notebook" section must be Hawkins Hall. Monique Gagnon-Tremblay, minister of international relations
received two weeks prior to and minister responsible for la Francophonie, will deliver the address
publication date. (See above fall
"Quebec's New International Policy: Enhancing Ties with the United States."
schedule for dates.) For more information, contact Manon Bradley at 564-2385 or
[email protected]
Institutional Advancement
Office of Public Relations • The Upward Bound Program is seeking tutor-counselors for its 2007 summer
113 Hawkins Hall
program. This position runs from June 18 to Aug. 7. Salary ranges from $1,900
564-2090 • 564-2094 (fax) to $2,200, plus room and board (contingent on funding). Applications are
[email protected] available at the Angell College Center Information Desk or at the Upward
Bound Office, 010 Hawkins Hall. First consideration will be given to applicants
received by Friday, Feb. 19. For more information, call 564-2030.
[4](cid:9) FOCUS
Events Calendar: http://banweb.cc.plattsburgh.edu/pls/banprd/events.focus
URGH FOR THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY
SUNY Plattsburgh is the first to Address, Feb. 5 (see story below).
offer students in the United States Students in the new minor
the opportunity to pursue a minor in program must complete at least one
Québec Studies through the College's three-credit French course and may
Center for the Study of Canada and complete an internship or an inde-
Institute on Québec Studies. pendent study project on Québec.
The program, which consists of 18 Dr. Mark Richard, associate
credits and courses ranging from director of the Institute, will be the
Québec politics to history of the advisor for students in the Québec
French in North American, officially Studies program.
began this semester. "This is a great opportunity for
"This is truly an exciting students who want to study Canada
announcement," said Dr. and in particular Québec," said
Christopher Kirkey, director of the Richard. "SUNY Plattsburgh, with
Institute on Québec Studies and the its proximity and ties to Québec, is
Center for the Study of Canada. the perfect institution to offer this
"We're very proud to be the first one-of-a-kind course of study. The
college or university in the nation to minor will enhance career opportu-
offer a minor in Québec studies. We nities for students, including
are pleased to offer this program to teaching, public service in state or
SUNY Plattsburgh students." Québec government or business."
The announcement of the new For more information on the
program was made during the third minor, contact the Institute on
annual Distinguished Québec Québec Studies at 564-2226.7E1
e
e Institute on Québec Studies 1:::411411
tly presented its • ennu minister since April 2003. She is(cid:9) positions in the governments of
inguls Qué responsible for developing and imple-(cid:9) •p remiers Robert Bourassa and
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Historian Don Papson
will share his exciting
discovery of the life of
a runaway slave who
died a free and
respected man in the
Adirondacks during a
presentation on
Saturday, Feb. 17, at
11 a.m.
His talk,
"Discovering the Story
of John Thomas: From
Slavery in Maryland to
American Citizenship in the Thomas' great-great grandsons living
Adirondacks," will be held in the in the Adirondacks. Until that time,
Feinberg Library's Special Collections these men had known nothing about
(lower level). their great-great grandfather.
SUNY Plattsburgh will sponsor a The presentation is free and open The story of John Thomas has
"Stop the Hate" Training Program to the public, however reservations changed the lives of his descendants.
Tuesday - Thursday, March 20 - 22. are requested. Coffee and refresh- It has made the Underground Railroad
This will be an opportunity for ments will be served. Contact Debra of the 19th century relevant to the
college students, faculty and staff Kimok, Special Collections librarian, 21st. And it has rewritten history.
to learn innovative tools to take at 564-5206 or debra.kimok@platts In conjunction with this
action on hate crimes and burgh.edu presentation, an exhibit about the
bias-motivated violence issues. Papson's research began one day Underground Railroad has been
"This training will be rewarding at Special Collections when he installed in Feinberg Library's second
to anyone interested in improving found an 1872 letter sent by John floor display case. The narrative and
the campus environment," said Thomas to his benefactor and New much of the material in this exhibit
Ashley Burczak, coordinator of the York's wealthiest abolitionist, Gerrit was donated by Papson.
Violence Prevention Project. Smith. Smith had circumvented Papson combines his training as an
Participants in the training the state's discriminatory voting educator and his interests in historical
program, receive a hate crime qualifications law in 1846 by offer- research and creative writing to
prevention training manual, skills ing parcels of his vast land holdings compose essays, lectures, historical
and information to teach to 3,000 Black men so they could readings and plays to reveal the
students, faculty and staff on qualify to vote. hidden stories of our history. HO has
anti-hate initiatives and suggested Until Papson discovered John presented lectures on the abolition of
approaches to respond to hate Thomas' letter and investigated its slavery in New York, African
crimes and bias-motivated inci- contents, historians believed that Americans in the Battle of Plattsburgh
dents. They will also learn about Smith had never given any land to and the American Revolution,
hate crime legislation, expert fugitive slaves. However, this letter Mohawks in the Civil War and the
resources and access to current hate revealed that Thomas accepted 40 Underground Railroad. He is President
crime issues and materials as well acres in Franklin County, and by of the North Country Underground
as ongoing resources and support. 1872, he was the proud owner of Railroad Historical Association.
For more information or to 200 acres. He and his wife, Vivian Papson,
register, visit www.stophate.org or After a year of searching obituaries, (pictured above) recently participated
contact the Violence Prevention land deeds, census records, cemeter- in the Profiles in Commitment
Project at 564-4028. Please note ies, archives and Civil War records, Lecture Series at the College. They
that the early bird registration Papson made the most amazing dis- spoke about what serving the
deadline is Monday, Feb. 19. q covery of all - he found two of community means to them. q
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