Month: March 2019

Safe and Sound at SUNY Ulster

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A very light washed out background is shown with a rope hanging in the foreground. The rope has three locks hooked to it. Two are smaller square locks and one is larger heart shaped lock closer to the camera than the other smaller locks.
Ulster County and Public Safety logos on display with text that reads Working Together for a Better Community to the left is a ulster county sheriffs badge and to the right of the slogan is the ulster county school seal.

The Public Safety department is much more involved in your college experience than you may think, as they protect campus every minute of every day. We may only get the chance to hear from them when we get parking passes, I.D. cards, and RAVE alerts, but they work hard to keep SUNY Ulster a safe learning environment for everyone in our community. Taking swift action that keeps us comfortable on campus is their strong suit, and they’re well equipped to handle a wide variety of situations.

So Safe You Don’t Even Think About It

The Public Safety department ‘practically manages a small village’ on campus to keep our students and staff safe on a daily basis. Officers are here and constantly vigilant 24/7, regularly patrolling the grounds to ensure that the college is secure at all times. There are NY state sheriffs on campus daily that patrol the grounds and always stop by the Public Safety department where they have a satellite office. There’s even a seasonal bike patrol present to promote added surveillance and safety in the Summer and Spring.

A yellow box with the words "CALLBOX, 1. Press & Hold button to talk 2. Begin speaking after the beep 3. release button to listen, REC." with two black arrows pointing to a red button in the lower middle of the box.
Hasbrouck Hall call box located just outside Public Safety Office
A pole stands in front of a brick building with tree branches creeping into the corner of the shot. The pole holds a light on top, followed down the pole by a blue box labeled EMERGENCY CALL BOX, followed down the pole by a silver box with a small speaker and a button to talk. There is a bit of sidewalk and grass shown on the ground.
Outdoor call box located near Lot B, outside Hardenburgh building

There are abundant resources available to you if you need them, some you may not even know about! One safety feature that may seem like part of the furniture are the outdoor blue call boxes scattered all around campus with a light on top. There are also bright yellow call boxes indoors all throughout the campus. They are pretty important; they’re call boxes that connect the user directly to a peace officer. They are guaranteed to get your message as it not only goes to the office, but also the officer’s radio and cell phone. If you wanted an escort to your car on a dark night, just pick up one of these phones and hit the button. One of the officers is happy to meet you where you are on campus to make sure you and your car can get on your way safely.

Our Peace Officers Have Your Back

Ever forgotten to turn off your headlights? Don’t kick yourself too hard. If your car is parked on campus, just call Public Safety, they will come to your rescue with a battery starter. The security staff on campus are plentiful and well trained across the board of safety. Whether the situation is big or small.

Surveillance is always present to keep college community members and all their belongings in the building safe. New cameras were recently added to additional areas on campus such as in the cafeteria and in the parking lots. More cameras are set to be installed in the elevators and other spots very soon.

A cork board background is filled with patches that depict various badges. There are police badges, medical personnel badges, fire safety, terrorist training, military and public safety badges all hanging on the board. They are plentiful and colorful and not able to be read for the most part.
The various badges of police, fire, and medical personnel that have worked as a Public Safety officer at SUNY Ulster are proudly displayed on Chief Freer’s office wall.

They rely on us just as we rely on them; if someone sticks out as suspicious on campus or seems to be agitated, don’t hesitate to call public safety! Though you might feel uncomfortable by someone’s presence or behavior, this is exactly what our security staff are trained for. They want to make sure everyone stays safe and sound using their various medical, fire, and police force training. There is never any harm in getting an officer to talk to another person if they make you feel uncomfortable. Your name and information can always be kept anonymous, everyone deserves to feel safe in their home for learning.

Trained for Everything, Ready for Anything

Currently, we have twenty-three officers and all but two of them are known as peace officers. What this means is that they have more power and potential to keep things cool on campus. While they rarely use it, they have powers of arrest and to order mental evaluation. They are also trained, certified, and qualified to carry weapons as armed guards.

Almost all of these professionals have a long history in law enforcement work and safety training. Most officers also have experience in high school and college towns before they are hired to make sure they are the most apt for the job.

A round badge is shown with a ring labeled "NEW YORK STATE ULSTER COUNTY" with a star in the center. In the middle of the star is a the SUNY Ulster seal and a denotation of a peace officer.
Chief Freer’s Peace Officer badge, similar to the ones carried by all peace officers at SUNY Ulster

Chief Wayne Freer is our man in charge; he has had over thirty-five years of law enforcement experience. He is both the director of public safety and the chief of law enforcement. He has been with us at SUNY Ulster for seven years, fostering wonderfully low crime rates on campus. He and his staff have their eyes and ears peeled to all the crime and emergencies locally.


Always In The Background

I bet you didn’t know that the public safety team are involved in every campus event you’ve ever attended. These folks make sure that everything is up to code for public events and ensure that everything is accessible by wheelchair.

Also, behind every door lock and key is one of Chief Freer’s team.
These men and woman are responsible for making all keys and lock cylinders themselves. They use a press tool to cut keys
and make inner locks so that they are all perfect fits.

So next time you see one of our safety personnel in uniform, make sure to think about just how involved they are in your college experience. They’re here to help whether we realize it or not. If you see something suspicious or just have a question; give them a ring and set your mind at ease because no matter what the situation these folks are more than ready to handle it and answer all your questions.

A close up on a computer sceen that says the word Security

SUNY Ulster Nursing Students and Alumni Study Abroad in Durban, South Africa

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SUNY Ulster students and alumni pose with members of a South African village

From March 9-17, 2019, a group of nine SUNY Ulster nursing students and alumni traveled to Durban, South Africa with Dr. Ellen Tangney, Associate Professor of Nursing, for a study abroad opportunity. While they were there, they visited fellow COIL collaborating students at Durban University of Technology (DUT), traveled to nearby health clinics, met traditional village healers, and visited a few of the local attractions!

SUNY Ulster students and alumni with Auntie Connie and Elliot Makhathini
SUNY Ulster nursing students and alumni meet Auntie Connie and DUT Nursing Professor Elliot Mqansa Makhathini at DUT Pietermaritzburg campus.
Students and alumni at a South African radio station
The group participates in a radio talk show with host Ingelosi Engenamaphiko, discussing the integration of traditional healers in western medicine.
SUNY Ulster students and alumni participating in a Zulu dance
The travelers are entertained and educated on Zulu dance.
Dr. Dudu Sokhela, DUT, Dr. Ellen Tangney, SUNY Ulster, Professor Elliott Makhathini, DUT, and SUNY Ulster Nursing Student Chelsea VanKleeck outside a clinic
Dr. Dudu Sokhela, DUT, Dr. Ellen Tangney, SUNY Ulster, Professor Elliott Makhathini, DUT, and SUNY Ulster Nursing Student Chelsea VanKleeck outside Cato Ridge rural clinic.
Students and alumni hand out bags at a South African clinic
SUNY Ulster students and alumni at a South African clinic. People walk 2-3 hours to arrive at this clinic, which has a western medical doctor, nursing, homeopathy, and chiropractic services.
Students and alumni pose in front of Cato Ridge in South Africa
SUNY Ulster travelers at Cato Ridge, South Africa.
Students and alumni eating dinner at their bed and breakfast
The group prepared and enjoyed an African-style beef stew with the assistance of Lillian, the B&B cook.
Students, alumni, and Durban locals in front of the Nelson Mandela capture site
The travelers visit the Nelson Mandela capture site in Howick, South Africa.
Students, alumni, and Durban locals at a picnic table by the Indian Ocean
SUNY Ulster students and alumni join Durban friends for an evening meal by the Indian Ocean.
Students and alumni in front of sea creatures at the Ushaka Marine aquarium
Before leaving for home, the travelers visit Durban’s Ushaka Marine.
Students and alumni pose on airplane steps
The group heads back home!

4 Tips to Power Through Textbook Reading

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Three walls of books are shown leading up to a bright invisible sky, the book shelves are slightly covered by clouds and books protruding from the sky. It gives the viewer a feeling of standing in a library nook and looking up to see the heavens.

For most students, getting through that weekly textbook reading can be a real challenge. Believe it or not, there are a few ways to make that nonfiction assignment easier. Learning the ways to power through reading that can feel daunting or impossible is a great skill, a skill that is bound to follow you through life wherever you may need it, for another degree or just a relaxed educational reading session. Here are some tips to boost your GPA through the roof with the power of effective studying.

A teal hard covered book is laying with the pages open on a table, as if someone was reading, pictured with two pages folded up and together toward the seam that looks like a heart. The backdrop is a bold yellow.

#1. Start Your Engines, Prepare to Learn

When sitting down with your book make sure you are ready to learn. You should have a writing tool and some note paper. No one that I’ve ever heard of was sorry that they took too many notes. You want to be ready to learn, but you also don’t want to dive in headfirst. Ease your way into submersion. Preview the topic and material you intend to research. Read the front cover, back cover, the preface, the inner flaps, boldfaced prints, pictures, and diagrams so you are aware of what you’re supposed to learn. You should gather a clear picture of what the text is about, if not, predict what you will be learning. Write your ideas down and see if your initial feeling is right later.

According to Live Your Legend this step is “akin to warming up before a big game.” You wouldn’t hit the field without a good warm up. Why then would you skip these equivalent steps for a research project? Being prepared when you start your research can help you perform better, just like a good stretch! Take the time to prep your brain and your grades will thank you.

#2. Use The Author’s Organization to Understand

Start off by separating the facts from opinion in the text as you read. Remembering that facts are only the stuff that you can prove, opinions just tend to float around and cannot be proven. Finding the facts is a good practice because that’ll likely be where the answers you seek are living.

Four cartoon looking textbooks are shown with various colors and objects on the cover. One shows a math equation, one an atom, one a microscope and the other a simple pattern. No words are visible anywhere.

Next, look at the way the author presents the material, it may be pretty informative. The order of events can vary as well as the style it’s put together in. In biographies and autobiographies, events are usually in chronological order. Other pieces may have an arrangement that is centered around the main idea (a.k.a. the topic you need to learn). If you can pick up on the organization and utilize it, you can predict what will come next. Pick up on the arrangement of info and where the important bits are, what the point is, and what to study for the big test!

#3. Stop, Drop, Summarize

After each section you read you should stop and put the book down for a minute to summarize the main point(s). This not only keeps you from falling asleep from reading the same book for a while, it also sticks that information you just read, but almost forgot, down in your mind.

A portion of a dark table top is pictured with sticky notes, flashcards, highlighters, markers, pencils and pens scattered across it. The office supplies are very brightly colored. There is also a roll of tape and a small compass in the picture.

Another sweet tip: if you create questions to summarize by and put your answers on the other side, it makes the most amazing study flashcards later on. The most bang for your study bucks, I like to say. I don’t know about you, but I like to remember what I read the first time and not have to search the whole book or chapter for answers down the road.

#4. Ask Questions & Analyze Your Work

Two cartoon heads look at each other, the space where their brains should be are filled with a white space. One head has a light bulb in the space and light bulbs rising from the head. The other head has a question mark in the space and more question marks rising up from his head. They could be having a fascinating conversation about reading a textbook.

Go big or go home, right? So finish strong by reaching for that notebook you have nearby and jotting down some thoughts. ASK QUESTIONS! Get those thinking muscles warmed up and actually ponder a little bit about what you just read. Check and see if those initial topic predictions we covered in Step 1 were right. One of my favorite things to do is to go discuss what I just learned with someone and have a good conversation about the subject. They can help provide some questions that might make you want to hop back into reading that book.

This is the ultimate adhesive to your brain for study material. The bread to your test’s butter. One of the more important steps, I assure you.

When you move on to the next section, read and repeat steps 3 & 4. You won’t get lost in timelines and jargon if you understand the chain of events, organization, and topic.

Good Luck!

If things between you and the textbook start to get hairy, take a breather. I’m not suggesting getting lost down the rabbit hole of social media. I am suggesting that you take less than five minutes to relax your mind and refresh your perspective. Get out of your chair, stretch your arms and legs, breath in and out deeply. If you’re not ready to jump back in, try taking a short walk or tidying up the house a bit by completing a chore. Your mood tends to improve with such activities and enables you to jump back into the ring with that textbook and win with a knockout.

Being a student and having to study informational material is not always the most fun thing you have to do, but skirting around the knowledge by only skimming texts will ultimately not benefit you. It might only waste your time, honestly. If you really learn the material, you can’t go wrong.

A cartoon looking man is shown wearing a graduation cap and gown. He points to a piece of paper that looks like a diploma with his left hand and points to a phone with the other. Around his is circle that has various objects surrounding the man. There is a pen, a tablet with a pencil, another phone with headphones and a small pile of books that will encompass a lot of reading. The background is bright teal and a portion of an atom is shown in one corner, a portion of a gear set is pictured in the opposite bottom left corner.

How Joining Clubs In College is Good For Your Career

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Several young people are gathered around a table and appear to be studying. they sit next to a window, no faces are visible.

Those clubs you see posters for all around campus could really help you boost your own success!

Get to Know Your Fellow Students

Meeting new people during your studies could lead to success-promoting network connections later on in life. Plus, everyone needs study buddies! Clubs are quite an effective way to make new friends, making the jump to college an easier one. A club meeting typically has a fun atmosphere where people are happy to chat about upcoming events or club motivations.

Three young women stand bowed over a table that has a dog sitting on top being held by the middle woman. The table is decorated and filled with veterinary information. Behind them is a hallway of windows with many people seated in front of them.
SUNY Ulster Vet Tech Club members represent their club at a college activities fair.

You could find out about a life changing experience to take part in by merely mentioning your interests to the right person or being vigilant about posters for meetings and events. Almost all colleges have a long list of special programs that you should explore. Clubs also tend to work with the community outside the college a little more than your classes will. Meet everyone you can, and make the most out of your college experience. The more people you know the merrier, especially for students intending to become successful entrepreneurs. The importance of networking is undeniable in most career fields. Joining clubs in college is a lot like getting a head-start on building those business connections.

Your Ticket to Less Stress

You won’t need that spa day this semester! Another reason that clubs will boost your overall success is that they can be a major stress reliever. While course work can cause you to feel pressure or tension, going to a club meeting after class is like a getaway, a place to talk to people in the same situation (and maybe even classes) as you. No pressure of academia to be found, just friends willing to get involved in projects based on something you both care about.

Gold for Your Resume

The more impressive material you have to present to someone you want to work for, the better. Volunteering and having extracurricular commitments are always a pleasant surprise for a potential employer. This may be one of the easiest opportunities you have to boost your resume.

Remember while you’re busy with all your class work that volunteering and campus involvement are great factors for a resume. Clubs are a prime opportunity to get involved in those activities. You’re unlikely to regret making new friends or becoming part of something greater than yourself. One of the most important things to do when attending college is to enjoy yourself and the experience along the way as much as you can. Do yourself a favor and join a club or start your own, and let me know, I might want to join!

a blue background with three resumes pictures, no type is visible