October 1, 2015
More than just a season has changed on campus
Last week, summer turned to fall. However, more than just a season has changed at the University. Together, we have embraced changes in leadership and operations to make Adelphi an even better place to work and learn. We are also engaged in many conversations about our future as a modern, metropolitan university.
 
While many changes were those we had planned for, such as the addition of Rajib N. Sanyal, Ph.D., as dean of our Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, others were unanticipated, including  the delay in the opening of our Nexus Building and Welcome Center, planned for this fall, but now scheduled for March of 2016.   
 
We have also experienced change in the level of support we receive from our alumni. Thank you to everyone who helped Adelphi achieve a record 10.1 percent in annual giving by alumni. It is gratifying to see such generous support and to know that #PantherPride is growing. A special thank-you to alumni employees who were instrumental in helping us meet this goal. Your investment in our students means so much!
 
We have even changed how we show our Panther Pride by embracing #AUWearItWednesdays when we come together as a community and display our school spirit by sporting our school colors of brown and gold or by wearing Adelphi gear each week.  An effort that began as the idea of a few students has caught on so widely that you can even find themed Panther and Adelphi items, such as cookies, in our cafeterias.
 
For this month's newsletter, I thought I would share a few more initiatives you might not be aware of and spotlight the agents of change that are driving these innovations.   
 
As we are moving into the final 30 days of the 100-Day Listening Tour, please continue to provide your feedback  on both areas of opportunity and the challenges you see that we must consider as we lay the foundation for our next strategic plan. 
 
Your ideas and actions are already helping to positively shape Adelphi's future.
 
All the best,
 
Chris

CAMPUS UPDATE
New Policies and Apps

The goal of making Adelphi a terrific place to work and learn emerged as a priority in my early discovery meetings with campus stakeholders. A cornerstone of that effort is to ensure that we operate transparently and respectfully. Toward that end, we have updated our smoking policy and anti-discrimination, harassment (including sexual misconduct) and retaliation policy . A new whistle-blower policy includes specific provisions for the anonymous reporting of concerns of fiscal or operational misconduct.
 
On the tech front, we recently rolled out two terrific AU mobile apps: AU2GO and Adelphi NOW. Both keep Adelphi at the forefront of mobile app-based support and information. They are must-haves for your smart devices, as they keep you updated on everything from courses and Adelphi Gmail to social media and upcoming events.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
They Have What It Takes to Help Children in Need

Child welfare work can be immensely rewarding, but succeeding at it requires exceptional commitment and fortitude. That is one reason that New York State recently created its BSW Scholarship Program, which recruits and trains promising undergraduate social work students for careers in child welfare. Two of the six students chosen for the 2015 program were from Adelphi. Daniela Vallebuona and Shereese Garbutt, two B.S.W. students in Adelphi's School of Social Work program in Manhattan, have proven that they have what it takes to make a career in this vital field. 
FACULTY UPDATE
Neuroscience Offers Insights Into Why We Trust Our Friends
 
Neuroscience is a burgeoning field, and Adelphi is poised to take advantage of the recent explosion in research and opportunities within it. The Gordon F. Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences are teaming up to offer a joint undergraduate neuroscience major. Dominic Fareri, Ph.D., a new assistant professor in the Derner Institute, will be teaching in the new program. Recently, Dr. Fareri and some colleagues gained significant media attention for a study that used cognitive neuroscience to understand why we are so loyal to our friends. Using a trust game, Dr. Fareri and fellow researchers showed our tendency to trust our friends has a neurological basis--our desire for social rewards. The study, written up in The Journal of Neuroscience, has been covered by Forbes and other publications.
 
Learn more. 
AU IN THE NEWS
During September, more than 140 media stories mentioning Adelphi appeared in the
Christopher Saucedo's "World Trade Center as a Cloud, No. 4."
top 100 national media outlets, with nearly 450 stories appearing in the press in total. These stories focused on the success, innovation and expertise of Adelphi's students, faculty, staff and alumni. A roundup of media coverage is added to our website each week so you can learn more about the accomplishments and accolades of your fellow Panthers. Below are two examples of last month's coverage as well as an update on our recent U.S. News & World Report recognition.

On September 11,  NPR's Morning Edition aired a moving interview with Associate Professor Christopher Saucedo, who spoke about losing his brother on 9/11 and the art he has created in response to the tragedy as well as his brushes with other disasters, including hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. His work is on display at the U.S. District Court in East Brooklyn through mid-November.
 
Senior Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Les Baltimore, Ph.D., shared his expertise in USA TODAY on 15 actions to take for a successful school year.
 
U.S. News & World Report released its 2016 Best Colleges list, ranking Adelphi No. 153. The increase in our annual giving rate should have a favorable effect on our rankings in the year ahead.
 
To stay updated on Adelphi in the news, follow us on Twitter @AdelphiUMedia. 
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
Institute for Parenting Awarded $1.25 Million Grant for a 
Cutting-Edge Infant Mental Health Program 

Evidence is mounting that healthy infant social-emotional development is key to success later in life. That is one reason that the U.S. Department of Education initiated a grant program to support programs that train professionals to serve children with special needs. Through the program, Adelphi's Institute for Parenting secured $1.25 million over five years to launch its Infant Mental Health and Developmental Practice (IMH-DP) project. The program, which is open to graduate students in school psychology, mental health counseling, social work  and speech-language pathology, will change the way professionals are prepared to address pressing needs. The grant is a validation of Adelphi's strengths in the health sciences and our long record of preparing mental health professionals. Please join me in congratulating Marcy Safyer, Ph.D., director of our Institute for Parenting, for her leadership on this important issue. 
EVENTS UPDATE 

At Adelphi, you are challenged to change the way you see the world as well as yourself through our public lectures and cultural events. This fall, we have an impressive lineup. Two of our premier lectures are listed below. I look forward to seeing you at these and at the many other events taking place on campus this year.
 
Tim Gunn, best-selling author and co-producer of Lifetime's Project Runway, offers "Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making it Work" on Wednesday, October 21, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. As part of the lecture, Gunn will share his experience leading change.

James McBride, author of the Adelphi Community Reads book The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother, speaks on Wednesday, October 28, 2015, at 7:00 p.m., as part of the Racial Justice Matters initiative. Through personal narrative and award-winning fiction, McBride invites us to examine issues of racial bias and identity.

Also, check out AUPAC's exciting fall schedule.