From the day Alberto Cardelle arrived as the president of SUNY Oneonta, he has stated that he wants the university to be not just in Oneonta but to be a university of Oneonta.
Recognizing that the local community and the university are inextricably linked, one of the goals of the university’s new strategic plan is for “SUNY Oneonta to become a premier anchor institution that engages with regional entities to enhance local economic vibrancy and actively contribute to the region’s identity as a thriving cultural hub.”
A recent step toward that goal was the creation of the position of director of community affairs and government relations as a member of the president’s cabinet. I asked Caroline Williams, the first person to fill that position, if she would meet with me for coffee at the Starbucks on campus to tell me more about how she sees her role in helping the college to enhance local economic vibrancy and to contribute to the region’s identity as a thriving cultural hub.
“I see my role,” Williams described, “as creating a better connection with campus resources while also making faculty aware of opportunities to do work rooted in the community.” As for examples of opportunities for student involvement, she cited projects involving cultural arts, business, streetscapes, sustainability, environmental science and sports, to name a few. “We are not an island and the county is not either. It is important that we interact and I think there are ways. The university can do more,” William continued, “and I look to my role to facilitate that.”
One of the first community outreach projects Williams cited was the new Extended and Community Learning Center on Dietz Street in downtown Oneonta. It provides opportunities for community members to enroll in either non-credit, credit, or certification trainings. “From a five-hour course for a driver’s license to a full phlebotomy certification;” Williams explained, “many are free, some are virtual and some are in-person.” And she added that local non-profits can reserve the center’s conference room for board meetings and more.
Another project we discussed is the Regional Innovation Council — a collaboration among SUNY Oneonta, local healthcare institutions, businesses, human service agencies, non-profits and public officials. Current participants, which include Bassett, Springbrook, ARC and Pathfinder Village, are working with the university to better prepare students for careers in health services.
I pointed out to Williams that many in the community are not aware of the ways in which the university can help. “I think,” she replied, “that is a huge part of my role.” When I asked If she could provide some examples, Williams suggested projects and activities “that you are thinking about but don’t have the human capital or enough information. We could probably work on helping you to figure out how to get some students’ help or to figure out how to connect a class.” “Or”, she added, “how there might be some potential for research or data that could help in making a decision. We also have a grants team that might be able to help non-profits, businesses, or municipalities.”
“It is hard,” Williams continued, “to know these connections if we don’t know what you’re looking for. If you have a project in mind, we should have a discussion about it. If we are not the ones who can directly help, we may know of someone who can.”
Williams said she sees the potential of being able to help with some of our community’s most complex challenges which include housing, economic development, tourism and job training. “We can help municipalities with planning and to research funding for them,” Williams said, “and we can help developers with research, data, and trends. If anyone wants to get a hold of us — if they think there is a way that the university could be helpful — they shouldn’t hesitate to reach out and at least have a conversation with us. We will try and help in any way we can. Sometimes it is possible and sometimes it is not but if you don’t ask, the answer is always no.”