Introduction

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Welcome to SUNY Cortland. As the tenth president of the College, I am proud of this fine institution and its place within the State University of New York system.

SUNY Cortland has compiled an impressive record of accomplishment and is poised for even greater achievements. In particular, I am excited that teaching remains the central function of SUNY Cortland and that excellence in teaching continues to be its primary goal. I am also proud that the College is a place where faculty members are teacher-scholars who recognize and appreciate how scholarship and teaching can inform the learning process. Further, as a SUNY institution, the College shares SUNY's commitment to excellence and access, providing a quality education to many citizens who never could have afforded it otherwise.

Throughout the years, SUNY Cortland has met the needs of students of varying abilities and backgrounds, providing them with the opportunity and tools to meet educational, career and life objectives. Many of our more than 56,000 alumni are first-generation college graduates, and they occupy positions that run the gamut from teacher to performing artist to politician to stockbroker. Still, these alumni share common bonds, such as the lifetime friendships they developed on campus, and the faculty, staff members and coaches who motivated them to achieve more than they thought was possible. Frequently, too, SUNY Cortland students and graduates understand their responsibility to their communities and play an active service role in those communities.

Virtually any institution of higher education is capable of producing literate graduates who have mastered fundamental skills and knowledge. At SUNY Cortland, we strive for more: To produce graduates who can make a difference in an ever-changing world. As you review this catalog, take note of the qualities we emphasize in our programs, including: a solid knowledge base; writing, reading, and speaking skills; problem solving and critical thinking; effective interpersonal communication; and the intelligent use of technology.

We also seek to develop these qualities within the context of challenges facing our world, such as the preservation of our environment; the appreciation of diversity and of art, music and theater; an understanding of history; the roots of prejudice; and the power of science and technology. In this way, we strive to prepare our students to apply what they know for the betterment of society, for "the common good."

Once more, welcome, and I hope this represents the beginning of a productive and lasting relationship between you and the College.

Erik J. Bitterbaum
President

Recommended by the SUNY Cortland Faculty Senate on April 7, 1998, and approved by the president of the College, April 9, 1998.

Making a Difference: Educating for the Common Good

State University of New York College at Cortland is one of 13 four-year colleges in the SUNY system. We share important academic goals with our sister institutions and are especially proud of our distinctive strengths, strong majors and a history of more than 135 years of teacher education. Today, SUNY Cortland is a comprehensive college of arts and sciences offering undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts and a variety of professional fields. We are committed to excellence in teaching, scholarship, research and service to the community. Quality teaching has been the highest priority since our founding in 1868. We are committed to a comprehensive curriculum, building on our traditional strengths in teacher education and physical education and enhancing our high-quality programs in the arts, humanities and sciences.

Our students gain skills, knowledge and conceptual understanding in their discipline; furthermore, they grow intellectually and acquire fundamental life skills and values. Among these are a desire to learn, an ability to think critically, an awareness of the excitement of discovery, an appreciation of diversity, and a respect for physical and emotional well-being. Our students are immersed in a broad-based general education program, develop oral and written communication skills and acquire an aesthetic sensibility. All students have opportunities to develop and utilize technology in their studies while also assessing the impact of technology on individuals and society.

SUNY Cortland fosters personal excellence and seeks to develop students who are independent learners living enriched lives. Additionally, we focus on helping students become good citizens with a strong social conscience and an appreciation of the environment and diverse intellectual and cultural heritages. We strive to instill within students a sense of responsibility, an eagerness to make a difference in their community and an awareness of the important positive role they must play in an increasingly global society. The SUNY Cortland faculty, staff and administration, together with dedicated alumni, all work toward preparing our graduates to make a difference in the lives of others.

Statement recommended by the SUNY Cortland Faculty Senate and approved, after editing, by the president of the College, March 29, 1993.

The College and Cultural Diversity

State University of New York College at Cortland is dedicated to the affirmation and promotion of diversity in its broadest sense. The mission of the College requires that people of every background be able to study and work here with an expectation of respectful treatment.

The College seeks to establish standards of behavior that honor the dignity and worth of individuals regardless of gender, ethnicity, race, age, physical or mental abilities, religious beliefs, sexual and affectional orientation, or socioeconomic class.

A major goal for Cortland is to develop and maintain an atmosphere that supports learning about prejudice and discrimination so that the College community can strive to reduce it not only on campus but wherever it is encountered.

While open debate on diversity issues can often make discordant viewpoints more highly visible, the College recognizes the need for individuals to become educated about the effects of personal biases within an atmosphere of safety and respect.

An environment where it is safe to explore differences enables everyone to make more progress toward a campus community that celebrates, rather than simply tolerates, the richness inherent in the pluralism of the College.

All major programs of study at SUNY Cortland establish specific learning objectives for their students. On April 30, 1996, the College's Faculty Senate endorsed the All-College Student Learning Goal, a statement of desired learning outcomes for all who graduate from the College. This goal is stated as follows: A major expectation for all SUNY Cortland students at the point of graduation is that they possess the skills necessary to gather relevant information, evaluate it critically, and communicate it effectively to an audience in written and oral forms.

SUNY Cortland is committed to an ongoing assessment of its programs and services. Outcomes assessment offers a means of ascertaining the nature of our students' experiences as learners and as part of the College community. At the same time, students become more aware of the stages in the learning process through the reflection that assessment encourages. SUNY Cortland's assessment program helps students see their college experience in a larger context and take greater responsibility for their own education.

Assessment is closely tied to program enhancement, planning, and faculty and staff development. As faculty and staff members articulate their goals and reflect on the effects of their work, they discover new possibilities for meeting their own expectations and their students' needs.

SUNY Cortland views assessment as a shared responsibility. Faculty, students and staff are expected to participate in a variety of assessment activities, both in and out of class. The College's administration actively supports assessment by providing resources and recognizing faculty and staff efforts as significant service to the College. Our collective effort allows us to monitor ourselves in order to benefit students and to produce a satisfying college experience of high quality.

In an effort to obtain the fullest possible picture of their strengths and weaknesses, programs and units use multiple methods of evaluation, many of which are embedded in course work and program activities. Educational outcomes measures, portfolios, alumni and student opinion surveys, exit interviews, discipline-specific content tests, and course-teacher evaluations are among the most commonly-used approaches.

We see assessment as a dynamic process that provides all areas of the College with valuable information about how well we are accomplishing our objectives as an educational institution. Through outcomes assessment activities and what we learn from them, the College continually seeks to improve the quality of its offerings.

State University of New York College at Cortland traces its beginnings to 1868 and offers programs leading to the award of bachelor's and master's degrees both in the arts and sciences and in professional studies.

SUNY Cortland is a moderate-sized institution with approximately 6,000 undergraduate students and 1,300 graduate students. State assisted, Cortland is a charter member of the State University of New York. The College now has more than 56,000 living alumni, and Cortland graduates can be found in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 40 foreign countries.

The campus is located in Cortland, a small city in the geographic center of New York State adjacent to the Finger Lakes and within an hour's drive of Syracuse, Ithaca and Binghamton.

The College campus covers 191 acres located within walking distance of the City of Cortland's business district.

The main campus is divided into three distinct areas. Most of the classroom buildings, the Memorial Library, the Miller Building, Brockway Hall and Cheney and DeGroat residence halls are found on the upper campus. The remaining residence halls, Neubig Hall and Corey Union are at the center of the campus. Studio West, Park Center, Lusk Field House, the Stadium Complex, athletic fields and tracks are located on the lower campus.

A shuttle bus service is operated between the lower and upper campuses when classes are in session.

Dean's Office
Old Main, Room 124
(607) 753-4312
www.cortland.edu/artsandsciences/

Administrators

Mark Prus, dean; Jerome O'Callaghan, associate dean; Linda Simmons, staff assistant to the deans

Role of the Dean

The dean oversees all the activities of the academic departments and interdisciplinary centers in the School of Arts and Sciences. The school consists of 18 departments distributed among the divisions of fine arts and humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences and mathematics.

The School of Arts and Sciences also includes adolescence teacher education programs in English, foreign languages, mathematics, natural sciences and social studies. The adolescence teacher education programs are housed in the appropriate academic departments. The dean is responsible for overall supervision of the school and specifically for curriculum, program development, budget and personnel.

The dean's office is staffed by two secretaries, one for the dean and one for the associate dean, as well as by a staff assistant and student assistants.

Role of the Associate Dean

The associate dean assists the dean in the management of the school. This includes addressing student issues such as academic policy interpretation and clarification, withdrawals and leaves of absence from the College, academic probation, suspension, dismissal, reinstatement and readmission, including contracts. The associate dean approves course overloads and serves as the dean's curricular representative at the school and college level. The associate dean also is the director of the Individualized Degree Program.

Role of the Staff Assistant to the Deans

The staff assistant to the deans reviews and evaluates transcripts for undergraduate students, including returning students, transfer students and second bachelor's degree students. The staff assistant also reviews requests for transfer credit and assists the dean and associate dean as necessary.

Dean's Office
Cornish Hall, Room D-206
(607) 753-5430
www.cortland.edu/education/

Administrators

Edward Caffarella, dean; Marley S. Barduhn, associate dean; Linda Simmons, staff assistant to the deans

Role of the Dean

The dean oversees all the activities of the academic departments and units within the School of Education. The school consists of four academic departments and several special programs. The dean is responsible for overall supervision of the school and for curriculum, program development, budget and personnel. The dean of education is also the teacher certification officer for the College. The dean's office is staffed by two secretaries, one for the dean and one for the associate dean, as well as by a staff assistant and student assistants.

Role of the Associate Dean

The associate dean assists the dean in the management of the school. This includes addressing student issues such as academic policy interpretation and clarification, withdrawals and leaves of absence from the College, academic probation, suspension, dismissal, reinstatement and readmission, including contracts. The associate dean approves course overloads and serves as the dean's curricular representative at the school and college level. The associate dean is also the director of the Migrant Education Outreach Program.

Role of the Staff Assistant to the Deans

The staff assistant to the deans reviews and evaluates transcripts for undergraduate students including returning students, transfer students and second bachelor's degree students. The staff assistant also reviews requests for transfer credit and assists the dean and associate dean as necessary.

Dean's Office
Studio West, Room B-1
(607) 753-2701
www.cortland.edu/professionalstudies/

Administrators

Roy H. Olsson Jr., dean; Raymond Goldberg, associate dean; Linda Simmons, staff assistant to the deans

Role of the Dean

The dean oversees all the activities of the academic departments within the School of Professional Studies. The school consists of six academic departments.

The dean is responsible for overall supervision of the school and for curriculum, program development, budget and personnel.

The dean's office is staffed by two secretaries, one for the dean and one for the associate dean, as well as by a staff assistant and student assistants.

Role of the Associate Dean

The associate dean assists the dean in the management of the school. This includes addressing student issues such as academic policy interpretation and clarification, withdrawals and leaves of absence from the College, academic probation, suspension, dismissal, reinstatement and readmission, including contracts. The associate dean approves course overloads and serves as the dean's curricular representative at the school and college level.

Role of the Staff Assistant to the Deans

The staff assistant to the deans reviews and evaluates transcripts for undergraduate students including returning students, transfer students and second bachelor's degree students. The staff assistant also reviews requests for transfer credit and assists the dean and associate dean as necessary.

Division of Academic Affairs
Miller Building, Room 408
(607) 753-2207
www.cortland.edu/administration/provost

Administrators

Elizabeth Davis-Russell, provost and vice president for academic affairs; Nancy Aumann, associate provost for academic affairs; Eunice Miller, staff assistant to the provost

Role of the Provost and Vice President

The provost acts in the absence of the president and serves as the chief academic officer, with responsibility for maintaining academic standards within the College and also has oversight for academic support programs. The office is responsible for development and application of College policies within the academic areas of the College, management of the academic affairs budget, review and approval of curriculum changes, review for recommendation to the president of all new academic positions, replacements, promotions, tenure decisions or continuing appointments, and assistance in the development of College responses to accreditation and other external mandates. The provost represents the College at various SUNY, regional and national meetings.

Role of the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs

The associate provost is a member of the provost's senior executive staff, reporting directly to the provost and vice president for academic affairs. The position is responsible for the overall coordination and support of SUNY Cortland's implementation of all curricular issues and programs.

Role of the Senior Staff Assistant to the Provost

The senior staff assistant has responsibilities in the areas of academic dishonesty, national searches, special event planning and budgeting, and serves as the provost's liaison to a variety of groups.