Introduction

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. Finally, although in the past SUNY Cortland has primarily served undergraduate students, it has increasingly enrolled more students at the graduate level and is fully committed to meeting the educational needs of those seeking advanced degrees.

Throughout the years, SUNY Cortland has served 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 57,000 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.

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, disciplinespecific 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 the bachelor of fine arts, bachelor's and master's degrees in the arts and sciences, education and 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. SUNY Cortland now has more than 57,000 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 a one-hour 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.

Director's Office
Brockway Hall, Room 216
(607) 753-4800
www.cortland.edu/gradstudies

Welcome to Graduate Education at SUNY Cortland

Graduate education at SUNY Cortland is intellectualy stimulating, personally rewarding and prepares students for a variety of careers, each with transferable skils and knowledge bases rooted in the liberal arts.

SUNY Cortland is a comprehensive college of arts and sciences offering graduate programs in liberal arts and a variety of professional fields. The committment is to excellence in teaching, scholarship, research and service to community. Faculty have received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching and other teaching distinctions. Good teaching is essential as students are prepared to be life-long learners. Cortland is an active community of scholars and teachers who synthesize both theory and practice throughout the learning process. A personal interest is taken in the well being of students to help all attain their educational goals.

The Graduate Studies Office is a valuable resource for graduate students at Cortland. You are assisted beginning with pre-admission through graduate commencement and even post-master's study. The office processes admission applications, provides information about assistantships, aids with registration for courses and provides program information and requirements, including teacher certification. The staff is knowledgeable about graduate policies and procedures and ready to help students journey successfully through the program.

Cortland is a great place to be for a personal touch in graduate education. Students and their success in meeting their academic and career goals is a priority.

Mission Statement

The purpose of Graduate Studies at SUNY Cortland is to provide advanced study in a variety of academic disciplines and professional fields. Graduate study fulfills four objectives:

1. the expansion, deepening and strengthening of professional knowledge as a scholarly and creative activity;
2. the improvement of techniques for the dissemination and application of existing knowledge and the generation of new knowledge;
3. the development of a greater understanding of the theories and findings underlying individual disciplines;
4. the fostering of a critical ability to deal analytically and insightfully with the problems, methods and instruments of research in a given area of study.

The foundation of Graduate Studies is a faculty that is committed to quality teaching, scholarship and service. The development of independent and life-long learners with the capacity for continued professional and personal growth is the goal. Graduate Studies recognizes the unique dimensions of students' lives in pursuit of an advanced degree and offers support and respect for degree completion.

Administrators

Yvonne M. Murnane, director; Peter McGinnis, assistant director; Mary Cervoni, program aide, Summer and Winter Session Office; Mary E. Franco, staff assistant, Mohawk Valley Graduate Center at SUNYIT.

Staff

Sandra Kline, Nancy Kuklis, Annie Wilcox

Role of the director

The director serves as the spokesperson for the graduate community of the College, advocates and develops graduate programming, provides accurate information, and instruction when required, on all matters related to graduate affairs, and provides leadership in all aspects of the governance of graduate affairs at the main campus and the Mohawk Valley Graduate Center at SUNYIT.

Role of the Assistant Director

The assistant director of graduate studies interacts with graduate students on all aspects of program completion from pre-admission to degree conferral and assists in the maintenance, refinement and/or revisions of all policies and procedures related to graduate studies, including the integration of the registrar's function in the Graduate Studies Office. The assistant director represents the director of graduate studies on committees that pertain to the functioning of the office and student participation.

Role of the Staff Assistant at the Mohawk Valley Graduate Centerat SUNYIT

The staff assistant of the Mohawk Valley Graduate Center at SUNYIT (MVGC) assists the director and assistant director by providing accurate information about graduate programs to the Mohawk Valley community, providing forms for students as well as interacting with instructors at the center. The staff assistant works directly with SUNYIT personnel to provide services for Cortland students at the MVGC.

Summer and Winter Session Office

The Summer and Winter Session Office provides a variety of courses in one ten-week, two five-week and four two-and-a-half-week sessions in the summer and a two-week session in January. Many undergraduate students students use these opportunities to fit in additional courses that allow them to graduate earlier, or to concentrate on a particularly difficult subject. Graduate students rely on Summer Session courses for timely degree completion if they are working full time.

All policies and procedures related to Summer and Winter Sessions are implemented by this office, including cancellation of classes, scheduling of classrooms, faculty contracts and pay arrangements.

A preliminary listing for summer is available on the Summer Session Web site, www.cortland.edu/summer, in October. The complete summer listing is available on the Web in March. A preliminary listing for winter is published on a flyer and on the Winter Session Web site, www.cortland.edu/winter, in August. The complete winter listing is available on the Web in October.

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. Degrees awarded in the school include bachelor of arts, bachelor of fine arts and bachelor of science.

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 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 undergraduate 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 deans curricular representative at the school and college level for undergraduate education.

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.

* Includes graduate academic programs

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

Administrators

Gerald Porter, 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 bachelor of science degree is awarded for programs in the school. 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 undergraduate 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 for undergraduate education.

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.

* Includes graduate academic programs

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. Degrees awarded in the school include bachelor of arts, bachelor of science and bachelor of science in education. 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.

Role of the Associate Dean

The associate dean assists the dean in the management of the school. This includes addressing undergraduate 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 for undergraduate education.

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.

* Includes graduate academic programs

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.