by Public Relations | Apr 13, 2010 | Staff
President-elect John J. Hurley has named Erica C. Surbone Sammarco ’00 assistant to the president. She will begin this new role on July 1, when Hurley becomes the 24th president of Canisius College.
In this position, Sammarco will provide administrative support for the college’s long-range strategic planning process and will also serve as secretary to the college’s Board of Trustees and the school corporation. She is expected to play a key role in new initiatives and projects originating in the president’s office.
Since 2005, Sammarco has served as director of corporate and foundation relations for Canisius College. In this role she implemented and managed local, regional, national corporate and foundation relations programs to support college-wide initiatives, with emphasis on the priorities of the college’s $90 million comprehensive campaign, A Legacy of Leadership. In addition, Sammarco secured more than $4 million in grants and commitments from foundation and corporate prospects in the past five years.
“Erica brings to this new role a wealth of experience from working with a broad range of constituents across the college and in the community,” said Hurley. “She has done an excellent job leading our corporate and foundation relations program and I look forward to working with her in this new role.”
Prior to Canisius, Sammarco was a proposal coordinator for URS Corporation in Buffalo, NY. She managed the out-going proposal process for this international engineering firm which was ranked #1 by Engineering News Record.
A 2000 graduate of Canisius College, Sammarco also holds a master of arts degree in English from the University of Rochester.
Submitted by: Public Relations
by Public Relations | Apr 13, 2010 | Staff
Highlights in this month’s issue include information on new federal higher education legislation, funding for the Institute for Autism Research and information on the New York State budget.
The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act
While approval of the Higher Education Opportunity Act in 2008 set out major federal policy that covers a full range of higher education issues over a six year period, Congress has been considering additional legislation that will change certain federal policies and make additional funds available to students.
The House of Representatives last fall approved its version of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA). The Senate held back as members waited to determine if the SAFRA bill would be merged with federal health care legislation in the parliamentary procedure known as “budget reconciliation.” That has occurred. SAFRA has been approved by both houses and was signed by President Obama on March 30.
Included in the legislation are initiatives that will:
- Require all colleges to convert to direct lending by July 1, 2010. Congressional sponsors project savings from this move at $61 billion over the next ten years because the direct loan program administered by financial aid offices will cost less than the bank-based lending program that has dominated the federal college loan program. Canisius is already in the direct loan program.
- Allocate $36 billion of those savings to Pell grant increases and to cover shortages in current Pell grant accounts that have occurred due to changed eligibility requirements and a larger number of students attending college. A portion of the savings will be used to reduce the federal deficit as well as to provide funds for other educational programs.
- Increase funding for Pell grants starting in federal fiscal year 2013 to bring the full-year maximum award to $5,975 in 2018.
- Beginning with loans originating on or after July 1, 2014, limit monthly payments on federally subsidized student loans to 10 percent of discretionary income, and forgive loans entirely after 20 years.
Funding for Canisius Institute for Autism Research
The 2010 federal budget includes a $400,000 appropriation to Canisius College for science programs, including equipment and technology. The appropriation was sponsored by Rep. Brian Higgins and Rep. Chris Lee and will be used by the college’s Institute for Autism Research.
A new request for federal Fiscal Year 2011 (FY11) funding for the Institute has been submitted to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who has previously sponsored legislation and appropriations for autism research at other institutions. A second request for funds has been submitted to Senator Charles Schumer, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter and Congressmen Higgins and Lee for funds to equip and renovate Science Hall. Action on the FY11 requests is several months away.
State budget
The State Legislature continues to review Governor Paterson’s proposed 2010-2011 budget, which must close a projected $9.2 billion budget gap. The governor has proposed some minor changes in the Tuition Assistance Program but it appears that the Legislature will reject most of those plans. A cut to Bundy aid, which most independent colleges and universities use to supplement student financial aid, appears likely. The state’s new fiscal year began on April 1, but a new budget is not completed to date.
Submitted by: Ken Kruly, director, government relations
by Public Relations | Apr 13, 2010 | Staff
Canisius College Information Technology Services (ITS) has been helping the campus recycling movement by encouraging everyone to recycle their old electronics, used ink jet and laser printer cartridges. While partnered with PetSmart Charities, we have saved over 50 cell phones and 200 inkjet cartridges from entering landfills over the last year.
Unfortunately, PetSmart has discontinued their recycling program. We will now be partnering with Operation Gratitude which will be collecting items for recycling and receive monetary support for their recycling partners. Operation Gratitude’s goals are to lift morale and put smiles on faces by sending care packages addressed to individual soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines deployed overseas. The care packages contain food, hygiene products, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support. A list of items for donation for Operation Gratitude can be found here.
Bring your old cell phones, PDA’s, Blackberry’s, iPods and used ink jet printer cartridges to the recycling center drop box located in the Internet Plaza on the first floor of Old Main. Used laser printer cartridges and old laptops can be placed in campus mail and sent directly to ITS. Please mark them for Recycling – Attn: Scott Clark.
Feel free to bring items from campus or home for this recycling program. Every little bit helps. ITS also encourages you to never throw old electronics into the trash. To dispose of electronics on campus, please contact the ITS Help Desk at Ext. 2299. At home, please save them for one of the special county wide recycling collection days usually held at ECC. Keep an eye on the news for these announcements. Click here for more information about the Erie County electronics recycling programs.
If you have any questions about the programs mentioned above or want to help out, please contact Scott Clark at Ext. 8357 or clarks@canisius.edu.
Submitted by: Scott Clark, computer support specialist, ITS
by Public Relations | Apr 13, 2010 | Staff
The Golden Griffin men’s lacrosse team concludes its two game homestand tonight (April 13) with a 7 p.m. clash against regional opponent Hobart. The Statesmen, who earlier lost a tight overtime match to Syracuse, come to Canisius. The Griffs are led by Adam Jones’ (pictured, right) 16 goals in eight games.
The lacrosse team will also be collecting donations for the Headstrong Foundation throughout the contest. For more information click on www.gogriffs.com.
Submitted by: John Maddock, associate athletic director – external affairs, athletics
by Public Relations | Apr 13, 2010 | Staff
The fifth Periodic Review Report Forum will be held tomorrow (April 14) at 3 p.m. Library Conference Room. “Review of Revisions” will be discussed. This session will review the report format requirements by Middles States, a discussion of items that need to be revised or completed, and a brief review of report sections 1 and 2.
Please contact Guy Gessner, PhD, associate professor of management and marketing at Ext. 2639 or by email at gessner@canisius.edu with any questions or concerns.
Submitted by: Lisa Fischer, executive associate, academic affairs
