Report of the President 2012 by Southern Connecticut State University

DEAR FRIENDS, 501 Crescent Street New Haven, Connecticut 06515-1355 SouthernCT.edu

At Southern Connecticut State University we understand that education is an ongoing process, as the quick pace of change in our world demands a flexible workforce and visionary leaders.

2012 report of the president

Therefore, we engage in both workforce development and providing a liberal education, preparing our graduates to live and work in a new, knowledge-based economy.

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Certainly, there has never been a more crucial time for public higher education to stand up and deliver on its promises. By the year 2020, 67 percent of all jobs in Connecticut will require a career certificate or college degree — yet just 46 percent of adults currently have an associate’s degree or higher. To provide more opportunities for our students, Southern is developing new offerings in key workforce areas such as science and technology, highlighted in this annual report. Soon, for example, we will begin construction on a new science building, home to cutting-edge programs in nanotechnology, applied physics and chemistry — the latter featuring a professional science track for students seeking advanced training in both chemistry and business. In this way, we will be supplying more qualified graduates for in-demand fields. And, with 85 percent of our annual graduating class remaining to live and work in the state, an investment in public higher education is clearly an investment in Connecticut’s future. Sincerely,

Mary A. Papazian, Ph.D. President

ACADEMICS 69 undergraduate, 47 graduate degree programs ACCREDITATION In 2012, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) voted to continue Southern’s accreditation. The university’s next site visit and comprehensive evaluation by NEASC is scheduled for 2021. ALUMNI 87,200 ATHLETICS The Owls have captured 10 national NCAA Division II team titles and 76 such individual championships. CAMPUS Nearly 172 acres DIVERSITY Minority students comprise about 28 percent of Southern’s enrollment. The university has nearly 700 students with disabilities.

SOUTHERN AT A GLANCE ENDOWMENT $11.3 million ENROLLMENT 11,117 FACULTY 434 full-time; 83 percent with doctoral and other terminal degrees GRADUATE STUDENTS 2,592 OPERATING BUDGET $190 million RESIDENCE LIFE A total of 2,636 full-time undergraduates live on campus in nine residence halls. That equals about 36 percent of the full-time undergraduate population. A small number of graduate students also live in campus housing. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS 8,525

ABOVE: SOUTHERN’S NEW HOME FOR SCIENCE, DESIGNED BY CENTERBROOK ARCHITECTS.

DEAR FRIENDS, 501 Crescent Street New Haven, Connecticut 06515-1355 SouthernCT.edu

At Southern Connecticut State University we understand that education is an ongoing process, as the quick pace of change in our world demands a flexible workforce and visionary leaders.

2012 report of the president

Therefore, we engage in both workforce development and providing a liberal education, preparing our graduates to live and work in a new, knowledge-based economy.

SHOWCASING THE

SCIENCES

Mary A. Papazian, Ph.D. President

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A new piece of scientific equipment is helping students gain more hands-on experience in the cutting-edge field of nanotechnology. A desktop fabrication system, produced by NanoProfessor, has been allowing students since last fall to build custom-engineered nanoscale structures. This follows several recent purchases of specialized equipment, including a state-of-the-art scanning electron microscope, which uses electrons to image materials on the atomic scale. Nanotechnology is the study and manipulation of matter on the nanoscale, which ranges from 1 to 100 nanometers. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. A human hair, for instance, measures about 10,000 nanometers in diameter. A sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick.

A CENTER FOR NANOTECHNOLOGY Nanotechnology is a growing field, with the National Science Foundation projecting that more than 2 million workers will be needed to support nanotech industries worldwide. The science has helped produce new medicines and better medical imaging tools, more durable building materials for infrastructure, as well as energyefficient power sources like fuel cells, batteries and solar panels.

LEFT: Southern is soon to be named as the host site for Connecticutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first research center devoted solely to nanotechnology.

With the help of a recent $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, Southern is soon to be named as the host site for Connecticutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first research center devoted solely to nanotechnology. Concurrent with the launching of the center is the establishment of a graduate certificate program in nanotech at the four Connecticut State University campuses. Offerings include physics and chemistry of nanoscale materials, transmission and scanning electron techniques, and applications in nanobiology and nanomedicine. Initial courses were offered at Southern in summer 2012.

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Southern’s Center for Coastal and Marine Studies has launched a water sampling program that is monitoring New Haven Harbor for its temperature, turbidity, acid levels and other aspects of water quality. The data will be provided to the Long Island Sound Embayment Monitoring Project, which is designed to provide high quality, longterm water quality information to researchers and others who make decisions about the waterway’s ecosystems. “Because of climate change, we could be seeing changes in Long Island Sound, such as temperature and acid levels,” said Vincent Breslin, professor of science education and environmental studies. “The reason acid levels could rise is an increased amount of carbon dioxide dissolving into the water.”

EXAMINING CONNECTICUT’S WATERWAYS

LEFT: Students sample the water of New Haven Harbor for data to be provided to the Long Island Sound Embayment Monitoring Project.

Breslin said that the center also has been analyzing water for mercury levels and other metals in a cove along the Connecticut River. And while the data is still being analyzed, the trend is unmistakable. “What we are seeing is that the concentration of metals has decreased in recent years, compared with those from 30 or 40 years ago.” he said. “This isn’t surprising given the environmental legislation passed during the 1960s and early 1970s, which has resulted in fewer waste water discharges to rivers. We are definitely seeing cleaner sediments.” Southern is participating with other schools, such as the University of Massachusetts and Wesleyan University, in studying the Connecticut River at various points. The Southern team examined a cove in Lyme, which is located near the base of the Connecticut River close to Long Island Sound.

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Southern has joined a small but select group of schools in New England — and is one of only 72 internationally — that has established a university chapter of the Materials Research Society (MRS). The organization seeks to foster discussion and interest among students and faculty in the various materials disciplines. “This unique network provides a chance to compare notes on recent activities and brainstorm with other students on new projects and issues of common concern,” said Lorri Smiley, MRS professional services and awards coordinator. “As a recently added chapter, Southern now has the opportunity to connect with different regions from around the globe to maximize positive impact for materials research worldwide.”

IN SELECT COMPANY Southern joined six other colleges and universities in New England — University of Connecticut; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Boston University; Northeastern University; University of Massachusetts, Lowell; and the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering. It was among eight schools to have added a chapter worldwide within the last year.

LEFT: Christine Broadbridge, upper right, directs the materials science center, engaging students in the creation of small, technologically advanced items.

Materials science is a discipline that includes the creation of technologically-advanced items, ranging from computer chips to biological implants. With funding support from the National Science Foundation, Southern established a joint materials science center with Yale University about seven years ago. The center is designed to offer more advanced research opportunities for students seeking to enter the scientific research field, as well as to enhance the education of future science teachers. Christine Broadbridge, chairwoman of Southern’s Physics Department, serves as a researcher and the education director for the center.

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Southern’s new master’s degree in applied physics is designed to promote workforce development in Connecticut by providing an educational pathway for individuals seeking applied research and management positions in the state’s high-tech industries, while providing a source of trained professionals for technology employers. The program has two tracks — materials science/nanotechnology and optics/optical instrumentation — intended to develop the state’s workforce in the established optics industry, as well as in the emerging nanotechnology sector. “Our graduates will be adaptable to leading-edge technology development and able to fill leadership roles in research and development throughout the state,” said Elliott Horch, graduate program coordinator.

A NEW PATHWAY FOR PHYSICS GRADUATES The program is interdisciplinary between the School of Business and departments of Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science, with courses aligned to meet industry needs. The M.S. in applied physics program is in the model of the Professional Science Master’s (P.S.M.) degree, which includes science training combined with management, marketing and entrepreneurship, making graduates highly marketable within Connecticut’s technology sector.

LEFT: Southern’s new M.S. in applied physics offers students a background applicable in both the science and business fields.

DonnaJean Fredeen, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, said the program addresses current workforce needs as Connecticut becomes a knowledge-based economy: “In addition to the technical background, students are going to have a much better understanding of the business process, project management and how to take a product to market.” The M.S. in applied physics program was initially developed in consultation with an industrial advisory committee that will continue to guide the program as it matures. Companies represented on the advisory board include Smiths Detection, Phonon Corp., Nights Inc., Sikorsky, and Zygo Corp.

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In an effort to better reflect the latest trends in information technology and to better meet the needs of students, the Computer Science Department has restructured its Master of Science degree program. The department has replaced the two previous tracks with those having more relevance today — network and information security (cybersecurity), and software development. “Previously, the M.S. program was designed primarily for students who had earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science,” said Lisa Lancor, graduate coordinator for the Computer Science Department. “But we had been getting calls and increased interest from individuals who had bachelor’s degrees in other disciplines and wanted to move into the computer field. So, we revamped the program to make it more flexible.”

PLUGGED INTO A NEW CYBERWORLD

LEFT: The newly revamped M.S. in computer science program is attracting considerable interest from individuals without a cyber background.

Among the changes enacted is the establishment of a single 4-credit, prerequisite course on computer programming and data structures that replaces three 3-credit courses. Students then take 12 core credits, as well as 18 credits in either of the two tracks. Students are then required to pass a capstone, typically a 6-credit thesis. Among the new courses offered for those engaged in the cybersecurity track is “Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing.” In this course, students learn how to test whether networks are secure and how to enhance that security. “There is a huge need for individuals who have an expertise in this area,” Lancor said. “The number of companies and organizations whose Web sites are hacked is growing all the time. These companies want to hire individuals who can detect and fix these security issues, but there really is a shortage of such people.”

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Freshmen in the Honors College program are participating in an innovative genomics research program created by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). The students collect soil samples and isolate bacterial viruses, known as “phage,” which are later purified and the DNA extracted. Southern was chosen for the program during a competitive process in 2011. Southern was among 12 colleges and universities — and the first in Connecticut — chosen for full membership in the Science Education Alliance, a national network of scientists and educators committed to the improvement of undergraduate science education nationwide. The National Genomics Research Initiative, in which nearly two dozen Southern freshmen are participating, was created by the alliance to expose undergraduates to cutting-edge research techniques.

GENOMICS ON A NATIONAL SCALE

LEFT: Nearly two dozen Southern freshmen are taking part in the National Genomics Research Initiative, created by the Science Education Alliance to expose undergraduates to cutting-edge research techniques.

Southern has subsequently teamed up with 454 Life Sciences, a biotechnology company that is a subsidiary of the healthcare research corporate giant Roche Co. 454 Life Sciences has helped the students decode the genomes of the viruses. This decoding process, which is called sequencing, has been conducted at the company’s Branford facilities and the data then returned to the students for analysis. “Out of the 80 or so colleges and universities participating in the program, we are one of only a handful which, thanks to (454 Life Sciences), were able to sequence all of the phages that were isolated by the students,” says Nicholas Edgington, associate professor of biology and a coordinator of the program. “We are also among only a handful that offers the course primarily to non-biology students.”

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Southern’s Chemistry Department has developed some new formulas to bolster student success in the workforce. The department will launch its accelerated B.S./M.S. degree program in the fall. Commonly referred to as the “Four Plus One” program, it will enable students to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. Typically, it would take a student six years (four years for the bachelor’s and two years for the master’s). Students can apply after their junior year. If accepted, they are required to conduct two years of research, eventually leading to their master’s degree thesis.

CHEMISTRY CONNECTIONS “Two of the biggest advantages of this program are that students can enter the workforce a year earlier than normal (which also reduces the cost of their education), and are involved in significant research to enhance their resumes when they apply for a job,” said Andrew Karatjas, assistant professor of chemistry and program coordinator. “There are only a few ‘Four Plus One’ programs in Connecticut right now,” said Karatjas, citing Yale and Wesleyan universities as two such examples. Meanwhile, the Chemistry Department is also starting a professional science track within the current Master of Science degree program. The track is designed for students seeking advanced training in both chemistry and business. The 36-credit curriculum is divided equally between chemistry and business administration. LEFT: The Chemistry Department is preparing to launch its accelerated B.S/M.S. degree program in fall 2013.

Among the benefits are the development of analytical and critical thinking skills needed when interpreting data, and improving communication skills for the dissemination of chemical information to colleagues and the public. The track is intended primarily for students seeking a career in the sciences in business, government or non-profit organizations.

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It’s not exactly a hidden treasure, but last year Miranda Dunbar and her students were able to uncover a long forgotten collection of skeletons, skulls and skins of a wide variety of mammals. Dunbar, assistant professor of biology, said the assortment was once used by the Biology Department, but it appears that decades had passed since it was last used. Among the smaller creatures in the collection are various species of bats, mice, beavers, squirrels, and shrews. Larger animals, such as foxes, possums, lions, bears, and wolves, and even a few gorillas and baboons, are part of the collection. “We have found species from nearly every continent,” she said.

UNEXPECTED TREASURE Dunbar noted that students have been using the find to conduct independent research projects, while some have helped to curate the collection and have received academic credit for it. Dunbar said she hopes to find a permanent home for the collection, which is currently located in a room in Jennings Hall, Southern’s current science building. The collection will be used as part of a new course called “Mammalian Biology.”

LEFT: A rediscovered collection of skeletons, skulls, and skins of a variety of mammals will be used as part of a new course, ‘Mammalian Biology.’

“This has been a real treasure trove for us and we are really excited about its potential for our students,” she said. Dunbar’s expertise includes environmental physiology, thermal biology and behavior. She has a special fondness for bats, which she pointed out have an unfairly bad reputation. She noted that bats are the primary pollinators and seed dispersers for many tropical fruits, such as bananas, mangoes, and figs, as well as for cashews and even for the agave plant, which is used to make tequila.

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The inventor of a cutting-edge device that dramatically improves the crispness of telescopic images has provided astronomers with a tool to gain new insight into the formation of our solar system. Built by Elliott Horch, associate professor of physics, the Differential Speckle Survey Instrument (DSSI) is made from two cameras and a scanning mirror system inside a rectangular box that can fit on a coffee table. But the relatively small device packs a powerful punch. Based at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tucson, Ariz., the DSSI’s highresolution images are giving a clearer picture of the binary stars sprinkled throughout the Milky Way Galaxy. These star systems, in which two or more stars orbit around the same center of mass, may hold the key to the origins of our own sun and solar system.

SOUTHERN STAR GAZER Additionally, the DSSI is also being used for the Kepler mission — a NASA project to look for life-bearing planets similar to Earth that orbit other stars in the Milky Way. In fact, data obtained with the aid of DSSI has been used in more than 60 refereed papers by the Kepler team in the last two years.

LEFT: Elliott Horch’s Differential Speckle Survey Instrument is helping astonomers better understand the formation of our solar system.

James Dolan, professor of physics, who served as department chairman when Horch was hired in 2007, said Southern’s 2012 Faculty Scholar Award recipient is already writing his name in the science history books. “In the far future, after a space probe from Earth reaches a planet orbiting a distant star and a scholar writes a history of how Earthlings reached beyond the solar system, an early chapter will be called Kepler. And among the scientists in the long list of references will appear the name E. Horch.”

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Southern‘s ongoing expansion of its science programs will be greatly enhanced with the construction of a 98,332-square-foot, four-level academic and laboratory science building, commencing in late spring 2013. Situated adjacent to Jennings Hall, the current home for the sciences, and connected to Jennings at the upper and ground levels, the new building will further the university’s capacity to educate more students in the STEM disciplines — science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In the past five years, enrollment in STEM courses at Southern has increased by 21.6 percent. Of the 1,001 students enrolled in fall 2012, 425 (43 percent) were women and 245 (24 percent) were minorities. The number of physics majors at Southern has nearly doubled in the last four years, while current graduation rates are in the top 15 percent nationally.

NEW HOME FOR STEM STUDENTS Configured in the shape of an “L,” the new $49 million home for Southern’s STEM students will feature scientific displays and instrumentation visible from within and outside the building. Embracing innovative sustainable design, it will house teaching and research training laboratories for nanotechnology, physics and optics, the earth sciences, the environmental sciences, cancer research, astronomy, molecular biology and chemistry. There will also be two 50-seat classrooms, conference space, and student study areas. The ConnSCU Center for Nanotechnology will be located on the ground floor. The laboratory space for the center is designed to isolate the building vibrations, a necessity when dealing with microscopic materials. There will also be expanded wings for earth science, environmental science, molecular biology, chemistry, the Center for Coastal Marine Studies, and physics teaching and research laboratories.

LEFT: A new academic and laboratory science building, scheduled for completion during the 2014-15 academic year, will bolster educational opportunities for students.

Students will have access to a new supercomputing laboratory for research in theoretical science, bioinformatics, and computer science. And a saltwater aquaria room, replete with touch tank and phytoplankton grow tank, will be a focus of outreach to area schools and ‘the community. Scientific displays will be featured throughout the interior, illustrating the research interests of faculty and students, and a large-scale replica of a nanotube will be a focal point in the center of the building. An outdoor rock garden will showcase rocks indigenous to Connecticut, and will also serve as an earth science laboratory.

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2012

COMMUNITY SERVICE 2012

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The “still life” paintings by Mia Brownell continue to win accolades on campus and abroad. Brownell, an associate professor of art, was recently nominated as a runner-up for the United Kingdom’s Young Master Art Prize, an award that celebrates the skills and traditions of the past and honors young artists who demonstrate those talents. Her creative research is geared toward the tradition of still life painting. Brownell’s work questions the ethics of industrialized food manipulation by reexamining the traditional genre of still life to include scientific imagery generated by advanced genetic research.

SCIENTIFIC IMAGERY PROVIDES RICH PALETTE “I have been painting about food for a long time,’’ she said. “Science is a big part of food culture.” Brownell’s work was represented in several exhibits in 2012 in both the United States and England. For example, she was awarded a $25,000 commission from the University of Connecticut Health Center for the installation of her painting, “Still Life with Dendrite Dreams.” The work, inspired by UConn scientists’ genetic research, is located in UConn’s Cell and Genome Sciences Building, and is her first major public art commission.

LEFT: A detail from Mia Brownell’s ‘Still Life with Dendrite Dreams,’ inspired by UConn scientists’ genetic research.

Brownell's work has been showcased from New Haven to Milan, Italy, with a concentration of exhibits along the East Coast. She has had solo exhibitions at venues in several major American cities, including the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. A past recipient of Southern’s Faculty Scholar Award and a Connecticut State University Board of Trustees Research Award, Brownell also won recognition from the U.S. Department of State Art In Embassies Program. Earlier, she was awarded a prestigious position as visiting artist of the American Academy in Rome.

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In a beginning Spanish class, where students are expected to learn the basics of the language, the teacher typically stands in front of the room, speaking Spanish words and phrases, and the students repeat back what they hear. Now imagine that same beginning Spanish class with the teacher standing quietly in the back of the room observing the students busily helping each other with an activity. Or with the teacher pointing to colored spots on a board and silently mouthing sounds, as the students try to make the sounds the teacher is suggesting. What is going on here?

LEARNING A LANGUAGE IN SILENCE What is going on is The Silent Way, an approach to teaching languages developed in the 1960s, but rarely taught today. In fact, Luisa Piemontese, professor of world languages and literatures, who began to use this little-known method in her introductory Spanish classes last year, may well be the only instructor in the country who is currently using The Silent Way to teach a foreign language.

LEFT: Luisa Piemontese uses a littleknown but highly effective metod of teaching beginning Spanish.

The most unusual feature of the approach — the teacher’s silence — “gets everyone to focus on the structure of the language,” Piemontese said. Students have fun with the boards and other implements used in this method, like a game, but they also retain the structure of the language. She introduces vocabulary words later in the semester. While The Silent Way is slower than other approaches and focuses more on the quality of learning rather than quantity, “you are building something, and it stays with you,” Piemontese said, adding that it is a good approch for students who learn in different ways.

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Deborah Carroll, professor of psychology, views her position as more of a journey than a job — a voyage she takes with her students each year and finds memorable, challenging, and personally rewarding. But Carroll — who has taught as a full-time faculty member at Southern since 1994 — never imagined that journey would include recognition as the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Connecticut Professor of the Year. The Carnegie Foundation and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) named Carroll as the 2012 recipient of the prestigious award. A professor of the year was chosen this year in 30 of 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia. A total of 300 professors were nominated throughout the nation for the various state awards.

A JOURNEY TO THE TOP “It is an honor to be named as the recipient of the award and I’m particularly honored to bring recognition to SCSU,” she said. “I hope it affords me opportunities to share discussions, strategies, and information about teaching with colleagues at all levels of education.” Interim Provost Marianne Kennedy said that Carroll is a “gifted teacher and advisor, but she is also a gracious colleague, mentor, and role model to other faculty. She epitomizes the teacher-scholar that we all try to emulate.”

LEFT: Faculty members Deborah Carroll (top), Barbara Aronson (bottom left), Elizabeth Keenan (bottom center), and Christine Petto (bottom right) were recognized for excellence in their respective fields.

Other notable faculty awards during 2012 were earned by Barbara Aronson, coordinator of the new Ed.D. in nursing education and recipient of the Connecticut Nursing Association’s prestigious Virginia A. Henderson Award for outstanding contributions to the profession; and Elizabeth Keenan, coordinator of the B.S.W. program, who was chosen as Connecticut’s Social Worker of the Year, in part for her establishment of a multi-faith organization committed to social and economic justice. On campus, Christine Petto, a professor of history, received the 2011 Faculty Scholar Award for her book, “When France was King of Cartography: The Patronage and Production of Maps in Early Modern France.”

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THE INAUGURATION OF

MARY A. PAPAZIAN Mary A. Papazian was formally installed as Southern’s 11th president on Sept. 28, 2012. Her inauguration capped a series of activities and events celebrating the university and its campus community. Events included the ribbon-cutting for the new School of Business; a Buley Library reception highlighting faculty authors; a student festival; a creative arts showcase; and a faculty symposium on liberal arts and the professions. Since President Papazian is of Armenian descent, inauguration week also featured several events with an Armenian flavor, including an art exhibit and a book discussion of “The Sandcastle Girls,” with New York Times bestselling author Chris Bohjalian. Photo highlights and excerpts from the President’s inaugural address are at right.

‘i am truly honored to be installed as the 11th president of southern connecticut state university, an energetic and notable institution with strong values and traditions. i pledge that i will do my utmost to lead southern forward for the next decade to meet the increasing challenges of higher education in an ever more complex and demanding world.’

‘it is public universities like southern that must lead the way in showing that what we can accomplish here is vitally important to the future of our society. we must make clear to the public, to the business community, and to the political establishment that investing in an institution like southern is not only an investment in the students who attend the university but also, by extension, it is an investment in the whole community and in the very future of america.’

‘… southern and its three sister connecticut state universities play a unique role in connecticut's higher education system. we provide learning opportunities at the undergraduate and graduate levels for students from all walks of life — from the teenaged freshman, to the working parents, to the senior citizens who have truly earned the title ‘life-long learners.’

UPPER LEFT: President Papazian with her family, from left, daughters Ani and Marie, and husband Dennis. LEFT: With Vicki S. Hovanessian, curator of a special campus exhibit of artworks by artists of Armenian descent. BELOW: With author Chris Bohjalian. OVERLEAF: With faculty senate mace bearer Maria Diamantis.

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Junior Amanda Thomas owned the pool at the 2012 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships. Her two national titles — the 400-yard individual medley and then the 200-yard individual medley while establishing a new Division II record — earned her the coveted Division II Swimmer of the Year title by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America. Thomas had already shown she could compete with the best with a national title in the 200-yard individual medley and two runner-up finishes in 2011.

A NATIONAL SPLASH At the 2012 event, Thomas also finished second in the 200-yard butterfly, and broke the Division II record along with the winner. In addition, she placed third in the 200-yard backstroke. Coach Tim Quill said Thomas’ development since coming to Southern has been extraordinary: “In the past two to three years, she has gone from a really good high school state swimmer to swimming at the national level against some with international experience. She has a better understanding of the sport and is learning how to handle (the pressure and expectations) better and better.” Clearly. In the weeks before this publication went to press, Thomas earned her third straight national title in the 200-yard individual medley, was runner-up in the 200-yard butterfly and was third in the 400-yard individual medley — earning her the Division II National Swimmer of the Meet award for the second consecutive year. Thomas capped her outstanding collegiate career as an 18-time All-American, a four-time NCAA individual champion and four-time runner-up.

TOP LEFT: Amanda Thomas finishes her college swimming career as an 18-time All-American and a four-time NCAA individual champion. BOTTOM: Sophomore Nick Lebron (right) stands out at the 2012 NCAA Division II Indoor Trach and Field Championships.

VAULTING TO THE TOP

Nick Lebron was not the one whom most track observers focused upon when the two-day heptathlon began at the 2012 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships. But after the seven events were completed, it was Lebron who towered above the rest on the victory platform. Lebron, a sophomore, compiled 5,225 points to take the national title. In so doing, he elevated the Owls to a third-place finish in the team competition — Southern’s best performance in school history. Lebron was third after day one, but vaulted to the top of the field with three strong marks on the second day of competition, with the penultimate event, the pole vault, proving to be the difference maker.

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The campus was alive with a number of performing arts and cultural events during 2012, several of which were planned as part of the celebration of President Mary Papazian’s inauguration in September. The Crescent Players presented productions of the musicals “Spring Awakening” and “The Rocky Horror Show.” In April, internationally known singers Alfreda Burke and Rodrick Dixon were the featured performers at the University Choir concert, “Hallelujah Broadway.” April also brought a commemoration of Yom HaShoah: Holocaust Remembrance Day, with a panel discussion featuring several Southern faculty members.

THOUGHT-PROVOKING ARTS AND EVENTS The annual Mary and Louis Fusco Distinguished Lecture featured Mark Kelly, former commander of the Space Shuttle, with a special message from his wife, former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. In September, an exhibition of Armenian artwork, curated by Vicki Shoghag Hovanessian, opened at the Lyman Center Lobby Gallery. The exhibit presented paintings, drawings and sculptures by 13 leading Armenian artists. Bestselling author Chris Bohjalian gave a campus talk and booksigning on the subject of his latest novel, “The Sandcastle Girls.”

TOP: ‘Hallelujah Broadway.’ CENTER, LEFT TO RIGHT: Dan Gediman, ‘Spring Awakening,’ and Mark Kelly. BOTTOM: ‘The Rocky Horror Show,’ presented by the Crescent Players.

Dan Gediman, executive producer of the public radio program “This I Believe,” and co-editor, with Jay Allison, of the books “This I Believe” and “This I Believe II: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women,” was on campus for a book discussion based on the radio series. In December, The Haven Quartet presented a concert — “Immigrant Voices: The Arab World” — which included a performance of Elegy for String Quartet and Recorded Sound, composed by Mark Kuss, professor of music, and performed by the quartet, with student Mani Mirzaee playing setar. The Haven Quartet is in residence at Southern, sponsored by the Stutzman Family Foundation.

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Southern’s quartet of 2012 Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award recipients are pursuing careers with the intent of helping others develop a keen intellect and/or healthy body. Christopher Buter, a public health major, eventually hopes to become a college professor. Buter won the Public Health Award for Excellence in 2011, an honor recognizing both high academic achievement and exceptional community service. A registered nurse trained in his native Nigeria, has worked in the adult daycare center of the Mary Wade Home in New Haven, assisting senior citizens with physical and psychological disabilities.

SHARP MINDS AND BIG HEARTS Melanie Guillerault, an elementary education and psychology major, plans to pursue a master’s degree in reading at Southern. Guillerault was a member of three honors societies and earned the Barbara G. Mastroianni Memorial Endowed Scholarship for her excellence as an education student. She has been a student teacher at various elementary schools in Hamden, completing more than 80 hours of fieldwork in curriculum courses, and seven to 10 hours a day in the classroom. Christopher Knickerbocker, an exercise science major, was the 2012 recipient of Southern’s Physical Education Outstanding Future Professional (OFP) Award. He has served as co-president of the Physical Education Club and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT: Christopher Buter, Melanie Guillerault, Christopher Knickerbocker, Jonathan Uhl.

Jonathan Uhl, a chemistry major, earned a 3.98 GPA and the Dr. Harry O. Haakonsen Memorial Award in Chemistry (2011). He had been the vice president of the Chemistry Club. He served as assistant medical director for Camp Abilities CT, a summer camp for blind and visually impaired youth and has been self-employed piano teacher and math and science tutor.

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More than 125 seventh graders from New Haven’s schools will take classes at Southern this summer as part of a federally-funded program designed to improve college access and readiness. Southern is one of only three higher education institutions in Connecticut participating in the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP), a seven-year, $31.5 million project that is designed to serve 3,000 middle school students in New Haven, Waterbury, and East Hartford. Southern was awarded $2 million from the grant, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

FULLFILLING COLLEGE DREAMS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS The 125 students will be selected from about 320 incoming seventh graders at New Haven schools. They will participate in classes and programs in math, science, literacy, and arts and culture for a fiveweek period during the summer — and similar sessions will run through 2018.

LEFT: Southern’s outreach into local schools expanded to include the new GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program.)

“The GEAR UP grant presents Southern with the opportunity to strengthen our partnership with the New Haven School District,” said Patricia Zibluk, director of Sponsored Programs and Research. “By working together, we can bring services, mentoring, summer experiences, as well as academic and arts enrichment to 320 entering seventh graders and their families for the next six years.” The New Haven seventh-graders, along with about 2,700 of their peers statewide — will be eligible for college scholarships after high school graduation. In addition, Southern will allocate $1.2 million specifically for those students who participate in the summer program at Southern. They also will be allowed to take 6 credits of classes at Southern tuition-free.

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Southern’s softball team completed its finest season in school history to gain a berth for the first time in the 2012 NCAA Division II College World Series (CWS) in Louisville, Ky. The Owls won 37 games in the regular season and claimed their first Northeast-10 Conference regular season championship. In their first game of the CWS, the Owls defeated Midwest Region champion St. Joseph’s College (Rensselaer, Ind.), before being edged by the top two ranked teams in the country in their next two outings. In all, Southern closed the year with a school record of 43 wins and a No. 6 final national ranking.

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN Senior pitcher Jayme Larson threw 422 pitches over 26 2/3 innings in the Super Regional, a snapshot of excellence in a school-record 26-win season for the right-handed ace. Two All-Americans: junior outfielder Brittany Bucko (19 home runs and 69 runs scored) and junior third baseman Alyssa Downs (61 RBIs) also set school records.

ATHLETIC PROGRAM SETS NEW SCHOOL ACADEMIC RECORD

LEFT: Senior pitcher Jayme Larson looks to strike out another batter during her 26-win season.

Many Southern athletic teams and individuals have broken records over the years. But a lesser-known mark, set last fall, bodes well for the future of the Owls’ athletes. The program’s 395 athletes tallied a cumulative GPA of 3.057 — an all-time semester high. Eleven of the Owls’ 19 programs achieved a team GPA of 3.0 or higher during the fall 2012 semester. The women’s cross country team posted a 3.84 team GPA to lead all programs, while the 3.11 GPA posted by the men’s basketball team was tops among the men’s squads. Individually, 104 Southern athletes — better than one in four — garnered a GPA of a 3.5 or higher, including nine students who scored a perfect 4.0 GPA.

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After too many years of teaching, working and learning in an aging building inadequate for higher education, Southern faculty, staff and students finally have access to 21st-century accommodations and technologies in a newly renovated School of Business building. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last Sept. 21, kicking off a week-long series of events celebrating the inauguration of Mary A. Papazian as Southern’s 11th president. The 23,000 square-foot building houses faculty offices, classrooms, meeting rooms, workshop space, and a high-tech stock trading room where students where students conduct research on the various market sectors.

ALL ABOUT BUSINESS Recently, the new buildling was identified as a LEED Gold- certified facility by the U.S. Green Building Council, an award that recognizes projects that excel in being environmentally friendly. To fully develop the school’s potential and respond to Connecticut’s work force needs, the university is seeking additional funding to develop the building’s adjoining annex as a Business Student Resource Center, which would offer internship development and management, along with academic advisement and technology assistance. A three-year, $90,000 grant from Northeast Utilities has enabled the university to establish the center. TOP: The newly renovated School of Business building brings 21st century accommodations to faculty and students. BOTTOM: Business students participate in a variety of competitions, which have brought home several awards.

Southern’s business students competed in a variety of competitions last spring, earning several noteworthy awards. A team of marketing students tied for third place in the American Marketing Association’s International Case Competition by developing a marketing plan for an academic publishing company. The contest pitted Southern against schools such as the University of Pennsylvania and the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Two Southern teams also earned first-place awards at the Connecticut Collegiate Business Plan Competition — an event that included 23 teams from 13 schools.

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Southern has passed its final exam in the 2011-12 academic year and will remain an accredited university by the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC) through 2021. “The dedicated faculty and staff of SCSU are effectively accomplishing the institution’s mission by offering high-quality undergraduate programs, supported by a newly revised Liberal Education Program and graduate education in applied fields,” wrote Mary Jo Mayhew, chairwoman of the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, the regional accrediting agency for colleges and universities in all six New England states. “We take favorable note of the development of a robust evaluation and assessment culture on the campus.”

MAKING THE GRADE Mayhew also credited Southern for the various building projects it has completed during the last decade and its solid financial positioning, in spite of reductions to its state appropriation and modest reductions in undergraduate enrollment. Southern has achieved annual net operating surpluses for the last three years. LEFT: Southern remains an accredited university by the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC), which has praised the institution for its culture of education and assessment.

“We share the judgment of the visiting team that, as SCSU welcomes a new president, it is well positioned to build upon the accomplishments of the past decade and continue its institutional development.” Interim Provost Marianne Kennedy said she was pleased with the results of the review: “If Southern were a student, you could say that we received very good grades. But like all good students — we can’t allow ourselves to rest on our laurels. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us to continue improving as an institution.”

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Southern students are working with local preschool children from low-income neighborhoods in an effort to bolster their literacy, language and socio-emotional skills. Thirty-five students are currently completing 300 hours of service in New Haven, serving about 85 children in five classrooms in two different preschool locations. The university is only the second in Connecticut to join Jumpstart — a national program funded by AmeriCorps that seeks to close the achievement gap by connecting college students with classes of preschoolers. The Southern students offer instruction to the children for two hours per day, twice a week, as part of a supplemental program to the preschools’ existing curricula.

READY, SET, JUMP! “This truly is a wonderful opportunity, both for the preschool children and our own students,” said Adam Goldberg, a Southern associate professor of education who is serving as a liaison to the Jumpstart program. “Studies have shown that the kids who participate in this program show significant gains in their literacy and language skills, and that it also helps with their social skills.” LEFT: Southern’s role in the national Jumpstart program not only provides support for local preschoolers but gives participating Southern students valuable handson experience.

Southern students — generally those in the teacher-training programs — also benefit in several ways, Goldberg said. “They gain valuable, hands-on experience in working with young children; a significant accomplishment to put on their resume, and even a financial reward,” he said. Jumpstart is working with 12 universities in the tri-state area, serving more than 1,400 children. College students work more than 300 hours per year in the program, and after completing those hours, they receive an award of $1,175 to use toward tuition, books or loans.

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Students accepted into a new Ed.D. program in nursing education offered collaboratively by Southern and Western Connecticut State universities can now have a portion of their tuition, fees and books paid through a federal loan — most of which is forgivable if they become nursing professors after earning their degree. The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration awarded the universities a grant of $98,720 to help students afford the cost for the three-year program. “The Ed.D. (Doctor of Education) program is really distinctive — one of the few that specifically seeks to bolster the teaching of nursing,” said Barbara Aronson, the university’s program coordinator. “It is crucial to create a larger pool of nursing faculty so that we can develop more highly qualified nurses.”

A SHOT IN THE ARM FOR NURSING Ed.D. The Ed.D. requires students to earn 51 credits on a part-time basis and the classes will be online, eventually costing each student about $50,000. “We believe this loan program will be very attractive to our students to help them afford their degree,” Aronson said. “The fact that we were awarded the federal grant is an indication of the quality of the program.” LEFT: The Nursing Department continues to find ways to address the national nursing shortage with a new Ed.D. program and extra support for its accelerated program.

Southern also received an $80,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, enabling enable eight individuals from the Accelerated Career Entry nursing program to receive $10,000 scholarships. The university was among 55 institutions nationally — and one of only two in Connecticut — to receive the grant. ACE enables students to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in 12 months, about the half the time it generally takes.

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Its school colors may be blue and white, but Southern has stamped itself as one of the up-and-coming green campuses in the nation. Southern placed fourth of 98 schools in the country in reducing its electricity use during the Campus Conservation Nationals 2012, a spring competition coordinated by the U.S. Green Building Council to encourage colleges and universities to reduce energy consumption. Thanks in large part to the efforts of residence hall students and staff, the university posted a reduction rate of 20.5 percent during the three-week period from March 26 to April 16. Equal to 76,251 kilowatt hours, this reduction translated to a cost savings of $11,437.

CAMPUS CONSERVATION IS ELECTRIC As one of the top 10 schools in the conservation contest, Southern also received a credit for 200 megawatt hours of renewable energy from Sterling Planet, a company that works with organizations toward becoming carbon neutral. The 200 megawatt hours of free energy were enough to power one of the university’s smaller residence halls for about a year. STUDENTS Megan Rudne Hoffecker and James Hoffecker HELP DRIVE met as members of the Environmental Futurists, SUSTAINABILITY a student group that focuses on improving environmental policies and practices on campus. Now both graduate students, and married to each other, they work to emphasize to the campus community the value of creating a more sustainable environment. Meg is the interim director of Hickerson Hall and leads the Residence Life Sustainability Committee. She helped coordinate the inaugural Fall Sustainability Programming Series, working with campus departments to engage students in making healthy and environmentally-conscious decisions. TOP: The university continues to work towards reducing energy consumption and building the campus’ awareness of the importance of recycling. BOTTOM: Megan Rudne Hoffecker and James Hoffecker.

Jim is a staff member of the university’s new Office of Sustainability, which coordinates and oversees projects aimed at reducing the university’s carbon footprint. Jim coordinates the university’s Day of Service in the fall and the Big Event in the spring — Southern’s two largest community service initiatives of the academic year. Both Hoffeckers are involved with the campus’ organic garden, part of an initiative to bring urban gardening and farming to Southern’s campus. 2012 REP ORT OF T H E P R ES IDENT S OUT H ER N CONNECT ICUT S TAT E UNIVER S IT Y PA G E 51

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Southern’s faculty members gained some well-deserved recognition — by their peers and in the media — for a variety of research projects. A sampling includes: • Joseph Manzella, professor of anthropology, traveled around the Western world to study alternative spirituality. His findings include: a community in the foothills of the Italian Alps in which nine interconnected temples pay homage to European and Egyptian mythological deities and an Indian woman who spreads a global message of peace by hugging people from all walks of life. • Julian Madison, associate professor of history, researched and wrote a book about a 1960s white civil rights leader in Cleveland who died during a protest when he was accidentally run over by a bulldozer.

FACULTY IN THE HEADLINES

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Joseph Manzella, Julian Madison, Gene Birz, Lisa Bier, Marie McDaniel and Jessica Kenty-Drane, Jonathan Weinbaum, and Wes O’Brien.

• Gene Birz, assistant professor of economics and finance, conducted a study of how newspaper headlines on articles about unemployment and the Gross Domestic Product can influence the stock market. • Lisa Bier, social science reference librarian, wrote a book about the challenges and accomplishments of female American swimmers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. • Marie McDaniel, assistant professor of history, and Jessica KentyDrane, associate professor of sociology, both conducted research on the phenomenon of apocalyptic movements in the United States, creating two new courses on the history of doomsday predictions and the sociological aspect of the phenomenon. • Jonathan Weinbaum, assistant professor of biology, spent much of the last decade studying Postosuchus kirkpatricki, a prehistoric ancestor to modern crocodiles.Weinbaum’s research confirms that the first crocodiles exhibited traits typically associated with mammals: they lived on land, walked on two legs and were most likely endothermic, or “warm-blooded.” • Wes O’Brien, professor of media studies, published a book called “Music in American Combat Films: A Critical Study.” The book discusses film representations of masculinity, what it means to be a hero, and how pop culture views war in general.

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2012

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Fundraising results for fiscal year 2012 significantly exceeded estimates with $1.52 million raised. The SCSU Foundation’s direct financial contribution to the university increased by 64 percent to more than $1.2 million, making it the strongest year of support since 2009. The ability to provide this level of support to the university is the result of the generosity of alumni and friends. Of note, the Stutzman Family Foundation and the Werth Family Foundation sustained their longstanding tradition of significant support for Southern’s music and marine science programs, respectively.

BANNER YEAR FOR SUPPORT Also, the SCSU Foundation received increased support through planned gifts, with bequests this year from the estates of Frances Poloshian, ’45, M.A., ’51; Wanda Dick, M.L.S., ’72; Rebecca Ward, ’69, M.S., ’77 and Dr. Dorothy Schrader, faculty emeritus. In appreciation for the warm welcome from the Southern community and the university’s supporters, President Mary A. Papazian and her husband Dr. Dennis Papazian, opened their home to meet and thank various constituents following her inauguration. Receptions were held for contributors, corporate partners, faculty leadership and student leaders.

LEFT: Thanks to the generosity and involvement of alumni and friends, the university had its strongest year of support since 2009.

Among a host of activities and programs offered by the Alumni Association throughout the year was its annual Distinguished and Outstanding Alumni Luncheon held on Oct. 12, 2012. Clifford R. Nordquist, Jr., ’90, and James J. O’Connell IV, ’90, were recognized as the 2012 Distinguished Alumni for exhibiting the true college spirit and entrepreneurship in founding Just Bagels. This event was followed the next day by the annual President’s Donor Recognition Breakfast and Homecoming.

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In fiscal year 2012, Southern continued to exhibit strength in its principal “lines of business” — teaching, research, and public service. The state funding continued to decline and represented just 31.3 percent of total revenue for the fiscal year. Comparatively, in fiscal years 2003 and 2007 the percentage of state support was 44.4 percent and 40.2 percent, respectively. While overall enrollment dipped in 2012, adding to the university’s financial challenges, the future looms bright with 1,360 new full-time freshmen enrolling last fall — the highest number in six years. Student tuition and fees, following the Board of Regents for Higher Education guidelines, were increased conservatively, with an effort to keep the cost of a Southern education affordable.

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW To maintain a balanced budget, the university implemented a cost containment program. The plan represents a continual effort to spend resources only on essential services, while at the same time providing a quality educational experience for Southern’s students. Due to the loss of revenue, expenditures in 2012 were decreased in all segments, excluding financial aid scholarships. Southern completed the year with a modest surplus and was able to maintain the operating fund balance guidelines established by the Board of Regents. Looking to the 2013-14 fiscal year, the university stands ready to face the continued challenge of reduced state resources and adapt to changes resulting from the reorganization of Connecticut’s higher education system. FY 2012 Operating Revenues

FY 2012 Operating Expenditures

Investment Income 0.0%

Auxilary Enterprises 13.0%

Indirect Cost Recoveries 0.1%

Scholarships & Fellowships 14.4%

Other Sources of Revenue 1.8%

LEFT: Despite the economic downturn and the resulting impact on revenues, Southern continued to move ahead.

Private & Local Grant Revenues 1.0% State Grant Revenues 2.4% Federal Grant Revenues 7.4% Auxiliary Sales & Services 11.7%

Tuition and Fees 44.3% State Appropriations 31.3%

Operations & Maintenance – Plant 7.3% Institutional Support 12.4% Student Services 9.7% Library 2.7%

Instruction 35.9%

Academic Support 3.4% Public Service 0.3% Research & Sponsored Programs 0.9%

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Connecticut State Colleges & Universities Board of Regents for Higher Education Lewis J. Robinson, Jr. Chair Yvette Meléndez Vice Chair Richard J. Balducci Eugene Bell Naomi K. Cohen Lawrence DeNardis Nicholas M. Donofrio Matt Fleury Michael Fraser Merle W. Harris

Gary F. Holloway Craig Lappen René Lerer Michael E. Pollard Zac Zeitlin Ex-Officio Members: Jewel Mullen Sharon Palmer Stefan Pryor Catherine Smith

Senior Administrative Officers for the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities Philip E. Austin Interim President Elsa Nuñez Vice President for Connecticut State Universities David L. Levinson Vice President for Community Colleges

Officers for Southern Connecticut State University Mary A. Papazian President

Produced by the Office of Public Affairs Patrick Dilger Director Patrick Dilger, Betsy Beacom, Joe Musante Editors and Writers Mike Kobylanski, Villia Struyk Writers Isabel Chenoweth Photographer Alisha Martindale Assistant Photographer John Steady Sports Photographer Barbara Kagan Designer Mansir Printing Printer

Marianne Kennedy Interim Provost/ Vice President for Academic Affairs James E. Blake Executive Vice President Tracy Tyree Vice President for Student and University Affairs Gregg Crerar Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement Pablo Molina Chief Information Officer

Mission Statement Southern Connecticut State University provides exemplary graduate and undergraduate education in the liberal arts and professional disciplines. As an intentionally diverse and comprehensive university, Southern is committed to academic excellence, access, social justice, and service for the public good.

DEAR FRIENDS, 501 Crescent Street New Haven, Connecticut 06515-1355 SouthernCT.edu

At Southern Connecticut State University we understand that education is an ongoing process, as the quick pace of change in our world demands a flexible workforce and visionary leaders.

2012 report of the president

Therefore, we engage in both workforce development and providing a liberal education, preparing our graduates to live and work in a new, knowledge-based economy.

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Mary A. Papazian, Ph.D. President