M E M O R A N D U M


September 20, 2011

To:		Members of the Board of Trustees

From:		Nancy L. Zimpher, Chancellor

Subject:	Fiftieth Anniversary of Onondaga Community College


Action Requested


      The proposed resolution honors Onondaga Community College on its fiftieth anniversary.

Resolution

	I recommend that the Board of Trustees adopt the following resolution:

Whereas Onondaga Community College, a beautiful 280 acre campus atop Onondaga Hill in Syracuse, New York, was founded in nineteen hundred and sixty one beginning  in downtown Syracuse’s former Midtown Plaza  with 500 freshmen; and

Whereas for the past fifty years, Onondaga has advanced its mission to make high quality educational programs and services accessible to a diverse citizenry, empowering individuals to explore and discover their inherent potential and to transform themselves to live, work and thrive in our global community; and

Whereas with nearly 12,000 students, Onondaga Community College is the second-largest undergraduate institution in Central New York, operating under the program of the State University of New York, and  one of 30 locally sponsored community colleges throughout New York State; and


Whereas Onondaga offers 45 associate degree and certificate programs with day, evening, weekend, online and extension courses, with 11 degree programs available entirely online; bachelor and master’s degrees available on 
campus through a regional higher education center; and more than 80 transfer agreements with four year colleges and universities throughout the region and nation; and

Whereas Onondaga Community College has attained regional, state and national recognition being named among the top ten percent of community colleges in the nation by the Aspen Institute; recognized by University Business magazine as a “2010 Model of Efficiency”; and home to eight National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) championships to date; and

Whereas Onondaga Community College significantly contributes to the economic vibrancy of the Central New York region and the State by preparing students for transfer and direct entrance to the workforce, offering academic programs to support and enhance job readiness as well as maintaining important community partnerships with Central New York businesses to develop and offer specialized educational and training programs to meet employer demand; and

Whereas of the more than 40,000 alumni, Onondaga counts among its successful graduates community leaders, heads of corporations, local and international business, leaders in the sciences and technology ,as well as renowned musicians, artists and athletes; now, therefore, be it

Resolved that the State University of New York honors and congratulates Onondaga Community College upon the occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of its founding and for its continuing efforts to provide quality and affordable higher educational opportunities for students throughout the Central New York Region and beyond.