January 2023 Announcements

By Office of Communications & Marketing | Jan 1, 2023

329 Clarkson Avenue Parking Garage Closure

The 329 Clarkson Avenue garage will permanently close at 10:00 PM TODAY, Friday, January 27, due to building infrastructure problems that have escalated safety concerns.

Effective Monday, January 30, 2023, monthly parkers currently assigned to the 329 Clarkson Avenue garage will be temporarily relocated to 355 Lenox Road, which has been expanded into the adjoining lot at 354 Clarkson Avenue for the remainder of January and February 2023. All current 329 Clarkson Garage Monthly Parking customers have been sent more detail via e-mail.

Based on the results of the Parking Survey distributed to monthly parkers in September 2022, new monthly parking assignments will be sent out next week to all the parkers. These changes will go into effect on March 1, 2023.

We remain grateful for your cooperation and patience while we consolidate our locations to make parking for you safe and less onerous.

395 Lenox Road Entrance Reopens

We are pleased to share the news that the 395 Lenox Road & East 34^th Street entrance is once again open to welcome faculty, students, and staff!

As part of a series of capital upgrades on campus, this project removed the exterior doors to the Basic Science Building (BSB) and Health Science Education Building (HSEB) and replaced them with energy-efficient revolving doors.

The 395 Lenox Road entrance hours are Monday to Friday from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM and closed on weekends. The building remains accessible via the 450 Clarkson Avenue entrance. The Grove entrance is no longer open for egress to the street.

Take a look at our new doors!

Thanks to the FM&D team for their work on our physical campus. Not only are we improving and beautifying the physical campus, but we are also lessening our carbon footprint with energy-efficient installations and providing ease of access to our Downstate community.

Thank yous are also extended to University Police for adjusting to the staffing needs during the time needed to make this change at 395 Lenox.

Mask Mandate Reinstated at Downstate Effective Immediately

Back to work logo Effective immediately, the mask mandate at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (Downstate) has been reinstated in response to the rising number and transmission of COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and influenza (flu) cases, as well as the expected increase following the holiday seasons.

All Downstate employees (hospital and non-hospital) and students must wear masks indoors in all Downstate facilities, including on the Downstate shuttles and at the gym. This notice is effective immediately and will remain in place until further notice or when decisions on whether to extend the mandate will be made based on the transmission of respiratory illnesses at the time.

Masks will be provided at all entrances for anyone who enters a Downstate facility without one.

Furthermore, the Surveillance Saliva Testing program will no longer be offered or required for employees and students. Downstate has obtained an ample supply of take-at-home tests, which are available free of charge voluntarily. Employees and students can obtain the home testing kits using their Downstate ID; the tests are available on the first and third Tuesdays of the month between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM in the Public Health Academic Building (PHAB) Hall B (450 Clarkson Avenue). Instructions on administering and recognizing positive results will be provided when the home testing kit is picked up.

Employees and students who have obtained an exemption from the mandatory SUNY vaccination requirement must continue to submit to weekly PCR testing, which will now be done at Employee or Student Health Services during their regular business hours. (Note: If you are symptomatic or feel you have been exposed to COVID-19, you should obtain a PCR test either through a local testing agency or through Employee or Student Health Services.)

Vaccination and Booster Shots: Employees and students are highly encouraged to get boosted with the COVID-19 bivalent booster. Additionally, all employees and students must still comply with the NYS DOH or SUNY-mandated minimum vaccination status.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms or if you receive a positive COVID test:

Report any positive result to Employee/Student Health and the Downstate COVID-19 Testing and Contact tracing Corps by e-mail at covid19testtracecorps@downstate.edu, and include the best number to reach you in your email.

Isolate and notify close contacts that you have tested positive.

For VISITORS:

All visitors to the University Hospital at Downstate or anywhere on the Downstate campus who are two years of age and older and can medically tolerate masks are required to wear a mask at all Downstate facilities.

We thank you for your continued vigilance and shared responsibility in keeping our campus safe.

Congratulations to the Family of our First Downstate Baby of 2023!

Baby Barry was born on January 1, 2023 at 11:40am! The healthy baby girl, who has yet to be named, weighed 6 pounds 9.5 ounces and is 19.5 inches long. Her proud and happy parents are Ms. Houssainatou Barry and Mr. Ibrahima Barry.

A lovely basket was provided to the family for their newborn. Kudos to everyone in Labor and Delivery for kicking off a wonderful year and for the amazing work they do!

Take a look at a few pictures of our first Downstate baby of the year.

SUNY Pilot Telecommuting Policy Extended through June 30, 2023

As a reminder, SUNY has extended the Pilot Telecommuting Policy until June 30, 2023.

If you are an employee whose title has been identified as eligible to telecommute, please be advised that the SUNY Telecommuting Policy set to expire for UUP, CSEA, NYSCOPBA, and PBANYS on December 31, 2022, has been extended to June 30, 2023. Therefore, if you have an approved application, no further action is required on your part.

If you have not submitted your telecommuting application and would like to participate, please contact humanresources@downstate.edu for more information.

Governor Hochul announces Excelsior Scholarship Application open for New Applicants for Spring 2023

SUNY and CUNY Students Whose Families Make Up to $125,000 Annually Can Apply for Tuition-Free College

Applications Accepted Through February 9, 2023

NYS logo Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the application for the Excelsior Scholarship for new applicants for the Spring 2023 term is now open here. The Excelsior Scholarship, in combination with other student financial aid, allows eligible full-time students to attend a SUNY or CUNY two-year or four-year college tuition-free.

"Since its inception, the Excelsior Scholarship has enabled tens of thousands of students from low and middle-income families the chance to pursue a quality education tuition-free," Governor Hochul said. "By easing the financial burden associated with the cost of attending college, students and their families can focus on their education, providing New York's students every possible opportunity to climb the ladder of success."

Students from households with federal adjusted gross incomes up to $125,000 are eligible for a Spring Excelsior Scholarship award. Students must also:

Plan to attend a SUNY or CUNY two or four-year college
Complete 30 credits per year towards their program of study (including Summer and Winter terms); and
Be on track to graduate with an Associate's Degree in two years or a Bachelor's Degree in four years

Dr. Guillermo Linares, President of the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation said, "The cost to attend college is often a barrier for students from low and middle-income families who wish to experience the benefits that come from earning a postsecondary degree or credential. The Excelsior Scholarship offers the opportunity for students who, without financial support, could not readily afford to purse a college degree."

SUNY Interim Chancellor Deborah F. Stanley said, "The data clearly shows that a college degree is the most effective tool for upward mobility - boosting earning power, expanding career opportunities, and even lengthening your life. Yet that experience remains out of reach for far too many. The Excelsior Scholarship helps address the college affordability problem, reinforcing SUNY's longstanding commitment to delivering a world-class education by eliminating financial barriers for hardworking students from across the state. I applaud Governor Hochul's ongoing efforts to help more New Yorkers earn and benefit from a SUNY education."

CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said, "The Excelsior Scholarship program has aided CUNY's efforts to expand educational opportunity and access for New Yorkers of all backgrounds. Excelsior has given thousands of CUNY students the opportunity to attend college tuition-free, opening the door to educational achievement, career success and, ultimately, economic and social advancement. We thank Governor Hochul for her continued recognition of the unmatched value and importance of higher education for all New Yorkers."

The Excelsior Scholarship is just one of the many ways New York State makes college affordable and accessible. Check out the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation website to explore other options available to help pay for college.

The Spring 2023 Excelsior Scholarship application is open to first-time students entering college in the Spring 2023 term and current college students who have never received the Excelsior Scholarship. Students currently receiving an Excelsior Scholarship do not need to complete this application to receive continued award payments. Students eligible for the Excelsior Scholarship under the Senator José Peralta New York State DREAM Act can apply here.

Applications will be accepted through February 9, 2023.

College of Nursing White Coat Ceremony & Convocation

College of Nursing White Coat Ceremony

College of Nursing Convocation, Pinning & Awards Ceremony

In Honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day

Candles

In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly called on nations to mark January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

On this day, we remember and honor the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust: six million Jews, 250,000 people with disabilities, 250,000 Romani people, nearly 2,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses, and hundreds, possibly thousands, of LGBTQ+ individuals.

This year marks the 78th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau by Soviet troops on January 27, 1945.

Downstate is committed to a world where the lessons of the Holocaust are taught and where human lives are valued.

Upcoming Events

Nominate a Student for the 2023 SUNY Chancellor’s Award | Annual Dean’s Awards for Comprehensive Student Excellence

Nomination Deadline: Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Each year the State University of New York honors students from across the State University of New York with the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. At Downstate, we have expanded that process to include up to one potential nominee from each of our five schools and colleges to win the annual Dean’s Award for Comprehensive Student Excellence. Dean’s Award winners are then considered to be one of Downstate’s two nominees for the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.

The Dean's Awards for Comprehensive Student Excellence acknowledges students who have received recognition for outstanding achievement in multiple areas. We are seeking nominations of students who have best demonstrated and been recognized for the integration of academic excellence with other aspects of their lives. Students nominated for this award are expected to have excelled in, at a minimum, academics, leadership through campus and community activities, campus involvement, community service, and career achievements. (Nominee must meet each of these criteria.) The committee also considers excellence in the creative and/or performing arts, and/or athletics (but these categories are not required). Students who achieve this honor for the 2023 award must have a graduation date from Downstate between June 2022 and May 2023.

Nominations for this honor must include the following:

A nomination letter which includes examples of the student’s achievements in all of the following areas: academics, leadership through campus and community activities, campus involvement, community service, and career achievements. (The nomination letter must specify how they meet each of these categories.) In addition, achievements in the creative and/or performing arts, and/or athletics, if applicable, should also be added to the nomination.

The nomination can include (but does not require) additional letters of support of the nomination.

A copy of the nominee’s resume or list of activities (if available) should also be included.

Please submit your nominations to Dr. Jeffrey Putman, Ed.D., Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, via email to studentaffairs@downstate.edu by no later than Wednesday, January 11, 2023.

2023 Patient Safety and Quality Fair

Abstract Deadline Submission: Tuesday, January 17, 2023

2023 Patient Quality Fair

Celebrate Patient Safety Week with a poster presentation highlighting your patient safety, process improvement, or quality improvement project. Anyone with an interest in patient safety or healthcare quality is encouraged to submit an abstract for project presentation. Prizes will be awarded for top posters!

2023 Patient Safety and Quality Fair Date: March 15, 2023

Abstract Submission Deadline: January 17, 2023

Abstract Guidelines:

In 250-500 words, describe the project background, objectives, methodology, results, and conclusions. Include the proposed poster title, authors and affiliations, presenter role (e.g., resident, faculty, nurse, etc.), and Downstate address of the submitting author. Do not include figures or tables with the abstract.

Abstract Submission:

Email abstracts to PatientSafetyFair@downstate.edu

Abstract Selection Criteria:

The selection committee will score abstracts according to the following criteria:

Conference Theme: Is the project related to patient safety or healthcare quality improvement?
Project Description: Is the abstract clearly written and organized?
Objectives: Is the project rationale clearly related to the objectives?
Methodology: Does the methodology include quality improvement tools and statistical analyses? All presentations must contain quantitative results.
Relevance/Action: How do/would results impact the Downstate community?

Abstract Selection Notification: January 30, 2023

Submitting authors will be notified by email. Additional instructions for formatting and printing posters will be provided at that time.

2023 Downstate Resiliency Awards

Submission Deadline: Friday, January 20, 2023

2023 Resiliency Award

As Downstate moves forward in our post-COVID world and gets back to our “new normal,” our institution would like to extend their gratitude to employees for all that they have done and continue to do by establishing the Downstate Resiliency Award.

The Resiliency Award will highlight the attributes that enabled Downstate to get through the height of the pandemic so successfully. These attributes are advocacy, innovation, leadership, and synergy (a.k.a. teamwork). There will be two awards in each of the following categories: Advocate, Innovator, and Leader. One award will be given to an employee and the other to a student.

The Advocate Award will focus on positive, customer-centered outcomes.

The Innovator Award will focus on those who develop or enhance an existing work process or product to create efficiencies or improve effectiveness and/or quality.

The Leader Award will focus on those who contributed to the mission, values, and/or strategic plan of Downstate by leading or directing a successful group or project.

The Synergist award will be given to a group of employees that displayed exceptional teamwork through the height of the pandemic, as well as a group of students.

The Synergist Award will focus on any team or teams at the institution who have worked together within or across departments to accomplish a goal that ends up serving the greater good by meeting the spirit of the mission, values, or strategic goals of the organization.

Nominate one or more people today. There are three ways to nominate:

Complete the attached e-Form and submit it to Resiliency@downstate.edu;
Print the attached form and fill it out manually. Scan it and email it to Resiliency@downstate.edu; or
Print the attached form and mail it to: MSC #21 Attn: Resiliency Award.

Please forward your nominations no later than January 20, 2023.

The awards ceremony will be held the afternoon of April 5, 2023.

We believe this process will give the campus an opportunity to step back and appreciate how far we have come and express that appreciation to our colleagues. Thank you.

Fill out the Form