President's Report Masthead
March 31, 2015

Student Life

Campus Recreational Services

9th Annual McKenna 5K

For the past nine years, the University community has come together each spring to run and raise funds at the Binghamton crew club’s annual John McKenna IV Memorial 5K. This year’s event brought out more than 600 runners for a children’s fun run and an adult 5K run/walk on Saturday, March 21, at Binghamton’s Recreation Park on the West Side. McKenna — a rower who attended Binghamton from ’94-’98 — lost his life while serving his third tour in Iraq.

9th Annual University Health Fair

The University Health Fair, sponsored in partnership by Campus Recreational Services and Binghamton University Dining by Sodexo, was held at the Recreation Center East Gym on Wednesday, March 25. More than 70 University groups, food vendors and community businesses returned for the ninth year. Participants learned how to incorporate personal health and wellness into their daily lives through exercise and wellness demos, healthy food and beverage samples, as well as blood glucose, cholesterol testing and health screenings. This B-Healthy event is part of the University’s Healthy Campus Initiative.

Residential Life

Residential Life’s pilot program addresses Level 1 conduct issues

Residential Life staff continues efforts to resolve Level 1 conduct issues while being sensitive to students’ rights with a pilot program that addresses both. Working over the summer with the offices of Student Conduct and Dean of Students, Residential Life staff developed an alternative process where cases are heard by a student board mediated by graduate students and reviewed by Assistant Director of Housing Amy Pollock Drake.

This pilot process, being tested now, has already received positive feedback from students and staff alike; resolution times have been decreased and students participating in the process have had a greater level of involvement in their conduct experience.

Health and Counseling Services

With support from senior administration, Ada Robinson-Perez was hired as associate director of EAP Services, allowing the Employee Assistance Program to expand its services for faculty, staff, graduate student employees, retirees and their families. She officially began her duties March 2.

Robinson-Perez has extensive experience working with the New York State Office of Mental Health (NYSOMH) at the Elmira Psychiatric Center as an intensive case manager with children and families. In addition, her work with NYSOMH extended into disaster relief efforts, community safety training, union leadership and as chair of the Cultural Competence/Diversity Committee. Other professional experience includes work in alcohol and drug treatment, medical social work and participation on various boards for not-for-profit organizations in Elmira, N.Y.

An adjunct faculty member with Keuka College in its Social Work Department for five years, she earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from Marist College and her MSW from Syracuse University, and is a New York Licensed Master Social Worker. She has been a PhD student in the College of Community and Public Affairs at Binghamton since January 2014.

“I am elated to be a part of Binghamton University’s growth,” said Robinson-Perez. “My vision for the Employee Assistance Program is to support the University’s faculty and staff by expanding our confidential, solution-focused assessment and referral services. I look forward to cultivating new, collaborative, on-campus and community partnerships to promote health, wellness and work/life balance.”

EAP staff provide confidential, professional, work-site based guidance at no cost to University faculty, staff, graduate student employees, retirees and their families, offering supervisory consultations as well as individualized assessment and referral to appropriate community and professional resources. In addition, special programs and lunchtime workshops are coordinated by EAP throughout the year.
EAP services are voluntary, confidential, neutral and free and are provided by the University to support and enhance the emotional health of the campus community and promote work-life balance.