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Upstate Institute News & Events

 

Students working in community as Field School Fellows

Twenty-two Colgate students are working for community, government and not-for-profit organizations in the region this summer as part of the Upstate Institute Summer Field School. In addition to working 35 hours a week on a project that will build capacity within their host organization, the fellows participate in an on-campus seminar that looks at regional issues. (more)

 

SPC Awards $10,000 to community organizations

Five non-profit organizations in the Upstate New York region are the recipients of a total of $10,000 in grants funded by Upstate Institute Student Philanthropy Council (SPC) at Colgate University.  In its third year, the thirteen-member Council, comprised of sophomores and juniors, considered twenty-seven applications from non-profits throughout central Upstate New York. (more)

 

Research Methods Class Conducts Survey

Twenty Colgate students participating in the Social Science Research Methods course recently had the opportunity to apply some of the lessons learned in the classroom for the benefit of a local arts organization. The students, who had gathered on a Sunday afternoon at the offices of Hamilton Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine, conducted telephone surveys on behalf of Earlville Opera House, a multi arts center that provides gallery space and arts programming for community members of all ages. The survey gathered information from members of the organization about past programming and the community's desire for additional and perhaps new events and activities.

 

 Upstate Institute to offer bankruptcy assistance

Following a successful pilot of the project in the fall of 2008, the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, Inc. has funded the Consumer Bankruptcy Law Project in 2009.  Several students will work with the Legal Aid Society of Mid New York to study consumer bankruptcy cases in rural Upstate New York. Susan Conn, '79, will train the students on issues on consumer debt, bankruptcy law, and ethics, and will complete outside reading as part of the study. They will then work under the supervision of a LASMNY attorney to prepare documentation for bankruptcy cases.

(more)

 

Field School Fellow in NAHOF Commemoration

Kate Joyce, '08, continued her fellowship with the National Abolition Hall of Fame this fall by participating in the commemoration ceremony, held October 25, 2008 at Morrisville State College. (more)

 

Colgate attends Cultural Blueprints conference

The New York State Council on the Arts convened the first-ever Cultural Blueprints conference in Syracuse, giving Colgate the opportunity to explore partnerships with businesses, public schools, arts organizations, and other colleges and universities in the region. (more)

 

PSC hearing on NYRI lines held at Colgate

Area residents had the opportunity to voice their opinion on the controversial power line that is proposed to run from central New York to the New York City area. (more)

 

UI pilots Consumer Bankruptcy Law Project

Several students will work with the Legal Aid Society of Mid New York this fall to study consumer bankruptcy cases in rural Upstate New York. Susan Conn, '74, will train the students on issues on consumer debt, bankruptcy law, and ethics, and will complete outside reading as part of the study. (more)

 

Youth Philanthropy Project launched at Norwich

Sixteen juniors and seniors from Norwich High School will learn about the importance and impact of philanthropy in society and how philanthropists find and fund worthy causes. They will then get the chance to become benefactors themselves when the council distributes $10,000 to not-for-profit agencies in Chenango County. (more)

 

Former Fellow presents non-profit idea to Boards and Field School fellows

Kevin McAvey, '04, who participated in the Upstate Institute Field School, recently presented his idea for the Upstate Foundation to the annual meeting of the UI Executive Board and Community Board. He also talked with students participating in the field school this summer as part of their on campus symposium that focuses on regional resources. The full text of his presentation is available here. Kevin's project was also recently covered in the Syracuse Post-Standard.

 

UI staff participate in Economic Security Forum

Director Ellen Percy Kraly and project consultant Julie Dudrick recently took part in one of many town hall discussions for the New York State Economic Security Cabinet. The cabinet brings together more than 20 separate state agencies to provide a new focus on the needs of working families. The cabinet's objectives include reducing the high cost of living in the state, establishing educational and workforce development opportunities, strengthening the state's social safety net, and bringing good jobs to our communities. For more information, visit the Economic Security Forum webpage.

 

Colgate Faculty Present Research at UI Symposium

On Saturday, April 26, 2008 the Upstate Institute hosted a symposium of research conducted by six Colgate faculty on a variety of issues concerning the Upstate region. 

Did Politics Assault Salt City, Syracuse Post Standard

 

Loe's Research on Aging in Place featured on NPR

Meika Loe, Assistant Professor in the department of Sociology and Anthropology and Women's Studies Program, is conducting research on aging in place in Albany and Hamilton, New York. She was recently featured in a National Public Radio piece about the Hamilton Fortnightly Club. Her research is supported by the Upstate Institute.

Women's Clubs Evolve for New Generation, National Public Radio

 

Student Philanthropy Council announces grant awards

On Thursday April 24, 2008, the Student Philanthropy Council  hosted an awards celebration of this year’s grantees at the Colgate Inn in Hamilton, New York. The philanthropy program, now in its second year, is supported by the Brennan Family Foundation of Ohio, which has ties to the university through Jay Brennan ’81. The Foundation made a gift of $50,000 to support the program for five years.  Each year, $10,000 of that grant is made available to the SPC to provide grants to area non-profits. More information is also available at the Philanthropy Council page.

 

Other Past Events

 

Human Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields

David O. Carpenter, M.D., director of the Institute for Health and the Environment and professor of environmental health sciences in the School of Public Health at University at Albany, SUNY, lectured on the health effects of electromagnetic fields. The lecture was the third in a series on energy issues hosted by Colgate University’s Upstate Institute. The series hopes to further promote the community discussion about a new 200-mile-long power line proposed by the New York Regional Interconnect that will pass through many parts of Upstate New York.

Carpenter Video (Windows Media Player)

Carpenter Video (Quick Time)

 

The Economics of Electricity Transmission

James Bushnell, Research Director of the University of California Energy Institute and lecturer at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, lectured at Colgate University on the economic effects of energy transmission on Thursday, October 26th He focused on the economic forces behind the expansion of our nation’s electricity network as it has evolved from serving local regulated utilities to forming the backbone of a network carrying energy between regional deregulated markets. Transmission lines are often met with strong resistance by the public, while energy companies and federal and state regulators fear that without a robust expansion of our electricity grid, the reliability and efficiency of our electricity system will be at risk.

Bushnell Video (Windows Media Player)

Bushnell Video (Quick Time)

 

The Renewable Energy Revolution

September 27, 2006

Daniel M. Kammen discussed how renewable energy technologies can meet our growing demand for energy sources and what initiatives can be taken to advance this clean power for years to come. Kammen is Director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory at the University of California Berkeley.

Other lecturers in this series will include Jim Bushnell, an economist from University of California at Berkeley who has studied electrical companies, and David Carpenter, who heads the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University of Albany and has researched the health effects of electromagnetic fields.

Kammen Video (Windows Media Player)

Kammen Video (Quick Time)

Upstate Institute in the News

 

 

 
Upstate Institute Director Ellen Percy Kraly recently spoke with George Kilpatrick of Hour CNY, WCNY's live, daily TV talk program.

Hour CNY (Windows Media Player) (Quick Time)

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