A Message from Student Affairs
Thursday, April 18, 2019
This evening, the Student Government at Utica will be hosting a candlelight vigil in honor of Fardush Sultana.
Please join us at the Campus Center lower entrance, in the circle, at 8pm. In case of inclement weather, we will meet in the Campus Center Lower Lobby.
A Message from the Office of the President
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Dear Members of the SUNY Poly Community,
It is with the heaviest of hearts that I must inform you of the loss of SUNY Poly student Fardush Sultana. A daughter, sister, and friend, Fardush was an outstanding civil engineering student from Hudson, New York, who touched many lives. She was very active in the SUNY Poly community through her involvement in the After Hours Activity Board (AHAB) where she served as social media coordinator and the Black and Latino Student Association (BLASU). Fardush was a student-athlete, a member of the Cross Country team that won the NEAC Championship this past fall, and she gave her time as a phone-a-thon participant. She was also part of the Residential Life family, serving as a student assistant in the office. I know that you join me in conveying the deepest sorrow as we offer our condolences on behalf of the entire SUNY Poly community to Fardush’s parents and family.
As we struggle to understand this significant loss, it is important that we come together as one campus community and take time to be there for one another. While we grieve, each of us will experience a range of feelings and responses.
During this challenging time, I hope that everyone in our community knows they can reach out to connect with the wellness resources. The Residential Life Suite in the Campus Center will be open throughout the day and evening to provide support and has also supplied information about the services available to you: Utica Services (pdf). I encourage you to seek out any assistance you may need. It is important that we continue to support each other in navigating this difficult road. Services for our Albany community members can be found at: Albany Services (pdf)
The SUNY Poly community is a unique, caring, inclusive, and supportive community, and I ask that we continue to work to strengthen each other as we grieve the loss of this superb young student by listening, helping, and being kind to each other.
Sincerely,
Dr. Grace Wang
Interim President
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
A Message from the Office of the President
Thursday, April 11, 6:28 pm
To the SUNY Poly Community:
I wanted to share with you an update from the New York State Police and New York State University Police, which is copied below:
Statement from The New York State Police and New York State University Police
April 11, 2019
The New York State Police and New York State University Police are investigating an incident involving a SUNY Polytechnic Institute student, who was transported to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica for an unexplained head injury on Monday evening, April 8, 2019.
University Police began an initial investigation to determine the cause of those injuries and requested assistance from State Police.
After a preliminary investigation, it appears the student experienced a medical event that led to the injuries. This is consistent with statements the student made to emergency room staff on Monday evening. At this time, State Police and University Police have determined that the student is not a victim of a crime.
While there is no indication of any criminality, the investigation is ongoing. Further updates will be provided as appropriate at www.sunypoly.edu/update.
A Message from the Office of Student Affairs
Wednesday, April 10, 6:51 pm
To Faculty, Staff, and Students,
Following the recent message from the Office of the President, I wanted to share a number of resources that you may find helpful. The resources listed below are available to you, and we strongly encourage you to connect with these important services should you or someone you know need support.
Available Resources Include:
- Counseling services are free to students and confidential. The Wellness Center is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. The Center is located on the second floor of the Campus Center, Suite 217, 315-792-7172
The Counseling Center is also available to work with groups of students who need support.
- After hours and on weekends, support for individuals in immediate crisis is offered by the Oneida County Mobile Crisis Assessment Team (MCAT). There are no fees for utilizing MCAT services. They are open 24 hours/day, 7 days/week and offer helpful mental health resources. You can contact MCAT at 315-732-6228 or 1-844-732-6228.
University Police and the Residential Life Resident Director (RD) on call (if you are on campus) can be contacted 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. They are able to contact MCAT on your behalf to request assistance. If you are on campus, they are willing to stay with you while you connect with MCAT Professionals.
- The Residential Life Professional Staff (Assistant Directors, Associate Director and Director) are not licensed counselors, they are all skilled listeners and are equipped to help and refer. They serve on-call for our residential students in crisis 24 hours/day, 7 days/week and can be reached by calling their on-call phone, 315-520-9515.
- During business hours, if a counselor is not free for an immediate appointment and you need someone to talk to, Student Affairs/Residential Life staff can help. Student Affairs can be reached at 315-792-7505, and Residential Life can be reached at 315-792-7810. Additionally, the CARE Team is also available to assist should there be an individual who you are concerned about. To file a report, please use this link Care Team Report.
- Crisis text line serves anyone in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support and information. This can be helpful if you prefer texting or do not have privacy to do so: www.crisistextline.org.
- Employees who are in need of assistance may contact the Employee Assistance program. NYSEAP services are available by contacting 800-822-0244 or through their website at https://goer.ny.gov/employee-
Please share this information with your friends, students, and colleagues at SUNY Poly so that we can support each other and the health and wellness of all members of our SUNY Poly community.
Sincerely,
Marybeth Lyons
Vice President for Student Affairs
A Message from the Office of the President
Wednesday, April 10, 6:05 pm
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
I want to follow up on the bulletin that was issued for our Utica campus, in order to provide a brief update. I met with the student’s parents earlier today after the student was hospitalized last night and remains in critical condition.
I imagine that we all have questions. What I can tell you now is that the State Police have partnered with University Police and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the student’s injuries. We have no reason to believe there is a threat to our campus community, but we ask that you remain vigilant. And we also request that you please reach out to the police immediately if there is any information which may be relevant to the investigation.
Finally, if you feel the need to speak with someone, there is assistance on campus; we will resend a note about the resources available on campus shortly. I strongly encourage anyone who feels the need to talk with someone to please reach out and utilize these resources.
The safety and wellness of all our faculty, staff, and students is my highest priority, and when we have the ability to share more information, we will do so as efficiently as possible. At this time, I ask for your thoughts for one of our outstanding students.
My best to you,
Dr. Grace Wang
Interim President
Utica Campus Bulletin
Published: Tuesday, April 9, 2019 - 22:39
University Police is investigating a serious injury to a student, which we believe occurred Saturday night, April 6, 2019. The student was found in their Adirondack Residence Hall dorm room and brought to the hospital. While there is currently no information indicating a threat to others, the investigation to determine what caused the student’s injuries is ongoing. Anyone who may have any related information is requested to contact University Police at 315-792-7111.
Once more information is available, University Police will provide an update.
Members of the campus community are reminded to stay alert to their surroundings and always travel and/or visit with people they know and trust. University Police urges community members to be vigilant at all times, and to report any unusual circumstances or suspicious persons or activities to the University Police as soon as possible.
Always call the University Police if you are ever in a situation where you do not feel safe at 315-792-7111 or use any blue light phone. Tips on any potential campus crime can be reported at 315-792-7111 or anonymously at https://sunypoly.edu/university-police.html.
