SUNY

With all of the availability of artificial intelligence — AI for short — and the myriad apps available to help with research, to answer questions, and figure out how to do most anything, comes a new dilemma for educators wanting to ensure their students aren’t misusing the technology, State University of New York Chancellor John King says.

“We actually just added artificial intelligence to our general education requirements around information literacy, because we think our students will need to understand how AI works, how to use it ethically,” King said during a recent visit to Batavia. “And so we’re now building that into the general education requirements for all undergraduates across SUNY, and we’re doing a lot of professional development with faculty thinking about both, how do you teach students about using AI, but also, how do we think about the role that AI plays in the classroom?”

That might change how teachers dole out homework, he said, moving them from at-home assignments to asking students to complete them during class time.

“Because you want to make sure that students are engaging with the material themselves and not just relying on AI. You know, some of the work is actually helping students understand how best to use AI, you know, the prompt development, for example, the kind of question you ask matters a lot with what you'll get back from AI, and so helping students think about, how do you design the right question?” he said. “Also helping students be skeptical readers of what they find, whether it's on the internet or from AI, they have to ask, is this right? How do I know? Let me go check these sources.”

There are so many interesting things that college faculty members are working on with AI, he said, including simulated conversations in foreign languages.

“It’s such an incredible tool if used well,” he said. 

The State University of New York — of which Genesee Community and Empire State colleges are included — will require undergraduate students to take courses in AI and civic discourse as part of their general education curriculum beginning in fall 2026. 

The courses will be part of the university’s effort to prepare students to engage with emerging technologies and evaluate information, as King said, ethically. 

According to SUNY's website, students will be learning how to use AI tools to locate information, evaluate that information from different sources, understand the ethical implications of using AI, how to weigh information for bias, truthfulness and other factors and how to navigate and assess the impact of AI in society. 

While surrounded by a group of onlookers, Madeline Wilson dramatically pumped a male’s chest with crossed hands repeatedly Thursday while watching a nearby heart monitor to see whether her actions were effective enough to resuscitate him.

Not only was she under pressure with the cardio maneuver, but she had an audience for her first attempts.

“So, especially in this, we can apply this knowledge to the community when we go into clinical and work,” the nursing student said during the demonstration at Genesee Community College’s Med-Tech building. “So if this did happen to our patient, we would be totally prepared and know what to do.”

Unlike old-school upper torso mannequins that don’t really resemble human persons besides crude physical mechanics, this male was a full-body specimen with working features. GCC purchased the $28,000 mannequin, an accompanying defibrillator and other equipment with 2024 state funding of $8 million to expand community college healthcare workforce training and mental health programs. 

This investment will allow students opportunities for hands-on learning with the most up-to-date technology, officials said during a tour of the nursing, child care center and HVAC wings with SUNY Chancellor John King and Senator George Borrello.

Nursing faculty member Rebecca Herlan gave a close-up view of a mannequin, encouraging King and Borrello, who noted that the patient was even blinking, to touch the skin and feel the pulse from hands to toes.

“One of the things that we love about nursing simulation is mannequins is we can use them throughout the program. So one of the nicer things for these particular mannequins is you can see the chest, right? So some of our older model mannequins, you can't necessarily see that, and that is actually how we teach students to check, like a respiratory rate. So this is a more realistic mannequin for the students to work on,” Herlan said. “Other things you'll notice, if you actually touch the mannequin, it's more realistic skin. You can actually feel the pulses. So our old mannequins did not have great pulses. You have radial pulses, also pedal pulses, which our old mannequins definitely did not have.”

Herlan said that “we have IV access for this patient,” pointing out an adjacent IV monitor atop a pole.

“Actually, just now, Rochester hospitals are thinking of expanding what they allow students to do in terms of IV medication. So having this in the lab lets them practice sufficiently so that when they're in the clinical space, they can sort of confidently do this, but obviously, you want to have that instructor with them at all times,” she said. “But we really utilize our mannequins throughout the program, and these mannequins, as opposed to our previous mannequins, sort of have better functionality and more true to what students are actually going to see.”

The models in that room ranged from $5,000 for lower fidelity to $60,000 for a full functionality mannequin, she said. Another much more compact cut useful piece of equipment, she said, is an arm sleeve used to practice inserting an IV — “you can kind of see some of the veins” — that gets hooked up to fluid that flows through the needle to simulate when drawing blood.

King thanked Borrello for his help in getting a bill passed that increased the amount of time training nurses could spend in these simulation type exercises.

“I want to appreciate you because two years ago, we had the bill to allow the simulation to count for a third of the clinical hours. So if not for the support of the legislature, we wouldn't be able to leverage the simulation experience as effectively,” King said. “And then last year, with the $8 million in operating aid, we were able to dedicate $5 million across the system, at community colleges to healthcare workforce, and that made these purchases.”

The tour continued into the next room, which included a CPR simulation by students. The monitor has a feedback feature that shows if the compression is deep enough, are the hands in the right position, and gives “feedback in real-time,” Harlan said. Instruction also includes logistics, such as whether a student is tall enough to perform the maneuver or if a stool is needed, or if there’s no stool, “we’re climbing on the bed,” she said. 

“This particular mannequin can give us that feedback on whether we're doing it appropriately. There's a lot of moving parts. So it's not a great idea to do CPR on any mannequin, but this one is specially designed, and it's really great,” she said. Like I said, we are showing the students some of the heart rhythm, help them kind of see what we were talking about in class.”

Some stats about the nursing program: there are 214 students and about 100% of them will walk away and right into a job. An amount of $310,000 was earmarked for GCC’s new Health Care Programs recruitment specialist, four new adjunct professors for the Physical Therapist Assistant and Respiratory Care programs, and to purchase equipment for respiratory care simulation education. Part of the program upgrade also includes enhanced student mentorship.

King asked what the limiting factor was for there not to be 300 students. Faculty and space, Herlan said. 

Most of the students are adult learners, some come from the military, and another limitation for students living in New York City is transportation, she said. They often don’t have their own vehicle, and there’s no regular public transportation to and from GCC. After some quick head math calculating how many miles would be traveled in the program with clinicals, King nodded.

“This seems solvable,” he said, adding later that it’s a topic he will carry back with him for further discussion. 

From nursing to puppies
King and his entourage, which also included GCC President Craig Lamb, stopped by the Child Care Center across the road at the main campus. Kids were excitedly chatting and playing, hitting upon a favorite subject of puppies. Lamb pulled out his phone and showed a photo of the one he has at home while King talked to a youngster at the child’s play station. 

Center Director Kayleen McEwan talked about the services, facility and the fifth classroom that opened in August 2024 with funding the college received last year. No sooner had the additional room opened, and it was full, she said. When asked by King what she could she do with more resources — a question he asked of every department — McEwan didn’t take long with her answer.

“We could open eight rooms,” she said, with the caveat that staffing is a challenge. 

King is aware and said so is Gov. Kathy Hochul, that childcare needs are great in New York, and SUNY’s growing population of adult learners is ripe for that service. 

Keeping cool under pressure
Heating and cooling was also part of the tour, and instructor Bill Hayes exuded the enthusiasm that perhaps only a veteran HVAC business owner could display. He shared the importance of imparting his 30-year experience to students, especially when it comes to proper maintenance of appliances.

“I have a lot of people that really talk about this class. It's really a groundbreaking opportunity here for people that just walk out of here, be able to look at a furnace, look at an air conditioner, put the gauges on there, change the maintenance, oh my gosh. Maintenance is probably 50% of the problem with any type of service call; stuff's not being maintained,” Hayes said. “The college is invested here, has invested into their staff, their maintenance staff, to take this course so they can do a lot more of the HVAC work here and not have to bring in outside contractors. 

"That's a huge investment for people, not only here, but also when that word gets out, there's going to be other facilities out there," he said. "They're going to want to send their people here so they can save some money. That's the game plan.”

Closing in at nearly two hours, the group ended with a talk about mental health issues and counseling challenges that most believed have been exacerbated since COVID. 

Worrying about mental health
Certainly, the use of social media can be a cause of stress, and counselors also see “suicidal ideation, anxiety and panic disorders, personality disorders, autism and ADHD and major depressive disorders,” said Macy Reyngoudt, assistant director for counseling services.

“There’s lots more, but those are the biggest patterns that we see almost daily,” she said. 

Remedies have included quiet meditation spaces, counseling, lots of talk and communication to let students and faculty know the counseling center is available, yoga, Mindful Mondays, and focused health talks, Assistant Dean for Student Services Monica Romeo said.

One population that hasn’t needed as much assistance is the older adult learner, Reyngoudt said, because “they’re ready” when they come to college and don’t seem to have the same problems or distractions as younger students do. That’s good news, given that Hochul’s proposed 2025 budget includes $28 million for free tuition, books, supplies and fees for adult learners to obtain an associate’s degree or certificate at community colleges in the state.

“We're very excited about the governor's proposal for free community college for folks 25 to 55 in high-demand career areas like nursing, like advanced manufacturing, like cyber security, renewable energy and green jobs. And so we're pleased that she's put real resources behind that," King said. "I think that will make a big difference as we think about what our community colleges need as we grow those high-demand workforce programs. We also need to continue to invest in equipment. We need to continue to invest in faculty, one of the big challenges for nursing. We’re looking at ways we can partner with healthcare providers to have job shares so that we have the faculty that we need. 

"We need more child care in New York. You know, they have a long wait list, particularly as we try to attract more adult students to community college campuses, child care is going to be a significant factor. So that's something I'll be thinking about," he said. "It's great that they were able to use the additional resources from the governor and legislature last year to support more counseling, more services around meeting mental health needs, but more is needed, and you heard that so clearly that there is a lot of pain that folks are carrying and experiencing, some of it carrying over from COVID, and we've got to make sure that we help our campuses support student mental health needs."

Genesee Community College has cut 13 full-time jobs -- a move necessitated by the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the two-year college’s financial picture, an official of the two-year institution said today.

“We did have some full-time positions that were not renewed or retrenched,” said Justin Johnston, vice president of Development & External Affairs. “Notice was given today but it doesn’t take place until the end of December. Thirteen positions.”

Johnston said that six of those positions are traditional faculty members and seven are non-teaching administrative employees. He would not disclose the specific job titles.

“These individuals will continue to work in their roles for the next two months and may seek employment elsewhere, so we cannot comment on personnel matters on an individual level,” he said. “Seven folks’ positions will not be renewed, which is part of our process that we follow in a regular union model, and six of the positions are being eliminated.”

This latest action comes on the heels of the summer layoff of 27 part-timers at the college, which previously had enacted measures in reaction to reduced funding and revenue triggered by COVID-19.

Five-Step Plan in Place

“We had a five-step plan to respond to the pandemic and the associated budgetary impact,” said Johnston, who moved into his position nine months ago. “The decline in funding that we’ve received has necessitated this plan and this is going back to the beginning.”

He mentioned an across-the-board pay freeze -- management, confidential and our union positions – and “sizeable reductions in our operating budget, given the move to lessen the effect on personnel.”

“So, although ultimately we did have those 13 positions eliminated, it was greatly reduced from what it might have been had we not done that,” he offered. “We took proactive measures to curb spending early on and those aggressive measures were part of our plan to balance the budget the best that we could.”

Noting that GCC hasn’t been immune to the effects of the pandemic, he disagreed with the contention that the college’s financial situation wasn’t very good prior to mid-March.

“To my knowledge, our financial position was strong prior to the pandemic. This was a disruption that really no one could have predicted,” he said.

President: Drastic Measures Taken

GCC President James Sunser, when addressing the Genesee County Legislature in June, said the college took “painful” measures -- retrenchments, pay freezes, deferral of capital projects and supply purchases, and the use of $2 million in reserves -- to reach the $38.1 million budget that was submitted to the state.

At that time, he indicated that the cuts announced today, which affect the unionized faculty/administrative group, were part of the management's plan.

Genesee Educational Association President Karyn S. Bryson said the union knew these notices were coming because it has been working with GCC administration since May on finding a solution to the SUNY funding gap.

Calling it a “difficult day when jobs are cut,” Bryson said the union is concerned about the long-term funding issues and noted that today’s cuts were distributed among all levels of employees.

Union Rep: Provisions Will Help

“GEA (which represents both faculty and staff) did everything possible to minimize the number of members retrenched, including agreeing to a wage freeze for the 2020-21 academic year, but it wasn't enough to save everyone's job,” she said. “We sincerely wish it had been enough. Our contract is strong, and there are some provisions which will assist some of the affected employees going forward. We wish nothing but the best for our colleagues in the future.”

Bryson is the director of Paralegal Studies at GCC.

Johnston said that management has no plans to make further retrenchments in 2020-21 as long as “the funding models and the enrollment models trend as we expect them to.”

He acknowledged the anguish of having to eliminate so many positions.

“It’s certainly not something that we had planned to do. It’s just a result of the environment that we’re in so we can continue to forge ahead for the success of our students,” he said.

Johnston commented on other aspects, as follows:

• Instruction: “We are primarily virtual (online learning). We do have some on-campus course work but only until Thanksgiving and that’s in compliance with the State of New York (SUNY) guidelines.” After Thanksgiving, all virtual learning.

• Enrollment: “The college is sitting at a 10-percent decrease right now, with the actual Fall 2020 numbers fluctuating at plus or minus 10 percent. We are fortunate that we’ve stayed fairly close to last year given the pandemic.” GCC’s full- and part-time enrollment during the Fall 2019 semester was 5,324. Tuition for 2020-21 for New York State residents is $4,550.

• Possible elimination of programs: “I can’t really speak to that piece. The process of program determination is something that plays out over a number of years. If you were to eliminate a program, it gets taught for several years following to ensure that all the current students within it can complete it.”

Press release:

The State University of New York and the NYS Office of Mental Health today (May 27) announced the launch of a crisis text line and training initiative, two resources designed to help promote mental health awareness, ease stress and anxiety, and identify and support individuals at risk of suicide.

SUNY advanced its promotion of the resources in order to assist students, faculty, and staff as they confront the COVID-19 pandemic, including SUNY Genesee Community College.

“Slowing the spread of COVID-19 has called for a series of sudden shifts to how we live, work, study, and interact,” said SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson. “Though this transition is necessary to keep people safe, there may be an unintended, psychological impact of these changes on many of our students, faculty, and staff. We thank the New York State Office of Mental Health for their partnership in providing these resources to our SUNY family.”

“We are very pleased to provide financial support to our partners at SUNY to raise awareness of the programs and resources available to help students who are feeling anxious, depressed or overwhelmed," OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said.

"This is particularly important now as we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and address the many disruptions it has caused. We understand how difficult this can be, and we want you to know that help is available.”

Information about these resources is available at SUNY’s new mental health resource page found here. The first is a Crisis Text Line for students, faculty, and staff who are dealing with emotional challenges. Members of the SUNY community can access the confidential text line 24/7 by texting Got5U to 741-741 for help.

The text line can be used to help alleviate depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal thoughts. It also provides a way for people to talk about substance use, relationship issues, domestic violence, and school stressors, as well stress and anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The second resource is online Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training, designed to teach participants how to recognize someone who may be in emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts, and how to appropriately engage and connect that person to resources that can help. Anyone can practice QPR in any setting, and it is appropriate in all relationships.

QPR does not require clinical training, only a willingness to listen, care, and help. Members of the SUNY community may register here and entering “SUNY” as the organizational code.

QPR and the Crisis Text Line are just two ways that SUNY is working to address the mental health impacts of the pandemic among its 64 campuses. All campus counseling centers remain open, and online education experts have been available virtually to alleviate concerns about the transition to online learning.

All 64 SUNY campuses will be receiving marketing materials to promote the availability of QPR and Crisis Text Line services.

Both services are components of a partnership between SUNY and OMH, thanks to $3.68 million from the Garrett Lee Smith Grant that OMH received last year. OMH designated SUNY as one of the partnering institutions of a multi-year sub-award. The grant comes from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and is awarded to states and tribal nations for comprehensive youth suicide prevention efforts.

Garrett Lee Smith was the son of former U.S. Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon. The younger Smith died by suicide in 2003, shortly before he turned 22. A year later, President George W. Bush signed the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act and allocated $82 million to seed grants for suicide prevention.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15- to 34-year olds. For some people, the college years may be especially difficult. The onset of psychiatric conditions may coincide with new experiences at college that are often stressful, even distressing.

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, some studies found increases in depression, anxiety, and suicidality among college students.

In addition to QPR training and the Crisis Text Line, SUNY plans to use the grant to do outreach to college students who may be at risk of suicide; build a repository of mental health resources across the system; and implement and develop a best practices guide for responding to the occurrence of a suicide death.

About the State University of New York

It is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities.

Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. As of Fall 2019, more than 415,500 students were enrolled in a degree-granting program at a SUNY campus.

In total, SUNY serves about 1.3 million students in credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide exceeded $1.7 billion in fiscal year 2019, including significant contributions from students and faculty.

There are three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu, and for more information about additional COVID-19 fundraising efforts, visit #SUNYTogether.

About the New York State Office of Mental Health

The New York State Office of Mental Health promotes the mental health of all New Yorkers, with a particular focus on providing hope and recovery for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances.

OMH oversees a large, multifaceted mental health system that serves more than 700,000 individuals each year. The agency operates psychiatric centers across the State and also regulates, certifies and oversees more than 4,500 programs, operated by local governments and nonprofit agencies.

Today was the inauguration of Genesee Community College's fourth president, James M. Sunser, Ed.D. He replaces Stuart Steiner, who recently retired after serving as the college's president for 37 years.

Sunser is pictured up front and center in the above photo, along with the distinguished guests -- including GCC officials, members of the Genesee and Orleans county legislatures, officials from the SUNY system, private colleges and some representatives from the state government.

The fact that GCC has only had four presidents in the nearly 45 years of its existence made this a particularly significant event. Mary Pat Hancock, chair of the Genesee County Legislature and the third speaker at the ceremony, lauded the college's thorough and careful selection process during this "crucial transition."

In his speech, Sunser expressed his enthusiasm for the job.

"It is my honor and privilege to stand before you to reflect on this significant and special day," he said. "I am humbled and honored by the confidence you have shown in me, and I assure you that I will aspire toward the highest standard of excellence, for which this college is known."

He also said that he was proud to be part of a college with such a legacy of "resourcefulness, dedication and faith in the future," pointing out the ordinary citizens who "banded together against conventional wisdom and the community's expectations" to found GCC 45 years ago.

Sunser believes that not only meeting, but exceeding expectations is the challenge of education and anyone who wants to make a lasting difference in the world.

As examples of people who have done this, he talked about key historical figures like Albert Einstein (who grew up with a speech impediment) and Rosa Parks, as well as the aforementioned citizens who pushed for GCC's foundation and the pioneers who first came to this region 200 years ago, "pushing beyond expectations."

"I promise to meet and exceed your expectations at GCC," he said. "I believe there is no more powerful, no more enduring gift than education. (At GCC), we will develop programs and curricula that will bring the best to our work force and help shape the vibrant economic prosperity of the region."

Toward the end of his speech, Sunser also encouraged his partners in the community and ordinary citizens to make a difference.

"Each of us can help change our community," he said. "Let us leave a legacy that makes those who follow us proud."

Sunser is an alumnus of Onondaga Community College (OCC), Syracuse University, SUNY Brockport and the University of Rochester. Before coming to GCC, he worked at OCC for 22 years -- first as bursar, then as vice president of finance, and finally as vice president for continuing and extended learning.

OCC president Debbie L. Sydow, who was one of the greeters at today's ceremony, spoke of Sunser's passion for education and dedication to the service of others.

"He always puts the students' interests first (at OCC)," Sydow said.

She described Sunser as "no-nonsense yet good-natured, smart yet down-to-earth."

For more information on President Sunser, see his biographical page on GCC's website.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Carlson.