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Broken Greenway Trail Runs Through Houghton

The Genesee Valley Greenway trail, which runs between Rochester and Hinesdale, south of Cuba, is closed in the section that goes through Houghton. Though students and community members run, walk, and bike on the Houghton section of the Greenway daily the interruptions prevent them from connecting to the rest of the trail.

The Greenway is a park originating from the land formerly occupied by area canals and railroads. Described as “an open space corridor” by the New York State Park Service, it is intended to be used for walking, hiking, and biking, and other outdoor recreation. It also has a crucial role in conservation, allowing organisms to travel on an uninterrupted wild space throughout Western New York.

Kristina Shoepfer, park manager for the Greenway, said that the land passed through several hands before becoming a state park. “The Genesee Valley Greenway follows the old Genesee Valley Canal and later, the Rochester Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The railroad eventually sold the property to RG&E [Rochester Gas and Electric], who later sold the property to New York State for use as a recreational trail.” Because of the long history of the property, the Greenway runs past pieces of regional history, including ruins of stone locks, culverts, and historic inns such as the Yard of Ale and the National Hotel. One section near Black Creek, NY runs past areas of the canal which are still full of water, allowing trail users to imagine the canal in its heyday.

GreenwayTrailCMYKThe Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway (FOGVG), a local nonprofit organization, in partnership with the state park system, attempts to promote and care for the Greenway to users of the trail. The Friends have brought more than $4 million in grants to the Greenway to develop it further, and often run events to promote and care for the trail. They also provide information about the length of the trail for potential users.

According to FOGVG there are several areas of the trail that are currently closed for use. One of the areas that is currently closed, according to the trail guide found on the FOGVG website, includes the section that goes through Houghton. Shoepfer pointed out that the trail nearest Houghton has a few obstacles that prevent it from connecting it to the rest of the trail. North of Houghton, “a bridge is needed to cross the creek adjacent to the Houghton soccer fields” while to the south, “there is a RG&E substation located on what used to be the old rail bed (and what would have been the path of the Greenway),” she said. Beyond these interruptions, the trail is maintained as it continues north to Rochester and south past Cuba.

“Having the Greenway connected in Houghton would be an asset to the college and community” for several reasons, Shoepfer said, as it would provide increased recreational opportunities over the length of the trail for activities including hiking, biking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and horseback-riding. Shoepfer also suggested that for students who currently run along Route 19, having the Greenway connected would allow for a safer alternative to running along the road.

The RVER Group, or Regional Ventures in Economic Revitalization, stated that one of its goals for the near future is to refurbish the park in the town of Houghton. Helping to connect the section of the Genesee Valley Greenway that runs through Houghton to the rest of the path would be a related goal worth pursuing.

The Greenway is a feature of Houghton that deserves to be more well-known and utilized. With a few improvements, the Genesee Valley Greenway could “stimulate business and tourism for the local community and benefit the community as a whole,” Shoepfer said.

For more information, including trail maps and updates on events, visit the Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway website at fogvg.org, or the New York State Park website at nysparks.com

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Houghton Considers New Majors

Three new majors are in the process of being approved for Houghton, including engineering, data science, and social entrepreneurship. While the ultimate decisions on these have not been made, there has been a significant amount of research and thought involved.

FancherThe process of adding a new major to the academic program begins with a proposal, most time from faculty, but sometimes from alumni or current students. From there, the program is presented to the academic council and is then voted on by the faculty. If the program passes it then proceeds to New York State for approval.

In evaluating promising new academic fields for Houghton, Dean Linda Mills Woolsey explains that a program must “fit our mission and liberal arts character, attract students, and have a clear connection to vocation.”

The consideration for adding an engineering major at Houghton began about four years ago and was examined more thoroughly by former associate dean of natural science and mathematics, Keith Horn. Presently, a proposal is being prepared to gain approval towards the process of moving forward.

In describing what such a major would look like at Houghton, current associate dean of natural science and mathematics, Professor Mark Yuly, explains there is attention being given to “mainstream disciplines” such as electrical engineering and computer science engineering. Yuly believes that engineering would be a good fit to Houghton’s mission as it will “educate students to go out and transform the world” and goes on to say, “engineering is the twin of science, translating science into something that will help people.”

There is no specific timeline for the instating of an engineering program at Houghton. Woolsey said, “We will actively explore engineering until something tells us to stop.”

The consideration of a data science major at Houghton began about a year ago when Carmen McKell, an alumna psychology major, was contacted by the president’s office about an unrelated matter. McKell later connected with President Shirley Mullen about her and her husband’s specialty consulting firm that focuses on analytical science. She expressed that her liberal arts education prepared her for her profession. This began the curiosity of what such a program would look like at Houghton.

After researching similar programs around the country, it was discovered that data science was almost nonexistent in undergraduate programs and even less prominent at Christian colleges. Department chair of business and economics, Professor Ken Bates, said that interestingly enough “there is a specific demand for students with data science training.” Presently, there is a working group of faculty exploring the field of data science.

Bates says the possible social entrepreneurship major stemmed from hearing students explain their uncertainty in what they wanted to pursue after Houghton, but recognizing they wanted to help people. Such a major would satisfy the interest in serving others as well as provide a practical degree that would result in a job. Bates explains that social entrepreneurship is the “merging of starting a business and doing helpful things with that business.  The service provided meets people’s needs and finds traction in a specific focus.”

Both data science and social entrepreneurship are expected to be offered as majors as of Fall 2016.  However, various classes in these particular areas of study are expected to be offered.

As boundaries are becoming blurred between various fields of study, Woolsey believes that it is now more important than ever to foster a liberal arts education that creates connections between such fields. Woolsey adds that the most exciting thing for her in this process is the “widening opportunity for our students, as well as seeing the faculty becoming enthusiastic for new projects and programs.”

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Pyschology and Sociology Transfer to Three-Credit System

Several years back the College transformed its credits system by implementing a required 4- credit hour structure. One of the leading voices of the new system was Dr. Peter Meilaender, political science. The shift was made in order to fulfill what he described as: “Paired desires, faculty would be able to teach more effectively by teaching one less course simultaneously, and students – also taking fewer courses simultaneously – would be able to learn more effectively.” Dr. Linda Mills Woolsey, Dean of the College, further explained, saying, “A lot of study went into the shift and it did reflect a trend among selective liberal arts colleges. We did the best we could with the information we had and from the outset made some exceptions to the rule.  We have, however, continued to wrestle with issues inherent in any attempt at a ‘one size fits all’ approach.”

SocDept1As of last fall, however, departments struggling with this structuring requirement can freely adjust their courses to better suit their needs.

In November of 2013, the Academic Council approved a motion allowing for departments to freely re-organize their curriculum by whatever structure they feel to be most appropriate for facilitating student learning. The resolution as follows was later approved by the faculty: “The general requirements of a four-credit curriculum are hereby relaxed, permitting departments to propose curricula organized in such a way as to provide the best courses and programs for students.”  This motion opened the door for several departments to restructure their programs using three-hour or two-hour structures or a functional combination of 2, 3, and 4-hour courses.

As of yet, the most significant changes are happening within the Psychology department, chaired by Dr. Paul Young. “Different disciplines organize their content in different ways,” said Young. “Organizing psychology by time period, for example, just does not fit the field – this is a more topically organized field. With the 4-hour curriculum, the majors would have to be very large.”

More than 10 psychology courses will be adjusted to a three-hour system as of the fall of 2014. Young emphasized the “focus of the shift back as an attempt to allow students to be “more flexible in students setting up their own schedules.” So as to further prohibit scheduling complications the Psychology Department is also allowing for a 3 plus 1 option for students who need a 4 hour course. Young hoped that the transition would be smooth and students would be provided with “enough different courses to fill out their majors.”

Not all voices are united in support of these types of changes, however. Meilaender’s original support for the four-hour system has not wavered. “It is not obvious to me why varieties of content organization (historical, topical, etc.) point to one hours system or another.” Concerning the strain on professors, Meilaender continues to disagree, explaining that from his perspective, “There is equal demand on your time with 3 four hour classes or with 4 three hour classes – it is simply easier to give your attention to fewer classes.”

While not in opposition to the recent changes, Mills Woolsey similarly pointed out, “The three hour system tends to mean more separate preparations for faculty, and [in the past] failed to satisfy student and faculty desires to create more in-depth courses.”

Preferences aside, the motion by the faculty has created a more flexible code for departments to determine course designations and semester schedules. Next fall, psychology majors and professors will put the old system to the test. Mills Woolsey, when asked to predict this decisions impact on the campus as a whole, summarized concisely: “At this point I envision a move toward a structure that allows for 1,2, 3, and 4 hour courses. I will be interested to see how students in the psychology major respond to the changes.”

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P.E. Requirements Undergo Changes for Next Semester

Current integrative studies requirements for physical education are hoped to change for the incoming class in the fall of 2014. According to Margery Avery, director of academic records, the changes will affect the use of “indoor” and “outdoor” terminology, eliminate use of “points” in physical education requirements, and attach a half-semester lab component to the required Fitness for Life Class.

Currently, students must pass one outdoor class and one indoor class to fulfill part of their physical education requirements. However, students in the upcoming academic year will only have to take two classes of their choosing from either classification. “To simplify the requirements” was the aim of this change, according to Avery. “After several years of working with the current set of requirements the faculty realized the requirements were somewhat confusing to students. Some people tended to confuse the four points system with credits, but the points had nothing to do with credits. Taking out the references to points should help simplify the requirement.” According to Linda Mills Woolsey, dean of the college and vice president for academic affairs, “We had noticed a high number of petitions for exceptions to the Health and Wellness requirements and had had some complaints from advisors about the complexity of the requirements, scheduling, and other matters.”

As for the “point” system which was previously used to keep track of which physical education classes had been fulfilled in which categories, Avery says it will no longer be needed. “Some people tended to confuse the four points system with credits, but the points had nothing to do with credits,” she said. “Taking out the references to points should help simplify the requirement.”

In addition to distribution changes, incoming students will also be required to complete a wellness lab that will follow Fitness for Life, which is intended to be scheduled solely during the first half of each semester. The second half of the semester will be occupied by the Wellness Lab, which can be taken for 0.5 credits. The lab will be based on a similar course that was previously taught at Houghton and required for integrative studies. According to Avery, “It used to be that Lifetime Wellness had a lecture and a lab component. When the current PE competency began in 2009, the Lifetime Wellness had been separated into Fitness for Life (which was part of the theory point one) and a separate lab component (the point two).”

 

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Dryden Fracking Ban to be Tried in New York Court of Appeals

A recent amendment to zoning legislation in the town of Dryden, NY has propelled the town of 15,000 up to New York State’s highest court and to the forefront of the anti-fracking cause.

Courtesy of inhabitat.com
Courtesy of inhabitat.com

Despite being banned in over 50 towns in New York State, few have been as strategic or promising for natural gas extraction as Dryden, which is situated on more than 141 trillion cubic feet of gas protected by the Marcellus Shale formation. The main group to attempt to seize on this opportunity has been Norse Energy Corporation USA, originally based in Norway, who is being represented as a plaintiff in the case to be tried at the New York State Court of Appeals.

The State of New York is currently under a five-year moratorium on fracking that was enacted by former Governor David Patterson in 2008 and extended indefinitely by current Governor Andrew Cuomo until further research by the State Health Department concludes. The moratorium also prohibits any lower-level activity which would interfere with state jurisdiction over the extraction process. While Norse Energy alleges that Dryden’s zoning changes intersects with state law, town residents state that the legislation merely prohibits “heavy industrial development” on land within the town and does not attempt to regulate the oil, gas, and mining industries. In addition to the nature of the changes, Dryden residents point out that the town’s decisions have been upheld by multiple lower-level courts in the state.

Aside from issues of jurisdiction, the consideration of a fracking ban involves careful weighting of environmental and economic consequences. Fracking involves the use of high-pressured water and chemicals to drill through deep rock formations and access deposits of natural gas, a process which brings the possibility of contamination of water supplies and other public infrastructure, as well as destruction of farmland. However, the approval of fracking activities  in Dryden would open up to 18,000 wells for drilling, bring thousands of new jobs in the industry to the area, and promote energy independence.

Dryden’s case with Norse Energy is not the town’s first on the matter of fracking. 2012 saw a lawsuit with Anschutz Exploration Corp., in which Cortland County Court upheld the town’s zoning ban. Another case was resolved similarly in the same month, with Middlefield, another town west of Dryden, maintaining its anti-fracking activities in a case against a dairy farmer in the area who had contracted with Elexco Land Services, Inc. to seek out natural gas resources on her property.

Fracking, with its array of benefits and detriments, remains a polarized issue. A recent poll conducted by Siena College showed a 43 percent opposition to the drilling, while 38 percent expressed approval.

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Common Core Curriculum in Western NY

Allegany County schools are currently grappling with new curricula and state-mandated Common Core standards, a new set of national educational guidelines that are intended to bring diverse curricula across the United States into a common standard. Some, however, are questioning if schoolchildren are “getting lost along the way.”

“There’s no time in the day now for share or play time,” says Wendy Butler, Pre-K-4 principal at Fillmore Central School. “Extra support time just doesn’t exist. We used to have a half hour of recess a day; now if kids get 15 minutes they’re lucky.”

Courtesy of www.teachthought.com
Courtesy of www.teachthought.com

The Common Core presents rigorous expectations for student learning in grade-level content areas. Teaching materials and literature for parents show a narrower, more specific curriculum that will educate students in fewer topics but with the benefit of a more complete knowledge knowledge of approved subject material. John King, New York state’s commissioner of education, shared his vision of the Common Core “raising standards to reflect college and career readiness in the 21st century.” Teaching must now reflect these standards and prepare students for Common Core-based testing.

Principal Butler described the struggle in implementing these standards, “You need to remember if you’re a 4th grade teacher, those kids haven’t had the Common Core instruction in grades 3, 2, 1 and kindergarten. There’s a lot of pre-requisite knowledge the kids just don’t have.”

Considering this lack of knowledge, Bethany Hackett, a Houghton student-teacher in Belfast Central School, described the pressure and stress this Common Core change is inflicting on teachers. She felt “teachers were knocked down” and “joy was sucked out.” She said the problem was not the standards themselves, but the way they were being implemented.

Mike Roche, principal at Belfast Central School, believed schools just need time, and the current stress and schedule changes are purely “growing pains.” He said, “Right or wrong, I think it’s the only way to adopt the Common Core curriculum. If you have a band-aid on, you can either do it slowly and painfully or you can do it quickly and get it over with.” He later reflected, “I worry about the children. Adults will all survive, but I worry about the children who will get lost along the way.”

Professor Freytag, associate dean for education and physical education, said, “Any time you implement systemic change, there’s going to be a gap.” She affirmed that the intent of the Common Core is excellent and that educators are still navigating its implications. She said, “A lot of administrators are facing challenging decisions, and it’s going to call for a lot of hard work, determination, creativity, and good sound pedagogical delivery.”

This issue is not only the concern of educators; it impacts each student and staff member at Houghton. Kristen Schnitzer, senior Inclusive Childhood Education major, believes that Houghton students, as possible future parents, should be aware of the changes in education since they are impacting “how students are going to grow up and learn.” Professor Sullivan, chair of the education department, emphasized that “schools are a major part of our communities” and parents and community members need to realize their power in “speaking into school districts and supporting their teachers.”

In midst of the change, pressure, discouragement, and hope, Bethany Hackett shared that she and other teachers hold onto the moments “when a child’s light bulb goes off” and when children yell for her to “keep reading” a Beauty and the Beast fairy-tale. She said, “You just remind yourself that you’re passionate about kids and you’re there for them.”

“The message people need to hear right now,” said Principal Butler, “is that our teachers are working very hard.” She shared that although teachers often feel “beat up” and people hear the problems of public education, teachers are “seeking the best for kids.”