Excelsior College a 鈥淏est for Vets鈥� institution for the seventh time in a row

Posted on by Mike Lesczinski

Excelsior College has been recognized as a for the seventh consecutive year by Military Times. The eighth annual rankings factor in the results of Military Times鈥� comprehensive school-by-school survey of veteran and military student offerings and rates of academic achievement.

鈥淭his is a recognition of Excelsior College鈥檚 commitment to meeting the unique needs of our servicemembers and their families,鈥� said Susan Dewan, assistant vice president for Center for Military Education at Excelsior College. 鈥淓xcelsior鈥檚 core values of accessibility, affordability, and academic excellence guide our work every day as an organization and we鈥檙e proud to have been honored once again by Military Times.鈥�

As with all Best for Vets rankings, Best for Vets: Colleges 2017 is an editorially independent news project that evaluates the many factors that help make colleges and universities a good fit for service members, military veterans and their families. More than 500 colleges took part in this year鈥檚 detailed survey.

 

鈥淲e limit our list to encourage competition, and we genuinely hope this helps raise the bar for veterans on campus,鈥� said Amanda Miller, editor of Best for Vets.

 

Military Times鈥� annual Best for Vets: Colleges survey asks colleges and universities to meticulously document a tremendous array of services, special rules, accommodations and financial incentives offered to students with military ties; and to describe many aspects of veteran culture on a campus. These institutions were evaluated in several categories, with university culture and academic outcomes bearing the most weight.

Military Times also factors in data from the Veterans Affairs and Defense departments, as well as three Education Department sources: the IPEDS Data Center, College Scorecard data and the Cohort Default Rate Database.

For the full Best for Vets: Colleges 2017 rankings, and survey methodology, go to: .

Among the more than 37,000 currently enrolled students, over 17,100 are current or former servicemembers. For each of them, serves as an essential support resource as they pursue their degree. The array of financial, mental health, and wellness services offered through the Center also helps veterans with the transition back to civilian life. A popular degree program for military and veterans is the Bachelor of Science in National Security.

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About Excelsior College

Excelsior College (excelsior.edu) is a regionally accredited, nonprofit online college focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. The College contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971, Excelsior meets students where they are – academically and geographically –聽 removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity. Learn more at excelsior.edu.

 

About Military Times

The Military Times digital platforms and print products are the trusted source for independent news and information for service members and their families. The military community relies on Army Times, Marine Corps Times, Navy Times and Air Force Times for reporting on everything important to their lives, including: pay, benefits, finance, education, health care, recreational resources, retirement, promotions, product reviews, and entertainment. Military Times is published by Sightline Media Group. To learn more, visit .

Dr. James Baldwin appointed President of Excelsior College

Posted on by Mike Lesczinski

Dr. James N. Baldwin has been named president of Excelsior College, the institution announced today. Baldwin had been serving as the College鈥檚 acting president following John Ebersole鈥檚 decision to step aside in May due to health reasons. The announcement of Baldwin鈥檚 appointment was made by Brigadier General (Retired) Jerry Neff, chair of the College鈥檚 Board of Trustees, during a campus-wide address Wednesday morning.

鈥淛im admirably stood up when called upon and has helped navigate the College during a very challenging time in our history,鈥� said Neff. 鈥淭he sense of mission here at the College is unparalleled, and Jim reflects the type of values-based leader that we need to carry the institution forward.鈥�

鈥淔or more than four decades, Excelsior has served an essential public purpose 鈥� helping adults obtain a college degree – and that will remain paramount,鈥� said President Baldwin. 鈥淢oving forward we will focus on providing adult learners with continuing education, degree completion, and career readiness opportunities while affirming our commitment to our core values of academic integrity, accessibility, and affordability.鈥�

Before assuming the role of acting president in June, Baldwin served as Excelsior鈥檚 executive vice president.

Prior to arriving at the institution in September 2014, Baldwin served as CEO and district superintendent for Questar III BOCES, where he led the agency in the development of innovative and cost-saving programs and services and was responsible for the oversight of 23 school districts in the region on behalf of the commissioner of education. He also served as chief of staff and acting deputy commissioner for higher education in the New York State Education Department and as executive deputy secretary of state for New York.

Baldwin earned a Doctor of Education in organization and leadership from Teachers College of Columbia University, a Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School of Union University, and a Bachelor of Arts in political science at Union College. He is admitted to the bar in New York State and the U.S. District Court.

Baldwin is Excelsior鈥檚 third president in its 45-year history. The College鈥檚 first president, C. Wayne Williams, was succeeded by Ebersole in 2006.

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Excelsior College (excelsior.edu) is a regionally accredited, nonprofit online college focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. The College contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971, Excelsior meets students where they are – academically and geographically –聽 removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity. Learn more at .

Were You Seen? Healing Moments 2016

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

On Monday, October 24, Excelsior College partnered up with Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy to present the next addition in the 鈥�Healing Moments鈥� series at the SEFCU Auditorium in Albany, New York. Healing Moments is a community conversation that will explore the issues of race, diversity and community policing, building trust and healing divisions in the community, with a student focus. This forum was created to serve as the county鈥檚 response to the shocking violence that has occurred across the country which has led to the deaths of law enforcement officers and civilians.

Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy and Acting President Jim Baldwin provided the opening remarks for the event.

The conversation was moderated by Gretchen Fleming, JD, MS, Program Director, MSCJ, Excelsior College. The panel and engaged audience included Aaron Mair, National President of the Sierra Club, Jacquelyn Richards, recent college grad and community activist, Gabby Alleyne and Alquan Higgs, College of Saint Rose students and officers of SPECTRUM, Khalafalla Osman, recent college grad and former President of the Muslim Students Association at UAlbany, Khamel Abdulai and Jeremy Sherman from Excelsior College, Pedro Perez, Excelsior College graduate and Executive Director, My Brother鈥檚 and Sister鈥檚 Keeper, community member Myk O鈥橩ane, Albany County Interfaith Coalition鈥檚 Deb Riitano and more.

Stay tuned for more details on a video presentation link.

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Photo Courtesy: Albany County

The Cyber Impact in Healthcare Compliance Speaker Series

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Tuesday, Oct 4th

9:00am-10:00am

The Cyber Impact in Healthcare Compliance

78% of organizations suffered a security incident last year, therefore, it is more important than ever to protect HIPPA patient information. Hear from leading industry experts about the hot cyber topics in healthcare and what can be done to protect yourself and your patients.

Facilitator:

Kathleen Coupe, Oversight and Compliance Mgr, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Cybersecurity

Panelists:

  • Robert E. Lee Jr., President, RL Goodworks Cybersecurity, LLC
  • James C. Bridger Jr., Ph.D., Deputy Health Officer, Charles County Dept. of Health
  • Malikah “Mikki” Smith, PMP, CISSP, CAP,聽Security Branch Chief,Office of the Chief Privacy Officer (OCPO),聽Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC),聽US Department of Health and Human Services

Celebrating National Cybersecurity Month 2016聽

The National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior College is pleased to announce its 2016 Cybersecurity Month activities. The purpose of this speaker’s series is to highlight key issues facing information assurance & security in some of our most important industry sectors. During the months of October and November, we will feature panel discussions with cyber experts in the finance, telecommunications, energy/utility, health care, and government arenas. These events are open to the public, educators, students, and all who are interested in the cyber defense issues that we are facing today.

Check out the聽聽website for more information on National Cybersecurity Month and other great content!

More about the National Cybersecurity Institute (NCI)

The NCI is shaping a coordinated effort to build the cybersecurity workforce and influence an informed leadership base that implements cutting-edge cybersecurity policy. The NCI will target the development of effective cybersecurity practice in specific sectors, including health care, finance, utilities/energy, telecommunications, and education/training. The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security designated Excelsior College as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, a recognition which extends through 2019. NCI will target the development of effective cybersecurity practice and increase knowledge of cybersecurity to help meet workforce demands with analysis of specific sectors.

National Cybersecurity Institute | 2000 M Street, Suite 500 | Washington, D.C. 20036 | (202) 601-1201

Excelsior College | 7 Columbia Circle | Albany, NY 12202-5159

 

There鈥檚 An App For That: Staying Focused

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

hannah-and-kelliThere鈥檚 an app for everything these days. We went and did some legwork for you hardworking students and found the most helpful apps for your needs.聽 These apps range from organization all the way to self-care!聽 Stay tuned for more exciting app features posted every month from your Success Coaches, Kelli and Hannah!

Why download the Forest App?

Having a hard time focusing on your studies? The Forest App is an innovative app that assists individuals in putting down their cell phones.聽 We found this app helpful for studying, but it can also be used for family time – 鈥淎HEM!鈥� (put your phone away when you are at the dinner table!) – OR for staying focused at work.

This is how the app works:

Limit your distractions by planting a tree. What do we mean?聽 For every 30 minutes you remain focused the virtual tree you planted will grow.聽 Unfortunately, the tree dies if you leave the app.聽 Remain focused and watch your forest grow.聽 Every tree in your forest represents 30 minutes of pure focus!聽 This app can help in breaking the bad habits of checking your texts, Candy Crush, or Snapchat, just to name a few, so you have more time to focus.

The Politics of Sexual Assault

Posted on by Mike Lesczinski

Michele Paludi of Excelsior College in New York state, who has written widely about sexual harassment, says that 鈥渕oments like this can change a culture.鈥� She points to Anita Hill鈥檚 testimony in Senate confirmation hearings for Clarence Thomas, a Supreme Court nominee, in 1991. Ms Hill鈥檚 account of her former boss鈥檚 unwelcome sexualised talk and repeated propositions (which he strongly denied) broadened conceptions of what constituted sexual harassment. New laws and stiffer penalties were brought in. Many private companies created anti-harassment policies in response. Could Mr Trump have created a similar moment?

Check Your Messages!

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Do you look at Facebook every day? How about Outlook and Instagram and Twitter and Snapchat and Gmail? Sure, we all do, but what about your Excelsior College Message Center?聽 Is it collecting dust?

聽聽聽聽Wait, what? My message center?聽

It鈥檚 that place where valuable information is sent to you from your school.

聽聽聽 Oh, yea! That鈥檚 right, I remember that place鈥�

On any given day, you could receive an important message from the school in your message center so it is very important to stay up to date and check it daily as you would any of your other social media sites.

Why is it important to check these messages?

  • It鈥檚 a great way to stay connected with Excelsior College
  • It includes important information about your student status (probation, transfer credit evaluation, fiscal hold, absenteeism in class, academic withdrawal, course wait list opening, course/exam approval, etc.)
  • You will receive changes and updates to policies and procedures
  • You will be aware of announcements from the College
  • You will communicate with your Academic Advisor on topics such as course/exam approvals, registration deadlines, academic planning, information needed, receipt of transcripts, etc.

These are only a few examples of what can be found there. Basically, many important communications from the College will be sent to your message center.

As Success Coaches, we encourage students to get into the habit of checking their messages every day so as not to miss any important information. Make this a daily habit. Stay connected!

by Hannah Lynch and Vicki Pocorobba, Student Success Coaches

Cell phone

Using Twitter in the Classroom

Posted on by Nursing Staff

By Amy Erickson

About five years ago, one university encouraged instructors and staff to create accounts. Unfortunately, the instructors and staff weren鈥檛 given any guidance as to how or why to use Twitter. I felt it was a great place to store frequently accessed articles or to share articles on topics relevant to current student literature reviews. But I had a feeling that this resource could be more useful.

Other colleagues of mine were a bit more skeptical. They viewed Twitter as a way of keeping up with celebrity gossip and another means of chipping away at an already low student attention span. Dr. Lang鈥檚 video 鈥溾�� shows that there鈥檚 much more to Twitter than snarky political comments, fashion advice, or pleas of innocence. In this video, he discusses how to use Twitter to enhance classroom learning, and shares easy-to-follow instructions on how to curate course-specific hashtags.

Meeting Students in the Middle

In last week鈥檚 post, I mentioned that educator Dr. John Orlando (2016) recommends we incorporate technologies that compete for student attention into our educational materials. If students want to be on Twitter during class, why not make it a class requirement? In his Mentor Commons video, Dr. Lang (2014) suggests that educators can accomplish three things with Twitter:

  • Connect course material to the real world in a way that interests students
  • Give students a way to interact with you, with each other, and with experts
  • Provide a space in which you can store course material and resources

Real World in Real Time

Dr. Lang (2014) suggests using Twitter to connect to experts in the field. If you are teaching in an education program, you may encourage students to follow Ken Bain, the Teaching Professor, or Daniel Willingham. If you teach literature courses, you may want to follow Sheryl WuDunn, Bill Bryson, or Junot Diaz. If students have a question about a short story, it鈥檚 wonderful for them to be able to reach out and ask the author questions via Twitter. Who are the experts in your field? Are they on Twitter? Check it out!

Improved Interaction

Twitter can improve and increase your interactions with your class, and interactions between classmates. This is particularly important in an online classroom where students can feel disconnected. Dr. Lang (2014) encourages professors to ask students to go out and find current articles, videos, or Twitter posts that relate to the class. This encourages dialogue between students and affords them with the opportunity to interact with professionals in the field. Instructors can also use Twitter as a springboard for personalized discussions with individual students.

Resource Storage

When you create a hashtag for your course (explained in the next section) you can save and store files for current and future students to reference. To prevent loss of course materials, create a backup folder for yourself, since Twitter does not store these items indefinitely.

Getting Started

If you don鈥檛 have an account, you can set one up very easily. When you create your account, use the @ symbol in front of the user ID you鈥檇 like to use. For instance, my Twitter account is @LiteratureCoach.

Hashtags are the number sign (#) followed by a keyword. Dr Lang (2014) indicates that hashtags are 鈥渢he most important thing to use when you鈥檙e on Twitter,鈥� and urges educators to use them to 鈥渃ategorize your tweets and鈥ee other people who are tweeting in the areas in which you are interested.鈥�

Let鈥檚 say you wanted to read up on material related to online teaching. You can type #onlineteaching in the search box at the top right of the Twitter screen. If you find an article you鈥檇 like to share, post it with a relevant hashtag so others can find it.

Creating a hashtag for your class is important, and it should be specific. Use elements of your college and course names for clarity. For example, if you鈥檙e teaching a composition course for nurses, #composition would be too general, whereas #EXC101NComp4Nurses is more precise.

When you find articles that pertain to your class, post them with the hashtag that you created for your class. This enables students to search for the hashtag in Twitter and find any posts from you or other students that contain it.

The Difference between Following and Friending

Twitter is different than Facebook. If you friend someone on Facebook, you can see their posts, and they can see yours. However, in Twitter, students can 鈥渇ollow鈥� you to see your posts, whether or not you follow their Twitter accounts in return.

#Let鈥檚 Go!

If you鈥檙e a frequent Twitter user, please share your own ideas, experiences, and resources below!

References

Lang, J. (2014). How can I use Twitter to improve teaching and learning? [Webinar]. In Magna 20-Minute Mentor. Retrieved from http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/how-can-i-use-twitter-to-improve-teaching-and-learning-13265-1.html

Orlando, J. (2016, September). Tips from the pros: Curt Bonk talks about open education. Online Classroom. Retrieved September 14, 2016, from http://www.magnapubs.com/newsletter/online-classroom/151/Tips-from-the-Pros-Curt-Bonk-Talks-about-Open-Education-14177-1.html

New Course for the Fall II term – I Feel Your Pain: Illness and Empathy in the Arts

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

How do people experience being ill, and how does it change their lives? Children, parents, family, friends, and even we, ourselves, will struggle with sickness, disease, and death. People do not simply suffer from diseases, but from the emotional, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions of being an individual or a patient with a disease.

HUM321
Sculpture of grief. Author: Bertram Mackennal. Image is in the public domain and was retrieved from Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bertram_Mackennal_-_Grief.jpg

What are the obstacles and triumphs experienced by a boy with autism? How does a woman with cancer feel about losing her hair? What鈥檚 it like for a trans gendered person to be treated at a hospital? What is the anxiety felt by the caregiver over the years?

The Arts and Humanities deepen an individual鈥檚 ability to feel and understand the suffering of others. Through the use of film, music, art, poetry and fiction, students feel and experience how illness or disease affects individuals; they also learn about illness from different perspectives, such as race, class, gender, and sexual orientation. Lastly, this course provides many alternative perspectives on illness or the practice of medicine- outside the conventional views of medicine- concerning death, mental illness, grief, and suicide. HUM 321/NUR 321 provides you with inspiration for personal or professional growth, enhancing your ability to relate to those who are ill or dying.

There is no textbook required for this course.

You can find more information on HUM 321/NUR 321 through the聽Course Search聽on our website. Speak to your advisor to see if it will fit with your degree plan.

 

Yahoo Attacked

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Cybersecurity is the biggest risk in the financial services industry, with hackers targeting banks more than ever before.

By all accounts, technology giant Yahoo was the target for a major breach in 2014 in which attackers stole as many as 500 million accounts. That’s right…500 million accounts! Bob Lord, the CISO for YAHOO released a statement that says “We have confirmed that a copy of certain user account information was stolen from the company鈥檚 network in late 2014 by what it believes is a state-sponsored actor”. The breach occurred in 2014, but it was only discovered in August when customer information began showing up on the dark net for sale. YAHOO is cooperating with law enforcement officials to determine the extent of the damage and the investigation is ongoing. The information stolen includes user names, addresses, email addresses, passwords, birthdates and telephone numbers.

Yahoo is now taking appropriate action to protect its users but they suggest that customers quickly change their passwords, use caution when opening emails, and check all accounts for activity that may seem suspicious. With 500 million records stolen, YAHOO now has the dubious honor of having the record for the largest hack in history.

 

Step into the Past with a New Game-Based History Course: HIS350: World War I

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

鈥�Europe today is a powder keg and the leaders are like men smoking in an arsenal 鈥� A single spark will set off an explosion that will consume us all 鈥� I cannot tell you when that explosion will occur, but I can tell you where 鈥β燬ome damned foolish thing in the Balkans will set it off.鈥�

~ Otto Von Bismarck, 1878

Today, more than one-hundred years removed from the start of the so-called 鈥淲ar to End All Wars,鈥� the lessons it can teach us still resonate.

French Soldier
A French soldier standing in the ruins of Verdun, wearing a gas mask, 1916. Encyclop忙dia Britannica ImageQuest. http://quest.eb.com/search/115_ 2738442/1/115_2738442/cite

Borne out of imperial rivalries and complex European alliances, World War I erupted suddenly in 1914 and ended more than four years later, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. In the years between, the Allied and Central Powers engaged in a horrific and devastating 鈥淭otal War,鈥� drafting unprecedentedly large armies and transforming their economies to support the war effort, yet producing little more than stalemate and death on much of the Western Front. The Great War changed how wars were fought, and introduced new technology to the battlefield. Students who take the new course HIS350: World War I, which premieres in the Fall II term in October 2016, will examine the origins and consequences of the war, the major strategic decisions, as well as the intertwining history on the homefront of the combatant nations.

The format of HIS350 offers students the chance to explore World War I from a unique and innovative perspective: by taking a step into the past. The course contains three game-based learning simulations from in which students become the key decision-makers at pivotal moments during the First World War.

In the first game, The July Crisis: Be Kaiser Wilhelm, students take on the role of the German monarch after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. As the Kaiser, will you back your allies, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and pave the path toward a two-front war, or will you seek peaceful solutions by working with other leaders like Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, your own cousin?

In The True Cost of War: Be the General students take the perspective of a general on the Western Front, which has long been mired in stalemate. How can you break the stalemate and claim a victory for your forces? Can you balance the interests of your military advisors, the people at home, and save the lives of your troops in the trenches? How will you assess the ethics and effectiveness of twentieth-century warfare tactics like poison gas, tanks, and air raids?

In Making the World Safe for Democracy: Be President Wilson students take on the American presidency on the eve of US entry into the war. As Wilson, how will you convince the American people that it鈥檚 time to enter the war, even though you just ran for re-election on a platform of peace? Can you meet the demands of military advisors, labor leaders, and suffragists to best prepare your army and your nation for the coming fight?

Along with the games, students in the course will read primary source accounts of the war to understand the war鈥檚 significance, its toll on the 鈥淟ost Generation,鈥� and its ramifications today as we commemorate the war鈥檚 one-hundredth anniversary.

HIS350 also contains no textbook costs, as the required textbook is available free through the Excelsior College Library. In order to play the games, students must have access to a web browser that meets .

You can find more information on HIS350 through the聽Course Search聽on our website. Speak to your advisor to see if it will fit with your degree plan.

 

Mary Berkery, Faculty Program Director, History
Mary Berkery, Faculty Program Director, History

Tips from a Graduate and Student Success Coach: Hannah Lynch

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Hannah 1Some people say the happiest day of their lives is their wedding day.聽 As someone who has yet to get married I can without a doubt say the happiest day of my life was when I received my Masters of Science in Management degree at Excelsior College.

As an adult student I was juggling work, school, and life.聽 Many nights were spent at work after 5:00 pm in the Student Success Center finishing up a discussion post or essay.聽 I also utilized my 15 minute breaks and hour lunch to complete an assignment or respond to a classmate鈥檚 post.聽 Weekend mornings were also dedicated to my studies.聽 Did I slip some weeks?聽 Absolutely.聽 Did I fail a quiz or two?聽 Absolutely.聽 But I did not let that failure identify me.聽 I used it as a learning experience.

Without a doubt I can say that my job as a Success Coach and my interaction with students strengthened my motivation to allow me to persevere and succeed in my studies.聽 One question Success Coaches ask students revolves around support – 鈥淲ho do you have in your life who is cheering you on while you get your degree?鈥�.聽 It is really important for students to have that support network to encourage them while they are in school that will drive their success.聽 My family, friends, and colleagues were all such a great support system while I was obtaining my MSM degree.聽 The constant check-ins, listening to me vent over an assignment, and cheering me on over the wins really encouraged me to push forward in school.聽 Without this support system I think my experience would have been a rocky road.聽 If you are student reading this and think you have no support system go out and tell someone.聽 Tell a colleague, friend, family member, or neighbor (tell the world!).

My work as a Success Coach has allowed me to see regular people like you and I do amazing things.聽 The students at Excelsior College continue to inspire and motivate me.聽 One minute I will be talking to a student who is juggling five kids, works nights, and still finds the time to get their studies done.聽 The next minute I am talking to a military service member who is about to move his family to another country due to being deployed and still manages to get their discussion posts completed.聽 I think if they can do it so can I!聽 Remember you are not the only one doing this, there is a whole community of students who are experiencing the same obstacles while they finish their degree.

I encourage you to find that support system and find what motivates you. 聽Write it down! Go one step further 鈥� write down your ultimate goal on a sticky note and post it everywhere!聽 My students love doing this.聽 Writing down your ultimate goal makes it concrete and that much more within reach.聽 Lastly, as I encourage my students to do, set SMART goals/mini goals for yourself.聽 Mini goals are much more doable and make you feel like you have conquered the world.聽 BECAUSE YOU HAVE!

Thank you for reading a snippet of my success story at Excelsior College and the tools I used to get through it.聽 I hope it inspires you to get through that discussion post due this week or a required reading!聽 Whatever is on your plate in life – YOU GOT THIS!

Hannah Lynch, ’16