News

Auxiliary Services, CPDC Enhance Drumlins Trail System

For years, members of the University community have enjoyed the use of the trail system around the golf course at Drumlins Country Club for hiking, jogging, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The trails, which are open to use from sunrise to sunset, are also a resource utilized by the greater Central New York community.

Over the past few months, Auxiliary Services and a team from Campus Planning, Design and Construction have undertaken an effort to add modifications to the area for the safety of those who utilize the trail system. A fence has been installed along the south side of the 13th tee of the East Course to protect individuals from the sharp drop-off in the area. Signage has been posted at several trailheads and areas where community members enter the property to outline safe usage of the trail system. Additional signage about dangerous drop-offs, especially in the area surrounding the neighboring stone quarry, will be installed soon.

Read the full story on Syracuse University News.

Campus Store to Partner with eCampus.com to Offer Students More Convenient, Affordable Access to Textbooks

Syracuse University has selected eCampus.com to be its new full-service online textbook store beginning with the Spring 2022 term. eCampus.com was selected for its user-friendly services and its proven track record of reducing costs for students, which in some cases can be up to 70% off publisher list prices. Additionally, students will be able to take advantage of a convenient on-campus service center in the Campus Store where they can have their books delivered with free expedited shipping after they’ve placed the­ir order.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

A Lasting Impression: Parking and Transportation Services Staff Member Ed Rother Retires After 30 Years of Service

When prospective students and families arrive on the Syracuse University campus, the first person they often meet is Ed Rother.

A member of the Parking and Transportation Services team, Rother has staffed the University’s north entry gate on South Crouse Avenue for more than 29 years. In that role, he has been a friendly face to faculty, staff and students. With his proximity to Crouse-Hinds Hall, where the Office of Admissions is located, he has often been the first person from Syracuse University that thousands of students and families interact with when they visit the University for the first time.

Rother is retiring from the University on Dec. 1 after 30 years of service. He says the decision to retire from a job he loves did not happen overnight. “The University has treated me great all of these years, but now is the right time to do it,” he says.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

Engineering News-Record Names Stadium Roof Replacement Best Sports/Entertainment Project of 2021

After hosting numerous memorable sporting events during its 40-year history, the Carrier Dome achieved a landmark of its own with the replacement of its original air-supported roof—the last of its kind in the U.S. In its place is a new cable-stayed roof structure, suspended from a “crown truss” compression ring.

Reducing the building’s energy use was the main project driver, eliminating the need to continuously maintain the interior’s air pressure with large blower fans so the roof would stay inflated. Except for a 100,000-sq-ft section of single-membrane material for daylighting, the roof structure is highly thermally insulated to further reduce energy costs.

Read the full story on ENR’s website.

Vegan food expo by Nestle chef brings students to Sadler Hall

Chef Alex Dino has one thing to prove: Vegan doesn’t mean tasteless. Dino, corporate executive chef for Nestle Professional North America, came to Syracuse University’s Sadler Hall Wednesday night with a commitment to prepare and serve delicious, flavorful delicacies using only plant-based ingredients from Nestle’s Sweet Earth products.

Read the full story at The NewsHouse.

Food Services, Drumlins Announce New Leadership in Catering Operations

Jon Webster, executive director of hospitality services announced today that Joe Sidoni, longtime associate director of catering in Food Services, has accepted a new role as the food and beverage director at Drumlins Country Club. Paula Elerick will step into the catering position vacated by Sidoni in the Syracuse University Food Services department.

The move is a result of the Auxiliary Services department’s effort to effectively share resources between campus food service operations and Drumlins. Drumlins recently insourced its food and beverage operations after relying on a third-party operator for many years. The new system required a seasoned management presence to develop the program, the success of which will benefit both Drumlins members and the broader Syracuse University community.

“This is a move that will allow for Drumlins to realize the true potential of their food and beverage program while simultaneously increasing the operational efficiency of our department as a whole,” said Webster. “It’s about putting our people in places where they will succeed and utilizing our staff’s diverse skill sets to operate all aspects of the business in a manner that best serves our customers and the University.”

Sidoni will assume responsibility for food and beverage operations at the country club, home to Bistro 1926, a poolside “snack shack,” and a robust catering and events operation.

Elerick, who started her tenure at Syracuse University in September, brings over 20 years of catering experience to the University’s Catering Services team, most notably at Turning Stone and Sodexo. Most recently, she was the Regional Director of Operations for Sodexo’s college and university accounts in the Northeast. She will oversee a re-structure of the University’s catering department, which has seen demand for its services return to pre-pandemic levels this fall.

Webster acknowledged that this is a particularly difficult time for Catering Services. Demand has risen as the entire Food Services team has faced the same labor shortage as their peers throughout the industry. He envisions a “re-set” for the department. Looking forward, the next step will be searching for and hiring a chef dedicated solely to the University’s catering services.

“In order to better serve our campus and to take care of our employees, we’re going to look at everything we do and make sure we’re doing right by all of our stakeholders,” Webster said. “Our goal is to offer top-quality food and customer service at all of our outlets, and these steps will help get us there.”

Lubin House Administration Moves to Auxiliary Services; New Director Begins Tenure

On November 1, Syracuse University’s longtime home in New York City, the Joseph I. Lubin House, became part of the portfolio of operations housed under the University’s Auxiliary Services business unit. Lubin House will join a group of Syracuse University properties, among them the Minnowbrook Conference Center and the Syracuse University Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center, which fall under the direction of Vernetta Kinchen, executive director of housing and lodging.

The move was undertaken in part due to the desire to group University assets of a similar purview in the same area of operations, which will allow Kinchen and her team to utilize their expertise in lodging to revitalize the property and its rooms.

The Lubin House has also welcomed a new director of operations. Jonathan Teng began his tenure at Lubin House on November 8, 2021. Teng comes to Syracuse University from TengWirth, a software company offering a customer service platform for the hospitality industry. Teng will oversee a staff of eight people at the Lubin House and will report to Kinchen, who will remain based in Syracuse.

The new leadership team at Lubin House will look to improve operations and programming, along with adding amenities that will support an enhanced experience for guests. The University’s Campus Development and Facilities Operations unit, led by Pete Sala, will take the lead on all needed capital project and engineering upgrades to the building.

In the meantime, the building remains a home to several University departments, among them, Advancement and External Affairs, the Office of Alumni Engagement, Admissions, and the Chancellor’s Office. Staff members traveling to New York on University business can choose to stay at Lubin House overnight.

All staff, faculty, and student groups are encouraged to take advantage of the Lubin House’s accommodations and its incredible location on the Upper East Side, just off of Central Park. For more information about booking your stay, please contact Vernetta Kinchen at vlkinche@syr.edu.

Syracuse University Libraries’ Module-2 Storage Facility Progresses Toward Completion

Construction is well underway on the second module of the Syracuse University Libraries’ storage facility on South Campus, which will house some of the University’s most treasured multimedia and special collections holdings. The 15,000-square-foot facility will include cool and cold storage vaults with carefully regulated humidity controls to provide optimal environmental conditions to safely store and prolong the life of materials that are crucial to the teaching and scholarship happening each day on Syracuse University’s campus.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

Road Closures On and Around Campus During Annual Mountain Goat Run Oct. 24

The 43rd annual Mountain Goat Run will take place Sunday, Oct. 24. The 10-mile course traverses a large section of the City of Syracuse, including roads on campus and around the University area. Members of the campus community should be advised that temporary road closures will take place between 9:45 a.m. and noon on the day of the race.

Runners will enter the University area from East Colvin Street by Manley Field House, necessitating road closures along Comstock Avenue. They will turn left on University Place through Thornden Park, exiting the park down Madison Street, and then turning right on South Crouse Avenue and left onto East Genesee Street.

Race organizers ask neighbors to proceed with caution and allow for additional travel time to your destination if they are traveling near the routes. Organizers also encourage community members to cheer on the race participants and join in the fun at the finish line.