New & Notable
Open House at PDP's New Offices and Training Center
On October 2, PDP opened its new training center at its fourth floor offices in the ÂUniversity Administration Building on the University's uptown campus. The center consists of two state-of-the-art electronic classrooms and two seminar/breakout rooms. In welcoming visitors to a January 11 open house attended by representatives from some of PDP's major sponsors such as the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, the NYS Office of Children and Family Services, the Governor's Office of Employee Relations, and the Public Employees Federation, and over 100 colleagues from across the campus and state agencies, Executive Director Eugene J. Monaco noted, "This event marks a dual celebration-moving to our new space and thirty years of dedicated service providing continuing professional education for the public workforce." He went on to say that, "An added bonus in moving to UAB was the opportunity to build the center which has been a hit from day one. Since we opened the doors in October, the center has hosted 47 events and there are already 38 events scheduled for early 2007." To provide a sense of the scope of PDP activity, Monaco noted that, "During the past year, we conducted over 2,000 education and training events enrolling over 20,000 students." Looking to the year ahead, he announced that, "The state of PDP is also strong. We are Âprojecting over $25 million in contracted training for 2007-close to a 10 percent increase over 2006."Community Spirit Plants Seeds
The generosity and involvement of PDP staff helped one local family begin 2007 with new beds, bedding, and bicycles. Many PDP staff became involved in so many different ways during the past holiday season: donating a significant amount of money, purchasing and wrapping gifts, using holiday and vacation time to deliver and set up new beds in the family's home, and taking the family shopping to ensure the correct bike and helmet sizes for the youngsters.
The family was very excited, happy, and grateful.
"You went above and beyond to make this holiday season one we will always remember," said one family member. "Not only did you give, but you have planted seeds in our house, and for this may you all be richly blessed."
PDP's efforts truly made a difference in the lives of this family. And, as always, it was a wonderful team effort.
Website Launched for the PDP Albany Training Center
On February 1st, PDP launched a website dedicated to providing information and links to resources for the PDP Albany Training Center. This website is accessible on the Internet from PDP’s main web page and includes links to room availability calendars for the training center’s four training/meeting rooms, a description of room features (including photos and available A/V), an on-line Equipment Manual for A/V, event parking information and maps, and much more.
Also on this date PDP announced new contact information for inquires about the PDP Albany Training Center. Combined, PDP expects that these resources will aid PDP customers and staff in planning training center events as well as aid event attendees in retrieving directions to PDP and instructions PDP Trainee Parking.
The PDP Albany Training Center is a state-of-the-art training and meeting facility at PDP on the University at Albany’s Uptown Campus. This facility is used to provide education and training services to PDP customers and constituents in an environment that is conducive to adult learning.
Please direct inquiries regarding the PDP Albany Training Center to AlbanyTrainingCenter@pdp.albany.edu or (518) 956-7915.
Mary Campney Receives President's Award for Excellence in Support Service
The Professional Development Program is pleased and proud to announce that Mary Campney is a 2007 recipient of a University at Albany President’s Award for Excellence in Support Service. This award is given in recognition of outstanding performance and significant contributions to the University community.
Mary is a Senior Administrative Assistant with over eighteen years of dedicated service at PDP. She is well-known throughout the organization for her consummate professionalism and many key contributions in furthering PDP’s tradition of excellence. The President’s awards were presented by University at Albany Officer in Charge and Provost Susan V. Herbst at a ceremony held on April 23, 2007 in the University’s Campus Center Ballroom. PDP recognized Mary’s significant achievement with a reception in her honor held at our Albany Training Center on April 27th. Congratulations Mary!
Spring Conference Presentations on Continuing Education
Eugene J. Monaco, Executive Director of PDP, and Rebecca Stanley, Program Manager of the Instructional Technologies Unit (ITU), presented case study examinations at two separate conferences this past spring. Mr. Monaco's April 12 presentation, "A New-Fangled Use for the Three-Legged Stool: A Forward Looking Workforce Education Program for Public Sector Employees," was attended by members and guests of the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Ms. Stanley's June 1 presentation, "Portrait of a Partnership: A Case Study in On-line Learning for Public Health Professionals," attracted an international audience at the 54th annual meeting of the Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE).
Presenting with Mr. Monaco were Onnolee Smith, Director of Workforce and Organizational Development Unit, New York State Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (GOER), and Pat Smith of the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF). The panel used a case-study approach to describe how a collaborative education and training program was established with a state government, a public employees union, and an academic institution. By addressing both emerging trends and current job training requirements, this partnership has met the needs of more than 51,000 professional scientific and technical employees in a rapidly changing public workforce environment. This "Workforce Development in a Global Society" session was an integral part of UCEA's conference theme, "Building Futures, Changing Lives."
Presenting with Ms. Stanley was Dr. Carol Young, Director of Continuing Education and Professional Development at the School of Public Health, University at Albany. For the past five years, ITU has partnered with Dr. Young's department to produce web-based professional development for public health practitioners. Although their original mandate was to provide training for the public health workforce in New York and New Jersey, the online courses have attracted more than 40,000 learners throughout the world. The presentation deconstructed the elements of a successful partnership for e-learning, with a focus on outcomes: completion rates, evaluation results, and responses to follow-up surveys. By responding to learners, this unique partnership was able to contribute to CAUCE's theme, "The Portraits of Tomorrow" - Landscapes, Learners, Leaders.
Founded in 1915, the UCEA is among the oldest college and university associations in the United States. Members include both public and private accredited colleges and universities, as well as nonprofit organizations with a commitment to professional education. Visit their website at http://www.ucea.edu/. CAUCE is a professional association of deans, directors, administrative personnel, and practitioners whose careers are in higher continuing education. Visit their website at www.cauce2007.ca/.
PDP and TSG Combine Forces
Gene Monaco, Public Service Professor and PDP Executive Director, announced in July that the SUNY Training Strategies Group (TSG) will become an integral part of PDP's mission and vision at the University at Albany.
SUNY TSG is funded by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). All TSG projects focus on improving the knowledge and skills of those who work to support and strengthen families and children in New York. TSG's staff of over 100 support OCFS programs, including:
- The SUNY CONNECTIONS Training Project, which provides local district and voluntary agency staff with training experiences to aid in the comprehensive knowledge of the New York State Child Welfare documentation system.
- The SUNY Distance Learning Project (DLP), part of TSG's video production arm, which delivers timely programming through a high-tech digital satellite receiver system, with downlinks in every county of the state, as well as the Residential Treatment Centers.
- The SUNY Early Childhood Education and Training Program (SUNY ECETP), which provides convenient, cost-free videoconferences for NYS child care professionals.
- The Educational Incentive Program (EIP), a scholarship program for child care provider training.
- Health and Safety Training, which ensures that new providers are prepared for their responsibilities.
- The Regulator Training Program, which provides instruction relevant to the work of child day care regulatory staff to promote and protect the health, safety and development of children in out-of-home child day care settings.
- Medication Administration Training (MAT), which can certify child day care staff to administer medication in a child care setting. OCFS has specific regulations about giving medication to children in child day care settings.
For more information on these programs and other TSG initiatives, see the Training Strategies Group website at http://www.tsg.suny.edu/ Meg Meehan, TSG's Director, has joined with other PDP Senior Management Staff to begin the long process of integrating the assets of both organizations, including the TSG and PDP websites. With this one merger, the Professional Development Program has doubled its staff—its largest asset—and promoted its vision "To be a premiere public sector continuing professional education and training program, known for both the high quality of our work and the excellence of our people."
PDP Awarded New Training Project
The Bureau of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Office at the NYS Department of Health recently awarded PDP the Integrating Tobacco Use Interventions into NYS Chemical Dependency Services grant. Work under this two- year project began on January 1st.
PDP will work closely with all NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse licensed programs to develop a statewide training and technical assistance project designed to assist providers with implementing new tobacco control regulations and policies, and the integration of clinical interventions for tobacco dependency and recovery.