Category Archives: Education / Training

The SUNY Adirondack Board of Trustees voted to freeze tuition for the 2021-22 academic year and eliminate three fees to recognize the economic difficulties brought by the COVID-19 pandemic for many students.

“This pandemic has hit our region’s lower-income residents the hardest, making the idea of starting college or returning to the classroom daunting for many,” said Dr. Kristine Duffy, president of SUNY Adirondack.

Officials said the 2021-22 semester rates for full-time state residents will be $2,472 and $206 per credit for students taking fewer than 12 credit hours. SUNY Adirondack’s tuition is one of the lowest in the state.

Duffy also said that after a year with more than 6,000 weekly COVID tests and fewer than a handful positive results, SUNY Adirondack announced plan to offer significantly more classes and activities in person for its fall semester.

“Our plans are, of course, dependent upon state and county guidelines,” she said. “We will continue to put safety and health first, but our hope is to welcome students back to campus this fall with more in-person and flexible learning options to accommodate different learners. Throughout the pandemic and the need for remote learning, we learned that some people need the flexibility of remote learning, while others thrive in person.”

Combined with substantial financial aid and scholarships, SUNY Adirondack remains an affordable option to start, continue or restart education in preparation for the workforce of today and tomorrow.

By Michael Cruz

Most businesspeople believe that success is bred by doing more. And more and more. And many times, that makes things worse.

Success comes from being the best at what we do. Doing tasks we are good at brings energy to all of the people in your company. Success breeds success. Repeating success is easier than struggling to do things we may not be as good at. So, what am I talking about here? I am suggesting that you may become even more successful by figuring out what not to do.

Look at your products and services. List them out on a sheet of paper. Which ones are profitable? What percentage of the revenue for that sale do you keep? Which ones are always a struggle to break even with? And, it’s a sure thing that some have no profit at all—or are performed at a loss. We begin to add services or products for lots of reasons. Many of them are to add to the top line. It will increase our revenue.

However, remember that you did not get into business to sell things. You got into your business to make money. So, using critical thinking, you want to figure out where you make the most money.

This focus on profitability will help you get rid of activities that do not make you money. That frees up time to focus on the things that make you money.

There are good reasons to add to your product or service offerings. Helping to offer a more complete solution to your customers is a good one. That aids in client retention. And it should make you more money because you have expertise and a relationship that make your offering less price sensitive.

By Andrea Harwood Palmer

Brian Rollo, a leadership coach and cultural  business strategist, is re-examining his business model in response to the business climate caused by COVID-19 and challenges employers will face.

“I’m always thinking, ‘What is three steps from now? How is this going to change business for me, and for the people I help?’ There are three  key things businesses will need to think about as we move into a new normal,” said Rollo, who does business as Brian Rollo Consulting.

“First, in what way do we bring people back into the office now that we’ve built the infrastructure for them to work remotely. How many and who? Or is it more efficient to allow people to work from home? Do we build a hybrid workforce?” said Rollo.

“Second, there’s going to be real conversations going forward on social distancing and wearing masks. If everyone is back at work, how do we navigate some staff feeling comfortable attending closely-packed meetings when others don’t? What does that look like? What if some people are more comfortable wearing a mask while others are not, and will that become its own source of unintentional bias?”

By Susan E. Campbell
Michelle Krasny started a career coaching business to help people achieve more quickly what it took her a decade to do: love their job.
“I was studying neuroscience and behavior and was on course for a medical degree and Ph.D.,” said Krasny. “But I was just a tiny human who didn’t know what I wanted.”