President Kermit L. Hall
Graduate Commencement Address
May 20, 2006

On behalf of the faculty, it is my honor to welcome you to the University at Albany's 2006 Graduate Commencement.

The last time we had such a large gathering in the RACC the group was somewhat more boisterous.

The date was March the 11th, when, as you may recall, our men's basketball team soundly defeated the University of Vermont and won its first-ever Division I NCAA tournament berth.

It was an exciting day. A day of great pride for our University. And this pride is ever so strong today as we celebrate your success in earning a graduate degree.

I offer congratulations to each of you. We are immensely proud of you.

You haven't done it alone, however. During your time at the University, you have had the support of many people. Let's take a moment to recognize some of them.

The faculty are the heart of our University. They have awakened your joy in knowledge and expanded your minds. And as Oliver Wendall Holmes observed: "The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size."

We have a superb faculty. Please join me in recognizing them. Thank you.

Now let us recognize staff members who keep our campus in good working order. They care for our buildings and grounds, nurture the plants that beautify our campus, clear the parking lots and sidewalks of snow, and ensure that we have heat and hot water. They take great pride in our campus. Our facilities management staff, would you please stand and accept our thanks?

Graduate students are a special breed. You value education and spend hours toiling in our libraries and laboratories, classrooms and offices.

You are learning to live the life of the mind but the simple truth is that your coursework often begins only after you have completed your day job.

We know we can often count on you to appear at University events - especially if there is free food. But your family can never quite count on you to have any free time.

We know there are some things you enjoy. You have discovered, for example, that it is much more fun to dish out grades as a TA than it is to get them.

But we also know that while you might be guilty of procrastination at times, you never relax without guilt. But today, you can relax! By the powers vested in me as president of the University at Albany, I declare... Graduate students, it's time to relax!

You have achieved an important milestone, and you are now positioned to reap the rewards of all that you have invested.

Today, we will be awarding honorary degrees to three distinguished citizens - and all three, I want to note, earned advanced degrees.

So again - relax -- and I'll tell you a bit about yourselves.

You, collectively, number nearly 1,000:
160 are receiving Ph.Ds;
794, master's degrees;
and 31, certificates of advanced study.

You are a cosmopolitan group drawn from the breadth of the U.S. and 41 other countries - China, India, Switzerland, Germany, Taiwan, Korea, and many many more.

You already know something about the real world. Your average age is 32, but 19 percent of you are 40 or older. Sixty percent are women.

Let me give you a few examples of the qualities you embody.

You are responsible citizens of the world. Steven Wolfgram is one such citizen. As a doctoral student, he conducted research on attitudes toward biodiversity among residents of rural Cameroon. He gained their first-hand perspectives on environmental programs that affect them, and he suggested how efforts to sustain biodiversity could better accommodate their views. Today he receives a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy.

You have a strong sense of duty. Richard (Rik) Legault exemplifies that quality. Rik is a Master Sergeant with the Air National Guard in New York, and he was activated for four months while writing his dissertation. His unit flew wounded soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq to hospitals in the U.S. Rik defended his dissertation prospectus long distance via conference call. Meanwhile, his wife Sue was also activated and was flying wounded soldiers from Iraq to Germany. Today he receives his Ph.D. in criminal justice.

You are compassionate. Tara Rainstrom's compassion led her to Katrina-ravaged Biloxi, Mississippi, three times during the spring semester. Tara put her graduate business education, particularly her information technology skills, to work. She teamed with other student volunteers to convert a paper system and a myriad of spreadsheets into a user-friendly database to manage the hundreds of reconstruction projects. Today, she receives her M.B.A

You are dedicated. Whether in her studies or in athletic competition, Christina Cruz rows hard to achieve excellence. Chris made the U.S. Olympic women's crew team in 1980 but could not compete due to the boycott of the Moscow Olympics. Today, however, she captures the prize for success in her studies. She is the recipient of a distinguished dissertation award -- for her excellent study on women coaches, and she is being awarded a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction.

You persevere. If there were an award for the student who took the longest route to his or her degree, Barbara Rockell might get it. Today, Barbara receives her Ph.D. in criminal justice. She entered the program in 1977, but left before completing the Ph.D. and entered the field of corrections. Barbara was readmitted to the School two years ago, and has now finished her dissertation on "Street Women of Rochester, New York."

And if you want an example of faculty persistence, I give you Distinguished Professor Hans Toch. Barbara is his 30th Ph.D. student. Professor Toch was one of the founders of what is today the second ranked Criminal Justice program. He used to team teach with Vincent O'Leary, who today will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree.

You are tenacious. Lisa Wilson's journey to this day epitomizes tenacity. The mother of three teenage children, she has worked two part-time jobs, and overcome her own disabilities and the challenges of her husband's health problems. As an undergraduate student, she found the strength to keep going after her house burned down, earning her bachelor's degree in 2002. Today she receives her master's in social work.

Responsibility. Duty. Compassion. Dedication. Persistence. Tenacity.

These are the enduring characteristics of all successful people. They describe you. You each have a different story but today all of your stories converge into one - the story of success that this commencement celebrates. You not only will make a difference - but you also have already made a difference.

Finally, a few words of advice....

Remember that even though your schooling at this great university may be over, your education continues.

I would remind you of Mark Twain's observation: It is what you learn after you know everything that really counts.

In that spirit, I remind you to do well but do good.

Be moved by your heart, but be disciplined by your knowledge.

Make a difference in the world and help others to make a difference as well.

And remember....
Education is what you acquire when you read the fine print.
Experience is what you get if you don't.

You have my respect, my affection, and my heartiest congratulations.

So do relax - and embrace this moment. You have earned it. It will not come again.

Honorary Degrees

"We now move to the presentation of honorary degrees. We are both proud and pleased to bestow upon Maureen Baginski, Vincent O'Leary and Alphonse Fletcher Jr. the University's highest academic degree, the honorary doctorate of the State University of New York."

"The honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters will be conferred by Mr. Christopher Connors and Mr. Brian Fessler, Trustees of the State University of New York. The honorees will be presented by Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Susan Herbst.

PROVOST HERBST:
"I have the great pleasure of presenting to you Ms. Maureen Baginski. I ask that she rise and step forward and join President Hall and Trustees Conners and Fessler."

Maureen A. Baginski has exemplified excellence in service to our nation throughout her career, and in the post 9/11 world she has played a major role in shaping our nation's counterterrorism efforts. First at the National Security Agency (NSA) and then at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), she was a bold architect of transformation.

After earning master's and bachelor's degrees at the University at Albany, she joined the NSA in 1979. Over the next two decades, she advanced to top management posts and earned the moniker, "the Vision Lady."

In May 2003, she was charged with re-inventing the FBI's intelligence program, where she dramatically enhanced the bureau's capacity to fuse and use intelligence from across the agency. In August 2005, when the FBI consolidated multiple operations into the National Security Branch, FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III said it was being constructed on the foundation built by Maureen Baginski."

It is with tremendous pride that the State University of New York recognizes Maureen A. Baginski with the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.

TRUSTEE CONNORS:
"By virtue of the authority vested in me by the State University of New York, and with the concurrence of the Faculty, I confer upon you, Maureen A. Baginski, the degree DOCTOR OF HUMAN LETTERS, HONORIS CAUSA, and invest you with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereunto. In token thereof, I hand you this degree and citation and direct that you be vested with the hood appropriate to the degree, DOCTOR OF HUMANE LETTERS."

PROVOST HERBST:
"It is my great pleasure to present to you Mr. Vincent O'Leary. I ask that he come forward and join President Hall and the Trustees.

"The citation accompanying the honorary degree reads, in part, as follows: In his 13 years as President of the University at Albany, Vincent O'Leary led the institution through a challenging era guiding the way for it to become the multi-faceted research university it is today.

As a nationally recognized scholar in the field of criminal justice, he served as acting dean of the School of Criminal Justice and, in 1977, accepted the call to become the university's 14th president.

As president, he:

• restored core Ph.D. programs and created new ones of national leadership,
• initiated UAlbany's first international scholarly exchange efforts,
• expanded the campus by adding residential housing, an athletic field house, and a new science library
• oversaw a more than three-fold growth in external funding
• promoted diversity with increased minority numbers in faculty, staff and the student body

All the while, his wisdom, style, wit and intelligence served as essential ingredients in the University's dramatic success. It is with tremendous pride that the State University of New York recognizes Vincent O'Leary with the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.

TRUSTEE FESSLER:
"By virtue of the authority vested in me by the State University of New York, and with the concurrence of the Faculty, I confer upon you, Vincent O'Leary, the degree DOCTOR OF LAWS, HONORIS CAUSA, and invest you with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereunto. In token thereof, I hand you this degree and citation and direct that you be vested with the hood appropriate to the degree, DOCTOR OF LAWS."

PROVOST HERBST:
"It is my great pleasure to present to you Mr. Alphonse Fletcher Jr. I ask that he rise and step forward and join President Hall and the Trustees.

Alphonse Fletcher Jr. has distinguished himself for his acumen in finance and investment management and for his philanthropy.

After graduating from Harvard University, he began a career in finance leading in 1991 to the formation of Fletcher Asset Management, Inc., a company for which he serves as Chairman and CEO.

In 2004, his deep belief in education as a transforming agent led him to announce a $50 million initiative in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision. This initiative provides individual fellowships, scholarships, and institutional grants for projects designed to promote racial equity and to improve race relations.

Given his remarkable success, his abiding commitment to education, and his belief in the importance of opportunity for all, the State University of New York is proud to recognize you with the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.
 

TRUSTEE CONNORS:
"By virtue of the authority vested in me by the State University of New York, and with the concurrence of the Faculty, I confer upon you, Alphonse Fletcher Jr., the degree DOCTOR OF HUMAN LETTERS, HONORIS CAUSA, and invest you with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereunto. In token thereof, I hand you this degree and citation and direct that you be vested with the hood appropriate to the degree, DOCTOR OF HUMANE LETTERS."

"We take tremendous pride in our honorary degree recipients and their stories of success, and we are very pleased that Alphonse Fletcher will also add to our commencement celebration by offering his thoughts.

He is an extraordinary model. He has recounted how his parents repeatedly told him and his brothers to "always strive to be better than the best." Clearly he took his parents' advice to heart.

Conferral of Doctoral Degrees

PROVOST HERBST:
"It is now my honor to begin the centerpiece of our Commencement ceremony. To all of you graduating today, on behalf of all the faculty, I am pleased to offer my congratulations and good wishes. Your presence here today is testimony that you have met a rigorous set of standards administered by our faculty and have demonstrated your research skills, your analytic ability, and your mastery of specialized knowledge in your discipline.

"In recognition of these extraordinary academic achievements, we will introduce each of the degree candidates individually, beginning with candidates for the doctoral degree.

"I now present Dr. Marjorie Pryse, Interim Dean of Graduate Studies, who will present the graduates for the conferral of the degrees."

DEAN PRYSE:
"We begin with the candidates for doctoral degrees who will receive their doctoral hoods from their faculty advisers and be presented individually to the President by the dean of the School or College awarding the degree."

"WILL CANDIDATES FOR THE DOCTORAL DEGREES PLEASE RISE?"

"The doctoral degree signifies the culmination of advanced learning and a demonstrated ability to discover and disseminate knowledge and pursue truth, whatever form that truth takes."

"The University at Albany is proud to welcome these new doctors as colleagues, and we charge them to keep alive the flame of discovery, and to transmit their learning to others."

DEAN PRYSE:
"President Hall, these candidates have completed a program of advanced study at the doctoral level as prescribed by the faculties of the schools and colleges of the University at Albany. All have given clear evidence of scholarly accomplishment in their respective fields.

"In the name of the Graduate Academic Council and on behalf of these Faculties, I declare that these candidates have fulfilled the requirements for the doctoral degrees for which they are recommended specifically, and I present them to you that you may confer upon them the doctoral degree appropriate to their course of study."

PRESIDENT HALL:
"By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Regents of the State of New York and by the Trustees of the State University of New York, I hereby confer upon each of you, as appropriate to your course of study, the degree:
DOCTOR OF ARTS,
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY,
DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY,
or DOCTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH
along with the rights, privileges, and responsibilities pertaining thereunto.  "My heartiest congratulations to each of you."

DEAN PRYSE:
"These new doctors will now be introduced individually by their respective Deans, vested with the hood appropriate to the degree by the faculty adviser, and receive the doctoral diploma.

"Will the new doctors and their faculty advisers in the first two rows please step forward under the direction of the marshals. All others may be seated until directed to come forward by the marshals."

DEAN WICK-PELLETIER:
"I am Dean Joan Wick-Pelletier, and I am pleased to present the following doctors on behalf of the College of Arts and Sciences."

[Dean Wick Pelletier reads names as candidates cross the stage.]

DEAN BLONIARZ:
"I am Dean Peter Bloniarz, and I am pleased to present the following doctors on behalf of the faculty of the School of Business."

[Dean Bloniarz reads names as candidates cross the stage.]

DEAN HORNEY:
"I am Dean Julie Horney, and I am pleased to present the following doctors on behalf of the School of Criminal Justice."

[Dean Horney reads names from cards as candidates cross stage.]

DEAN PHILLIPS:
"I am Dean Susan Phillips, and I am pleased to present the following doctors on behalf of the School of Education."

[Dean Phillips reads names from cards as candidates cross stage.]

HASSARAM BAKHRU:
"I am Hassaram Bakhru, and I am pleased to present the following doctors on behalf of the faculty of the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering."

[Professor Bakhru reads names as candidates cross the stage.]

DEAN LEVIN:
"I am Dean Peter Levin and I am pleased to present the following doctors on behalf of the School of Public Health."

[Dean Levin reads names from cards as candidates cross the stage.]

INTERIM DEAN DESFOSSES:
"I am Dean Helen Desfosses, and I am pleased to present the following doctors on behalf of the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy."

[Interim Dean Desfosses reads names from cards as candidates cross the stage.]

DEAN BRIAR-LAWSON:
"I am Dean Katharine Briar-Lawson, and I am pleased to present the following doctors on behalf of the School of Social Welfare."

[Dean Briar-Lawson reads names from cards as candidates cross the stage.]

Presentation of Candidates for Master's Degrees and Certificates of Advanced Study

DEAN PRYSE:
"We now move to the recognition of candidates for MASTER'S degrees and CERTIFICATES OF ADVANCED STUDY.

"WILL CANDIDATES FOR THE MASTER'S DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES OF ADVANCED STUDY, PLEASE RISE?"

"President Hall, in the name of the Faculties of the Schools and Colleges of the University at Albany, I have the honor of presenting these candidates to you that you may confer upon them the degree:"

MASTER OF ARTS,
MASTER OF SCIENCE,
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION,
MASTER OF FINE ARTS,
MASTER OF LIBRARY SCIENCE,
MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION,
MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH
MASTER OF REGIONAL PLANNING, or
MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK,
or the CERTIFICATE OF ADVANCED STUDY appropriate to their individual courses of study."

PRESIDENT HALL:
"By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Regents of the State of New York and the Trustees of the State University of New York, I hereby confer upon each of you, as appropriate to your course of study, the MASTER'S DEGREE, or CERTIFICATE OF ADVANCED STUDY with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities pertaining thereunto.

My most sincere congratulations to each of you."

DEAN PRYSE:
"The Faculty Marshals will now escort the degree candidates to the stage. The Master's candidates will be introduced by Vice Provost Melinda Spencer and Visiting Assistant Professor of Management Martin Fogelman.

[Dr. Spencer and Dr. Fogelman read names and programs as candidates cross the stage.]

PRESIDENT HALL:
"To all graduates of the University at Albany for the year 2006: Please accept the deepest congratulations and best wishes of the faculty. I ask you all to please join me again in acknowledging the outstanding achievement of all of our graduates."

"And Master's, Certificates of Advanced Study and doctoral degree recipients, it's now your turn.

You are joined today by members of your family -- parents, children, grandparents, siblings, -- as well as members of your extended families and friends. Each of them helped you to reach this triumphant moment in your life.

"Before we end this ceremony, graduates, please stand, turn to your families and friends, and let them hear from you how much you appreciate all they have done for you."

"Now, all please rise for the singing of the Alma Mater, which is printed on the back of your program. The singing of the Alma Mater will be led by Mr. Ashley Simms.

ASHLEY SIMMS: ALMA MATER

College of the Empire State,
Mother of an army great,
Thou the molder of our fate,
Thee we sing today.
Thine the hand we clasp so strong,
Holding tho' the years be long,
Thou the burden of our song,
Thee we sing today.

Wisdom's duty heeds thy call,
Ever in Minerva's thrall,
Pass the torch from one to all,
Guide each destiny.
'Neath the Purple and the Gold,
Let thy history unfold,
Sons and daughters, young and old,
Hail to Albany.

GRAND MARSHAL BOSCO:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we ask that you remain in your seats until the Platform Party has proceeded down the center aisle as we prepare to conclude this ceremony.

"President Hall, I declare that the ONE HUNDRED SIXTY SECOND Commencement of this University is now concluded."