In Fall Address, President Rodríguez Praises Successes During Difficult Times for Higher Ed

ALBANY, N.Y. (Nov. 5, 2025) — President Havidán Rodríguez celebrated the University’s successes and its community during his annual Fall University Address, held Oct. 29 in the newly renovated Campus Center Ballroom.

University Senate Chair Cecilia Levy, an associate professor of physics, delivered opening remarks and introduced the president. Levy talked about the importance of shared governance at the University and encouraged faculty and staff to attend Senate meetings to share concerns and become a part of finding solutions. “We are stronger when we work together,” she said.

The president noted high points of the past year, including alum Omar Yaghi being awarded a Nobel Prize in chemistry, and the University being recertified for the Seal of Excelencia as well as earning an eighth consecutive Higher Education Excellence and Distinction award. And he mentioned new programs, including the University’s new Professional and Continuing Education program, which partners with local companies to provide continuing education, and GE Aerospace’s Next Engineer program. UAlbany was named a lead partner in the company’s Capital Region program, which will work with 4,000 area middle and high school students with programming designed to encourage an interest in engineering.

The University has also increased international opportunities, he said, with new study abroad opportunities in France, South Korea and Spain, and new dual programs with the Polytechnic University of Valencia in Spain and Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences in India. 

At the same time, Rodríguez noted the difficult times that all universities are facing. “Bedrock principles like academic freedom, equity and inclusion, and freedom of inquiry are being tested. The longstanding research partnership between universities and the federal government is being fundamentally reshaped. In some corners, higher education’s perceived worth to society is being put to the test,” Rodríguez said.

“And yet, the University at Albany community is resilient. We may all be concerned about the issues we, our students and our communities are experiencing. However, you are undeterred from your work to live up to our mission to be an engine of opportunity that empowers our students, faculty, staff and communities to unleash greatness in the world.”

The president noted that 2025 enrollment was down less than 1 percent from the year prior – despite demographic changes that are shrinking incoming classes and federal policies that are impacting international students. While undergraduate enrollment is up, graduate enrollment is down, largely because of a decrease in international students, which has a disproportionate impact on the University’s budget.

“We continue to navigate the impacts of new federal research funding policies and priorities. To date, we have seen 16 grants terminated worth a total of $15 million,” the president said. “Yet, our faculty have been undeterred. Faculty submitted the same number of research proposals during the past academic year as they did in the year before – despite an uncertain funding environment.”

Faculty, staff and student honors

Provost Carol Kim took the podium to present three faculty members with major University honors.

Catherine Lawson, professor in the Department of Geography, Planning and Sustainability in the College of Arts and Sciences, was named a Collins Fellow, an honor bestowed on teaching faculty who have demonstrated extraordinary devotion to the University over a sustained period of time.

Lawson, who has been with the University for 25 years, has served as department chair, directed the Master’s of Regional Planning program and is director of the Albany Visualization and Informatics Lab and the Leris Mumford Center.

Two faculty members were honored with endowed professorships. Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences Thomas Begley, the associate director of the RNA Institute, was named the Williams-Raycheff Professor in Biology. And Sheila Curran Bernard, professor of history and director of the graduate program in history, was named the Glen Trotiner Professor of Visual Storytelling.

Vice President for Government & Community Relations Sheila Seery introduced winners of the University’s public service awards.

The 2025 President’s Award for Exemplary Public Engagement went to the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans Peer Support Program, which provides mental health and social support to thousands of veterans and their families across New York. Accepting the award were Gavin Walters, executive director of the New York State Dwyer Coalition for Military Veterans and Families, and Associate Professor Eric Hardiman, who leads a School of Social Welfare research team that evaluates the Dwyer program to identify best practices and develop an implementation guide for new programs. 

An Honorary Award for Public Engagement went to ACOM 465, a Communication Department practicum known as Great Danes Save Lives. The practicum, developed in collaboration with the Center for Donation & Transplant of New York and Vermont, works to educate the campus community on the importance of organ donation. Under the supervision of PhD student Lin Lin, the campaign has engaged hundreds of UAlbany students, faculty and staff and generated 30 new donor registrations.

Also earning an Honorary Award for Public Engagement was Research Associate Professor Sridar V. Chittur of the Department of Biomedical Sciences in the College of Integrated Health Sciences. Chittur, who directs the Center for Functional Genomics, was honored for his impact on local students, regional institutions and national professional organizations through mentorship, research training and collaborative program development.