SUNY JCC President Daniel DeMarte, Student Ambassador Tiago Aguilar of Brazil, Chancellor King, Student Ambassador Cassidy Vincent of South Dayton, N.Y., and Student Ambassador Anita Kolombintseva of Saint Petersburg, Russia.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King visited Jamestown Community College Monday.

The chancellor was appointed by the SUNY Board of Trustees earlier this year. His visit was part of an effort to tour each of the 64 institutions within the SUNY System.

Chancellor King spent the morning visiting the Jamestown Campus while chatting with student ambassadors and JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte.

They toured the Manufacturing Technology Institute and residence halls, then observed an Industrial Maintenance Technician class, and dropped by the Nursing department. The chancellor then met with faculty and staff to discuss how SUNY can support the college, and closed out the morning with members of JCC’s President’s Cabinet.

JCC Vice President of Workforce Development Holger Ekanger and JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte cut ribbon on new Industrial and Building Automation Center (February 16, 2023)

Jamestown Community College has cut the ribbon on the opening of its new Industrial and Building Automation Center.

JCC Vice President of Workforce Development Holger Ekanger said the new Center received $1,615,596 in funding for the project which was used to renovate instructional space at the Hultquist Library and for the purchasing of equipment.

He said the equipment within the space will give students the ability to practice with and learn on what today’s industry professionals are using. Additionally, small class sizes of 12 students provide a learning environment supportive of hands-on training.

JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte said the college has been working the last three years on offering more non-traditional programs in order to meet local employer’s needs. He said the college has been piloting fast-track programs for the past two years with an 85% completion rate, “Fast track programs are a path to a career that do not necessarily require a two-year degree. Although, the way we’ve designed them, they stack towards a degree. Today, we add two new fast track programs under the newly designated Industrial and Building Automation Center. Under the industrial fast track programs, they include Welding Fundamentals, and that is our newest.”

DeMarte said the other new program is Building Automation Systems Technician.
He said the courses are 75% hands on, “We’re often criticized in this business that our graduates have the book knowledge, but they don’t have the hands-on knowledge. They have to learn that and that’s lost time when an employer hires them in getting them up to speed. So 75% hands on is an attempt to address that in a meaningful way.”

For more information, visit sunyjcc.edu/workforce-advanced-manufacturing

Daniel DeMarte

The Jamestown Community College Board of Trustees has renewed the contract of President Dr. Daniel DeMarte.

The Board unanimously approved the multi-year extension at their meeting Tuesday. DeMarte’s contract now runs through 2028.

DeMarte became the ninth president of JCC in July 2018. Under his tenure, the college has consistently worked to stabilize a multi-year enrollment decline, something JCC achieved in fall of 2019, prior to the impact of the pandemic.

Jamestown Community College President Dr. Daniel DeMarte presents to Chautauqua County Legislature’s Audit & Control Committee (April 21, 2022)

Jamestown Community College President Dr. Daniel DeMarte made an initial ask for nearly $1.3 million for projects at the college before the County Legislature’s Audit & Control Committee.

DeMarte said a formal request will be coming before the County Planning Board later this year for two on-going projects and one new one.

The first project request for $53,000 is to finish the last phase of construction at the Scharmann Theatre to bring it into compliance with an Office of Civil Rights issue. Once that work is completed, the college will be able to re-open the theatre. The total cost of that project is $212,000. The second request would be $250,000 to install LED lighting on the Jamestown campus. The third and largest request is for almost $1 million, DeMarte said, to put turf down on the soccer field, “I can’t compete with Corning and other schools down the road if we don’t have the facilities to attract those students to JCC. They want to come. They want to be here. They like it here. They want to stay here. But we’re at a point where I simply cannot compete with our neighboring institutions if we don’t start making some improvements with the facilities and it starts with turfing the soccer field.”

The total cost for that project would be nearly $4 million.

DeMarte also discussed with legislators that in regards to the college’s two north county facilities, he’s not sure if that’s the best location for JCC to be. He said they are working on adding programming this Fall in Dunkirk similar to what’s offered at the Manufacturing Technical Institute in Jamestown, “What we offer there now is essentially the first year of the two-year transfer degree. We don’t offer any CTE programming in Dunkirk. I think that perhaps there’s a void. You know I often hear, as I’m sure you do too, that there are people who will not travel over the great divide, over the hill in Cassadaga into Jamestown, for an education at JCC.”

DeMarte said CTE training also will be offered this Fall in Dunkirk. He said the college is working on a new memorandum of understanding with the Job Corp in Cassadaga for them to have students go to both Jamestown and Dunkirk for CTE training.

DeMarte said the number of out of area students coming to JCC has helped offset the decrease in students from local high schools. He said they’re setting enrollment and recruitment goals at the pre-pandemic 2019 levels, “In that year we stopped a nine-year decline. So we’ve been sliding in enrollment for nine years. Not unusual. Most colleges in the country have been sliding. We stopped that in ’19. So our immediate goal is to get back to where we were in ’19 and then determine where we can go from there. We don’t anticipate that there will be much growth, but some stability.”

DeMarte said the college is working on workforce development, including creating a water treatment training program two years ago. He said the next closest location for this training is in Morrisville, New York, “We’ve trained over 300 individuals locally in water treatment. We’re now looking at wastewater treatment training because that need is there also. This one program has been so successful that we’re not being asked to come into other counties to help deliver the training which poses other challenges for us but that’s a good problem to have. So we’ve been asked recently if we’d take the training to Niagara County and help begin to train their municipalities in water treatment.”

DeMarte said in an effort to get students back to campus, they offered one free on-campus class to high school juniors and seniors. The goal was to get 60 students to take part and 100 students signed up before the program was even marketed. He said the same program will be run this summer and 90 students have already signed up for the 150 spots available.

DeMarte added that there was no good news in the state budget for community colleges. He said that community colleges fared worse in the 2022-23 budget than they had in the previous three state budgets.

Jamestown Community College

JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte announced the change following the Centers for Disease Control‘s new masking guidelines and Governor Kathy Hochul lifting the statewide mandate.

DeMarte said vaccination requirements for students do remain in place. Per SUNY guidelines, students participating in on-campus classes and activities must have received the COVID-19 vaccine and booster. Weekly pool testing remains mandatory for unvaccinated employees and students with medical or religious exemptions. Pool testing also remains open to anyone who wishes to test.

Students, employees, and visitors who wish to continue masking may do so. Masks will continue to be available at the entrances of campus buildings, and employees and students with underlying health conditions or concerns are welcome to contact JCC’s Health Services for additional information.

For more information, contact JCC’s Health Services at 716-338-1013.

Jamestown Community College President Dr. Daniel DeMarte and SUNY Fredonia President Dr. Stephen Kolison

Jamestown Community College students may soon be able to complete their bachelor’s degree through SUNY Fredonia on the JCC Jamestown campus.

JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte and SUNY Fredonia President Dr. Stephen Kolison made the announcement at the Chautauqua Chamber of Commerce‘s annual meeting.

Dr. Kolison said his staff and DeMarte’s staff have been brainstorming on the idea, “So individuals who are place-bound, individuals who can’t make it to Fredonia, for example, because of family obligations or because of job obligations that they can go right on the campus of JCC and sit in classes and be able to complete their goals.”

Kolison said the SUNY Provost told Friday that the program could begin in Fall 2022. The two programs tentatively being developed are an education and business degree.

Jamestown Community College

JCC Political Professor Dr. Greg Rabb issued a statement last week speaking out against Young being the speaker, citing her votes against marriage equality and transgender rights.

College officials responded to WRFA saying they will be moving forward with Cathy Young as the keynote speaker at the virtual ceremony on Friday. An updated statement from JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte is below.

In a letter to staff, obtained by WRFA, JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte stated, “With input from student leaders, the DEI (Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion) task force, staff, the president’s cabinet, members of the board of trustees, and others, we will move forward with the virtual commencement presentation as planned. I am incredibly appreciative of the dialogue that has been opened. I believe this provides us an opportunity for growth in our efforts to become a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive college community.

We realize former Senator Young speaking may be painful for some. However, she has for many years been a steadfast supporter of Jamestown Community College, and our communities. Her numerous accomplishments both in and out of public office are commendable.”

DeMarte further stated that the college would, “designate a space on campus during our events for those students interested in peacefully expressing their views. In doing so, we must ensure a safe environment without disrupting the commencement events or hindering the rights and responsibilities of others within the campus community.”

Dr. Rabb responded to this letter saying, “Former Senator Young endorses discrimination against a protected class under NY State Human rights law. Anything else she has done does not erase this stain. Her speaking should be painful for all.

No one, especially myself, has any plans to disrupt the commencement and I find that warning to be even more offensive to those of us who care about human rights, the human rights of ALL.”

JCC’s Virtual Commencement ceremony is scheduled for this Friday, May 14th.

Full text of statements below:

Jamestown Community College Professor Dr. Greg Rabb’s Statement on May 5, 2021:

I note with concern from today’s PJ that former NY State Senator Young will be the speaker at the JCC 2021 virtual commencement.

I must object as strongly as possible in the interest of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to which we say we are committed.

When in office Sen. Young, despite intensive lobbying in Albany by myself and others including our students, VOTED AGAINST MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND TRANSGENDER RIGHTS!  This is unacceptable for a college that is ready to make a statement endorsing and supporting DEI. Our actions continue to negate any statement the board may adopt.

This is a sad day for JCC and our LGBTQIA+ students, faculty, and staff, and I must object in the strongest possible language.

Jamestown Community College President Daniel DeMarte’s Letter to JCC Staff on May 10, 2021:

Colleagues,

With input from student leaders, the DEI task force, staff, the president’s cabinet, members of the board of trustees, and others, we will move forward with the virtual commencement presentation as planned. I am incredibly appreciative of the dialogue that has been opened. I believe this provides us an opportunity for growth in our efforts to become a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive college community.

We realize former Senator Young speaking may be painful for some. However, she has for many years been a steadfast supporter of Jamestown Community College, and our communities. Her numerous accomplishments both in and out of public office are commendable. 

Our graduates have done tremendous work through circumstances not seen in our lifetime. We look forward to celebrating their achievements this weekend. In the spirit of supporting the free exchange of ideas, and putting our budding notion of DEI into action, we will designate a space on campus during our events for those students interested in peacefully expressing their views. In doing so, we must ensure a safe environment without disrupting the commencement events or hindering the rights and responsibilities of others within the campus community. 

Respectfully,

Daniel  

President & CEODaniel DeMarte, Ed.D.
SUNY Jamestown Community College
525 Falconer Street
Jamestown, NY 14702

Jamestown Community College Professor Dr. Greg Rabb’s Response Letter on Monday, May 10, 2021:

Our speaker has no respect for LGBTQIA+ rights and in fact has done her best to deny me our rights.

I would expect the college leadership to know about this and when called to their attention that they would be as outraged as I am. But no.

Where is the moral leadership?

This has been a year of failure on the part of the administration and it saddens me deeply.

To borrow a phrase from my activist friends: QUEER LIVES MATTER or at least they should. It is apparent that they don’t at JCC!

Former Senator Young endorses discrimination against a protected class under NY State Human rights law. Anything else she has done does not erase this stain. Her speaking should be painful for all.

No one, especially myself, has any plans to disrupt the commencement and I find that warning to be even more offensive to those of us who care about human rights, the human rights of ALL.

Gregory P. Rabb

Statement From SUNY JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte on Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Our college is committed to making sure that all voices and backgrounds are heard. As such, I am incredibly appreciative of the depth of sentiment that has been shared regarding our selection of Catharine Young to serve as our keynote speaker for our pre-recorded commencement ceremony on May 14 that will premiere on the college’s website.

We understand the passion and difficulty surrounding these conversations and I am cognizant that former Senator Young speaking is difficult for some members of our community. In the spirit of supporting the free exchange of ideas, we will be working with former Senator Young to provide our students an opportunity for an important dialogue to continue our efforts in making Jamestown Community College a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community. The conversations we are having are important in helping us learn and grow together, and they confirm the importance of our work in making DEI a priority for this college community.

I would like to make clear that Jamestown Community College does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, gender nonconformity, sexual orientation, marital or domestic partner status, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran or military status, family care status, age, or any other characteristic. Discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated.

Our goal in developing the pre-recorded ceremony is to honor each and every graduate that has persevered through a period not seen in our lifetime. Their work is inspiring and we look forward to celebrating their achievements.

Jamestown Community College

JCC shifted to remote operations in March 2020 and began the 2020-21 academic year in August using a flexible instructional format that has included online, hybrid, and in-person courses.
Additionally, all three residence halls on the Jamestown Campus will be accepting residents. The college will also aim to resume athletic events, club activities, and academic out-of-class experiences in accordance with the health and safety protocols.

DeMarte added that two new staff members will be added to help students navigate the on-boarding, registration, and start-of-the-semester processes.

The Tree Campus Higher Education recognition signifies a college’s commitment to campus forest management and engaging staff and students in conservation goals. JCC became the first community college in New York to receive the designation in 2009 and has received it each year since. There are 403 campuses across the United States that have received this recognition.

To qualify, campuses must have met five standards set by the Arbor Day Foundation: maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance, and student service-learning project.

“JCC is proud to hold the Tree Campus Higher Education designation by the Arbor Day Foundation,” Daniel DeMarte, JCC president, said. “The college’s tree advisory committee updated its tree-care plan and will implement a comprehensive two-year initiative to address hazard mitigation, tree removals, and improve tree maintenance.”

“Tree Campuses and their students set examples for not only their student bodies but the surrounding communities showcasing how trees create a healthier environment,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Because of JCC’s participation, air will be purer, water cleaner and students and faculty will be surrounded by the shade and beauty trees provide.”

The Arbor Day Foundation has helped campuses throughout the country plant thousands of trees, and Tree Campus Higher Education colleges and universities invested more than $51 million in campus forest management last year. This work directly supports the Arbor Day Foundation’s Time for Trees initiative — an unprecedented effort to plant 100 million trees in forests and communities and inspire 5 million tree planters by 2022. Last year, Tree Campus Higher Education schools collectively planted 39,178 trees and engaged 81,535 tree planters — helping us work toward these critical goals.

More details regarding the college’s tree planting ceremony will be released closer to the event.

According to a media release from the BPU,  the program is designed to facilitate innovation focusing on climate technology company formation, enhance regional workforce development, create jobs in the growing clean energy sector, and strengthen connections among manufacturers across the Western Southern Tier counties of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany.

The funding was awarded under NYSERDA’s “Accelerate the Southern Tier” program opportunity, which seeks to boost the formation and growth of early-stage innovation in the Southern Tier to help New York State advance its climate and clean energy goals and continues development of the region to help foster growth of climate technology businesses.

“We are very pleased that New York State leadership recognizes that significant investment in climate technology manufacturing will benefit existing Jamestown-area companies as well as to help attract new companies to the region,” says BPU General Manager David Leathers. “This BPU-led program supports our western New York legacy as a manufacturing powerhouse in the State and speaks to our potential as a climate technology manufacturing resource for decades to come.”

The Manufacturing Clean Energy in the Southern Tier project will encompass four initiatives:

• Climate Technology Studies designed to evaluate the regional and individual manufacturer’s potential to enter the climate technology manufacturing market in the Western Southern Tier.
• Climate Technology Workforce Development which will augment training and educational programming at Jamestown Community College.
• Climate Technology Manufacturing Conference and Tradeshow held in Jamestown and designed to attract manufacturing interests from across the country.
• Climate Technology Marketing Campaign promoting the Western Southern Tier’s status as a climate technology manufacturing hub for the expanding domestic supply chain.

“Climate technology businesses provide a bright future for innovative manufacturers and, in the Western Southern Tier, we’re poised to capitalize on that future,” adds Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist. “The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities stands as one of the most important economic development assets in our region. With our partners, this award will help us identify our shared potential to augment climate technology manufacturing, promote the region as a climate technology ‘hub’ and contribute locally to a 21st Century workforce.”

“Jamestown and Chautauqua County businesses can only benefit from a program designed to augment our successful local companies and attract new partners, new ideas and new investment,” states Todd Tranum, Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer. “Doing so now, at a time of critical need for our region, exemplifies our relentless determination to build a better future.”

“The Gebbie Foundation looks forward to being a part of bringing a Climate Technology Conference and Tradeshow to the Jamestown area as soon as it is safe and prudent to do so,” says Greg Edwards, Chief Executive Officer at the Gebbie Foundation. “In keeping with the Foundation’s strategic focus of revitalizing downtown Jamestown, we invest in community and economic development projects such as this, that draw further investment from public and private partners. By becoming known as an ideal conference and convention location, we can attract people to our region to experience all the area has to offer.”

This effort complements New York State’s national-leading climate and clean energy goals as outlined in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act to lower greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050. The Accelerate Southern Tier Awards complements other State innovation and economic development initiatives such as the 76West Clean Energy Business Competition and Southern Tier Soaring.

76West recently awarded $2.5 million to four companies, to expand operations in the region, and previous competition finalists and semifinalists have successfully integrated themselves, raising $51 million in private capital, making multimillion-dollar investments in property and equipment in the region while spending more than $1.7 million on key suppliers.

Workforce training through Jamestown Community College (JCC) will increase the number of available skilled workers with knowledge of clean energy-specific technologies.

“Jamestown Community College is pleased to be part of the Manufacturing the Climate Technology Future in the Southern Tier consortium in partnership with the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities, which calls for a four-pronged initiative designed to facilitate climate technology company formation, growth, recruitment, and job creation across the Western Southern Tier counties,” says JCC President Daniel DeMarte.

“JCC’s specific role in this initiative,” continues DeMarte, “is to develop a Climate Technology program comprised of fundamental courses in residential and commercial electricity as well as more advanced offerings in Building Automation Systems focusing on the installation, repair, and maintenance of computer-based systems designed to control a building’s mechanical and electrical equipment including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and energy management systems. Courses will be available beginning fall 2021.”

Students in JCC’s program can also benefit from scholarship support from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation (CRCF).

“The CRCF is proud of its heritage administering over 300 scholarship funds to local students,” explains the Foundation’s Executive Director, Tory Irgang. “This partnership will offer our local students access to unique training and education for good paying jobs in this growing sector of our economy.”

The intended impact from the program will extend beyond Jamestown’s borders across Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties.
“With more Americans working in climate technology-related industries than ever before, job growth in this sector continues to exceed expectations,” notes Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and CEO of the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA). “The CCIDA and our counterparts in the Western Southern Tier—a region with more than 330 manufacturers responsible for more than $7.5 billion dollars of commerce—see tremendous value in making smart investments in climate technology manufacturing.”

Boosting manufacturers across the three counties is a significant goal of the program. Through individual manufacturing studies evaluating value-added investments in climate technology to a conference and tradeshow event meant to connect local firms with national investors and potential partners, new ideas and new jobs are on the agenda.

“Emerging climate technologies and the long-term trend toward sustainable climate technology solutions presents myriad opportunities for manufacturers across the Western Southern Tier,” says Tim Piazza, talent pipeline and apprenticeship coordinator at the Manufacturing Association of the Southern Tier (MAST). “From individual studies analyzing a manufacturer’s potential to efficiently enter the climate technology supply chain, to conferences and shared marketing designed to draw attention to the region, the program’s benefits are substantial.”

“I’m so proud of the JBPU and City of Jamestown team members who led the successful application process, along with a long list of local and regional community partners,” says Leathers. “This grant award outcome is recognition of a tremendous example of preparedness, teamwork and collaboration.”

Supporters of the proposal include: the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth, Chautauqua County Visitors’ Bureau, Chautauqua County Education Coalition, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the City of Jamestown Department of Development, the Gebbie Foundation, Jamestown Community College, Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, the Manufacturer’s Association of the Southern Tier, and the Small Business Development Center.