Faculty Council of Community Colleges and SUNY Stony Brook’s Center For Italian Studies Honor LaValle

Recognizing individuals who have made major contributions to higher education in general and community colleges in particular, The State University of New York (SUNY) Faculty Council of Community Colleges has awarded New York State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle, chairman of the Senate’s Higher Education Committee,  its 2011 Distinguished Service Award.  The award was presented at the SUNY Faculty Council of Community Colleges’ Spring  Plenary.

The faculty council is a SUNY-wide faculty governance organization for all community college faculty within the SUNY system.

Previous award winners include college presidents, trustees of local colleges, SUNY Vice Chancellors, and those who have dedicated their lives for the betterment of students’ lives and faculty within SUNY and beyond.

          The award presented to LaValle on March 25 reads:

Be it resolved that the Faculty Council of  Community Colleges on this day, March 15, 2011, bestows its 2011 Distinguished Service Award on Senator Kenneth P. LaValle for his insight, courage and enlightened leadership on all issues in higher education.

Through his work, he has energetically guarded and helped to raise all of SUNY's colleges and universities to their preeminent position of academic excellence, benefitting all of New York State's citizens.

The SUNY Stony Brook Center for Italian Studies honored Senator LaValle on March 29 at the organization’s 25^th anniversary gala. LaValle, who sent a prerecorded  thank you message (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOcSM6MISmI) because of ongoing budget negotiations in Albany, was recognized for his unwavering commitment and support of SUNY Stony Brook and the creation of the Center for Italian Studies.              

The Stony Brook University Center of Italian Studies has a multifaceted mission:

·   to stimulate interdisciplinary research by the local academic community on issues that encourage a better understanding of Italy and of Italian Americans;

·   second, to become a national and international focus for Italian and Italian American affairs,

·   to promote a better understanding of Italy and of Italian Americans by bringing the latest scholarly findings on Italy and Italian Americans to the general public as well as by organizing cultural activities of general interest.