|
History, Mission, and Goals
Rice Creek Associates (RCA) is a support group that was formed in 1986 for the purpose of furthering the goals of Rice Creek Field Station. It is the intent of RCA to expand the scientific, educational, and recreational opportunities at the station through community involvement. Over the years RCA has continued to increase its membership making it possible to fund improvement projects which benefit the station and the community at large.
Membership:
Membership in Rice Creek Associates is granted to all who make monetary donations to the Field Station. Memberships are renewed annually (except for life memberships). The current membership levels are:
|
Student
|
-- |
$ 5.00
|
|
Individual
|
-- |
$10.00
|
|
Couple/Family
|
-- |
$15.00
|
|
Contributing
|
-- |
$25.00
|
|
Sustaining
|
-- |
$50.00
|
|
Lifetime
|
-- |
$250.00
|
|
Corporate
|
-- |
$500.00
|
Membership donations and other unspecified contributions go into the Rice Creek Associates account without restrictions as to the time and purpose of their use. These funds support the normal operation of the association providing for duplication and mailing of the newsletter, mailing of membership correspondence, purchase of stationary and other incidentals. They form the basis for the initiation of new programs such as the small grants in support of research at Rice Creek. They help defray the cost of special projects such as refurbishing and updating displays at the Field Station. With support from this source, Field Station personnel may travel to other field stations or RCA may bring specialists to Rice Creek for consultation on matters of program, funding, and development. When necessary, RCA funds may be used to supplement the funds supplied by the College for purchase of supplies and equipment. Use of these funds is at the discretion of the Field Station Director subject to approval by the RCA Board of Directors.
Contributions designated for support of special purposes and projects are also welcome, as are contributions to the Rice Creek Endowment. The recently established endowment fund will be allowed to accumulate until income from the fund is sufficient to support the addition of new staff to the Field Station.
The general membership meets annually at the fall banquet, an occasion for reports of activities at the Field Station over the previous year. Meetings of the Board of Directors are open to the membership.
The operational policies of Rice Creek Associates are managed by its Board of Directors. Directors are elected from the general membership and serve three-year terms. Members of the current Board are:
- Linda Costello
- Elisa Davis, Treasurer
- Lucina Hernandez, (Ex Officio)
- Michael Holy, President
- Joe LeFevre
- Helen Milam
- Maria Nakamura
- Peter Rosenbaum, Vice President
- Daniel Tryon
Board meetings are scheduled monthly at Rice Creek. Members are welcome to attend.
RCA Projects
Ruth Sachidanandan Herb Garden
The herb garden at Rice Creek Field Station was the inspiration of RCA member Ruth Sachidanandan, who chaired the original herb garden committee. Other members of the original group included Norman Gillette, Muriel Harrison, and Joyce Rice. The garden was planned by the RCA committee and construction was begun in 1987 by members of the Oswego County Conservation Corps. After Ruth Sachidanandan's untimely passing in 1990, Rice Creek Associates decided to honor her by naming the garden the Ruth Sachidanandan Herb Garden.
A guide to the herb garden was published as Rice Creek Field Station Special Publication No. 6, edited by Ruth Sachidanandan, in 1990. The current edition, revised by Andrew Nelson, was issued in June 2007.
RCA Newsletter (Maria Nakamura, Volunteer Editor):
The Rice Creek Associates Newsletter is distributed to the membership twice a year. It contains news of events at Rice Creek and articles of interest to the membership. Contributors include Field Station staff, RCA members, and others as appropriate. Your input is welcome, and can be addressed to the editor, Maria Nakamura.
Grants in Support of Research at Rice Creek Field Station
In 1996, Rice Creek Associates initiated a program of small grants in support of research at Rice Creek Field Station. Since 1996, funds allocated by RCA for this project were matched by the SUNY Oswego Division of Extended Learning. The SUNY Oswego Office of Research and Sponsored Programs joined RCA and the Division of Extended Learning in support of the grant program in 1997. Three grants were awarded for 2009. The projects supported are:
- Evolutionary Mechanism via Invasion and Hybridization in Conspecific Typha (cattail) at Rice Creek Field Station. Hyi-Gyung Clara Kim, Biological Sciences, SUNY Oswego and Kamal Mohamed, Biological Sciences, SUNY Oswego.
- Interactions Among Lythrum salicaria, Native Bird Species and Bio-Control Beetles. Kristi Wilkinson, student Biological Sciences, SUNY Oswego; associated with Eric Hellquist, Biological Sciences, SUNY Oswego and Karen Sime, Biological Sciences, SUNY Oswego.
- Characterization of Glacial Deposit and Soil Types at Rice Creek Field Station: A Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration on Geospatial Collections, Synthesis, and Exhibits. David Valentino, Earth Science, SUNY Oswego with Paul Bartow, Cross-Disciplinary Artist and Richard Metzgar, Art, SUNY Oswego.
For details of this program, see the year 2009 Call for Proposals. Deadline for 2010 proposals will be March 15, 2010. Revised Call for Proposal will be posted in 2010.
Rice Creek Field Station Development
The RCA Board of Directors has committed time and resources to the task of planning for future development at Rice Creek Field Station. In 1996 a committee consisting of Board President Larry Maher, Vice President Peter Rosenbaum, past Treasurer Patricia O'Neil, and then Field Station Director Andy Nelson, issued A Plan For Growth. This was followed by a space utilization study in 1997 and an architect's conceptual plan for building expansion in 1998. Beginning in 2009, plans for growth are moving forward along with the Biological Department renovations.
Calendar of Events
2009 Calendar of Meetings and Events**
Jan. 21 Wed., 4:00 PM - Board Meeting
Feb. 25 Wed., 4:00 PM - Board Meeting
Mar. 18 Wed., 4:00 PM - Board Meeting
May 20 Wed., 4:00 PM - Board Meeting
June 17 Wed., 4:00 PM - Board Meeting
July 22 Wed., 4:00 PM - Board Meeting
Sept. 23 Wed., 4:00 PM - Board Meeting
Oct. 21 Wed., 4:00 PM - Board Meeting
Nov. 6 Fri., 6:00 PM - Annual Banquet
Dec. 16 Wed., 4:00 PM - Board Meeting
|
