Dr. Charles W. Wendell, President of NNI's Board of Trustees (L), and Dr. Ralph Blasting, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts of Siena College, signing the affiliation agreement.

       In March 2006, the New Netherland Institute entered into a collaborative affiliation with Siena College, an independent liberal arts institution located at Loudonville, NY. The college offers the baccalaureate degree through its Schools of Liberal Arts, Business, and Science. All programs are accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

       The New Netherland Institute is an official affiliate entity of Siena College with access to Siena College campus resources, following established campus procedures for scheduling and management. Representatives from the New Netherland Institute and Siena College will meet regularly to develop programming beneficial to both.

       The primary purpose of the affiliation is to integrate the Institute's expertise and activities relating to the early Dutch history of colonial America and the Atlantic World with the College's academic programs and campus environment. The affiliation is especially relevant to Siena College's departments of History, Education, and English, and to the programs in Globalization Studies and Medieval/Early Modern Studies.

On-Campus New Netherland Institute staff member (part-time):

James F. Sefcik (Jim), New Netherland Institute Development Officer
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: 9AM - 4 PM
Telephone at Siena College: 518-783-4251 (with voice mail)
Telephone at New Netherland Institute, CEC: 518-473-7209 (with voice mail)
Cell phone: 504-508-1476
E-mail: jsefcik@mail.nysed.gov; jfssrny@yahoo.com

Objectives of the collaborative affiliation between NNI and Siena College:

• to enhance teaching and awareness of early Dutch history of NY regionally, nationally, and globally, and
• to support ongoing scholarly research in early Dutch colonial history, including language study.

Possible initiatives including NNI’s assistance:

• Development of modules on NYS history to Siena History Education majors
• Development of programs for specialists and/or the general public using Siena facilities
• Locating appropriate personnel for the following purposes:
  • to teach specialized, credit-bearing courses as adjunct faculty at Siena to benefit
    Siena undergraduates and currently employed middle and secondary school teachers
    
  • to provide workshops to middle and secondary school teachers through the Siena Education Department's Professional Development School
    
  • to develop and teach early Dutch language study courses using Siena facilities.
• Occasional NNI conferences and guests lectures at Siena
• Joint support of visiting scholars
• Enhancement of Siena College library’s holdings in early Dutch colonial history

Programming may include:

• Teacher development (through the Education Department)
  
• Scholarly conferences
• Guest lecturers
• Language Classes
• Special courses in the history, architecture, archaeology, and culture of the Dutch and the Atlantic World

Scholarly activities may include:

• Guest scholars in residence at Siena College
• Publication Projects
• Student-faculty-guest scholar collaborative research projects
  
• Conferences and workshops