President Sullivan to Alfred State employees: 'We Are Family'

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“Yes we may have our disagreements, like brothers and sisters do,” he said, “but we stick up for Alfred State and we stick up for one another at the end of the day.”

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Borrowing the message from Sister Sledge’s hit song of 1979, Alfred State College President Dr. Skip Sullivan reminded faculty and staff Monday during his Opening Remarks speech that “We Are Family.”

During his presentation, Sullivan identified the four core values of the college – respect, integrity, service, and dedication – as the roots of the Alfred State Family.

“What would make Alfred State’s family stronger? Certainly, if we embrace the core values that we just spoke of, that will enhance the Alfred State Family,” he said.

The president also noted that Alfred State employees build support and create a family bond just by working together.

“I contend that as a college, we are stronger together than we are as individuals,” he said.

And while conflicts may arise between employees as they do between siblings, Sullivan said, those employees still have one another’s backs because that is how families behave.

“Yes we may have our disagreements, like brothers and sisters do,” he said, “but we stick up for Alfred State and we stick up for one another at the end of the day.”

Sullivan concluded by urging all employees to be “Alfred State Strong.”

“I want to thank you for your attention today, your service to our college and our students, and I want you to leave with one thought: We’re part of the Alfred State Family, and we need to take care of Alfred State,” he said, just prior to dismissing the crowd as the Sister Sledge song “We Are Family” played in the background.

Additionally, the president also spoke about the college’s 2018 legislative agenda, new initiatives, programs in development, construction and facilities, the college’s budget, achievements, athletics, civic engagement, and more.