SYRACUSE — Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications will benefit from a $75 million donation, representing “the largest gift in the university’s 150-year history.”

The Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation on Jan. 13 announced its plan to make the donation.

Donald Newhouse, who graduated from Syracuse in 1951, made the announcement at an event at the Newhouse School on the Syracuse campus.

The gift, which would be “one of the largest ever to any communications school,” will support multiple academic initiatives, under the leadership of the school’s next dean. 

It expands the visions of the school’s two most recent leaders, Syracuse said. David Rubin, who retired in 2008 after 18 years as dean, and Lorraine Branham, who died of cancer last year after nearly 11 years as dean. A national search for the next dean is underway, with the goal of having a new leader in place by July 1 of this year, the start of the new fiscal year.

“I have great confidence that the search committee will find an outstanding successor to David and Lorraine,” Newhouse said. “In this era in which public communications is undergoing continual and radical change, my family and I expect to continue our long-term commitment to ensure that the school my Dad helped found almost 60 years ago remains the leading communications school in the world for another generation.”

Donald Newhouse is an honorary trustee of Syracuse University. His son, Michael, is a voting trustee. 

The Newhouse School is named for Donald Newhouse’s late father, Samuel I. Newhouse, who founded Advance Publications in 1922. His initial gift of $15 million in 1962 — the largest gift in University history at that time — supported the construction of the first of the school’s three buildings, Newhouse 1, which was dedicated in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The second building, Newhouse 2, was dedicated in 1974 by William Paley, chairman of the board of CBS. 

With support from the Newhouse Foundation, the third building, Newhouse 3, was dedicated in 2007 by Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts.

Donald Newhouse and his late brother, S.I. Newhouse Jr., were present at all three dedication ceremonies, Syracuse said. 

ONONDAGA — Upstate Community Hospital has started using a portion of a 24-bed unit following a $2.8 million renovation project.

The hospital announced plans to hire an additional 60 people to staff the unit when it’s fully operational later this year. The hospital is recruiting, hiring, and training staff for the new unit. 

“The process is ongoing … We still have about 40 more people to hire [as of Jan. 13],” says JoAnn Featherstone, associate director of nursing at Upstate Community Hospital. 

Gradual opening

The new space opened with a few beds made available on Jan. 9. 

“Given the community need for inpatient beds to support our area, there’s an ongoing increase in patients that are being admitted. This addition of beds is to support that community need,” says Featherstone, who spoke with CNYBJ on Jan. 13. 

The 24 new beds are for patients who have had surgery at Upstate or need to be admitted to the hospital. As more staff come on board, additional beds will be opened. Six beds will open in the first stage.

“It’s going to be a rolling open. As our staffing increases, our bed capacity will increase,” says Featherstone. 

The unit should be fully operational later in the year, she notes. 

Renovations to the western wing of the fourth floor (4 West) of Upstate Community Hospital started last summer. The project cost totaled $2.8 million, which included $200,000 for design, $1.6 million for construction, and $1 million for new equipment. 

Upstate’s in-house construction team handled the work.

The renovation of 4 West included all new paint, lighting, cabinetry, beds and furnishings. Patient bathrooms were renovated and spaces for staff were freshened. Upstate Community Hospital began planning the project in August 2017.

“It was more of a makeover,” Featherstone says.

That section of the fourth floor was originally designed for patient rooms but had been converted into office space when it was still operating as Community General Hospital. The rooms remained offices after SUNY Upstate Medical University acquired Community General in 2011. About 45 Upstate staff working in those spaces were moved to other locations throughout the building to accommodate the renovations.

AUBURN — Women’s Health Specialists of Auburn is now operating under the St. Joseph’s Health brand.

The Syracuse–based St. Joseph’s Health tells CNYBJ that Dr. Eileen Murphy, who operated the practice, has joined St. Joseph’s Health women’s health services.

Murphy is an Auburn physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. She will continue to serve patients in Auburn, and St. Joseph’s Health views the hire as an expansion into the Auburn market.

Murphy has a physician assistant working with her, so the practice has two providers. The office also includes a practice manager, two front-office receptionists, two registered nurses, and one licensed practical nurse, St. Joseph’s Health adds in an email.

Murphy is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and obesity medicine specialist with more than 30 years of experience in women’s health. She specializes in gynecologic services that include menopause and osteoporosis management as well as female urology services. 

Murphy also has expertise in weight-loss services, including nutritional and wellness counseling.

St. Joseph’s Health women’s health services involves “all the services a woman may need throughout her life [in] one all-inclusive system.” Health services such as breast care, obstetrics, gynecology and neonatal care are available, St. Joseph’s Health said.