VIEWPOINT: ED Delays Financial-Value Transparency and Gainful-Employment Reporting

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The U.S. Department of Education (ED) recently announced a revised deadline for submitting required data under the Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) rules. The new deadline for institutions to report and review Completers Lists has been extended to Jan. 15, 2025 — moving from the previous deadline of Oct. 1, 2024. This change […]

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This change follows ongoing Title IV challenges faced by colleges and universities, including delays and issues related to the rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Many institutions and groups like the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators expressed concerns that meeting the initial deadline would be difficult amidst these ongoing complications. Additionally, a group of 20 senators recently requested a further extension to July 2025, reflecting widespread concern over the ability to comply with the current timeline.

ED acknowledged these challenges and noted that the extended deadline will allow colleges and universities to prioritize critical FAFSA-related activities while still ensuring compliance with FVT/GE reporting requirements. ED also said that it is addressing issues identified in the Completers Lists, with updates expected soon.

While the Department of Education has granted more time, it is also planning to offer an opt-in opportunity for those (likely few) institutions that wish to submit their data earlier.

Colleges and universities are advised to actively follow further guidance from the department to ensure that they meet the new Jan. 15, 2025 deadline. Bond also will continue to offer updates and information to support clients’ effective and compliant implementation of the regulations.

Seth F. Gilbertson is a member (partner) in the Buffalo office of Syracuse–based Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC. He brings direct experience in labor and employment, student affairs, investigations, and regulatory compliance matters to his clients, with an emphasis on educational institutions and nonprofits. Contact him at sgilbertson@bsk.com. This article is drawn and edited from the law firm’s Higher Education Law Report blog on its website.

Broome County receives perfect fiscal score from comptroller

Law, Accounting & Taxes, Southern Tier, Subscriber Only

BINGHAMTON — Broome County recently received a perfect fiscal score, according to the Fiscal Stress Monitoring Report released by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office. “I’m extremely proud of the work we’ve done that has earned us a perfect fiscal score,” Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said in a county news release announcing the

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Mackenzie Hughes law firm names partner in Litigation Department

Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Mackenzie Hughes LLP recently added attorney Nicole Marlow-Jones as a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department. She brings decades of litigation experience to the firm, having practiced for 25-plus years in the Syracuse area. Marlow-Jones concentrates her practice in litigation, including appellate practice, commercial, employment, and general civil litigation in the state and

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Ask Rusty: Will My Wife’s Survivor Benefit Dip After Taking SS Early?

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only

Dear Rusty: I claimed Social Security (SS) at age 70. My wife claimed her own SS at 62, and her earnings were significantly lower than mine. I understand my wife will be eligible to claim my benefit if I pass before she does, but will Social Security reduce that benefit because she didn’t wait until

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Dear Rusty: I claimed Social Security (SS) at age 70. My wife claimed her own SS at 62, and her earnings were significantly lower than mine. I understand my wife will be eligible to claim my benefit if I pass before she does, but will Social Security reduce that benefit because she didn’t wait until age 65 to claim hers?

Signed: Concerned Husband

Dear Concerned: Your wife’s benefit as your surviving spouse will be based on two things: her age when she claims her survivor benefit; the amount you were receiving at your death.

If she has reached her own full retirement age (FRA) when she claims her surviving spouse benefit, she will get 100 percent of the amount you were receiving when you died (instead of her own smaller SS retirement amount). However, if your wife claims her survivor benefit at any time before her FRA, it will be reduced for claiming the survivor benefit early.

Thus, when your wife claimed her own Social Security retirement benefit (in her case, age 62) doesn’t matter and doesn’t affect her potential surviving-spouse benefit — what matters is her age when she claims her survivor benefit. If she claims before reaching her own FRA, her survivor benefit will be reduced according to the number of months before her FRA that the survivor benefit is claimed. That reduction would be about 4.75 percent for each year earlier than her FRA she claims it. But if she claims her surviving-spouse benefit at or after she reaches her full retirement age, she will get the amount you were receiving at your death, instead of her own smaller age 62 Social Security retirement benefit amount. FYI, your wife’s full retirement age is somewhere between 66 and 67, depending on the year she was born (born in 1960 or later, her FRA is age 67).

And, just for clarity, your wife’s payment as your surviving spouse will consist of her own SS retirement benefit, plus an auxiliary amount to bring her monthly payment up to what she is entitled to as your surviving spouse.

Russell Gloor is a national Social Security advisor at the AMAC Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). The 2.4-million-member AMAC says it is a senior advocacy organization. Send your questions to: ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

Author’s note: This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained, and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). The NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity.

Dannible & McKee names managers, directors

Law, Accounting & Taxes, Insurance & Financial Services, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Dannible & McKee, LLP, a certified public accounting and consulting firm, recently announced the promotion of the following professional staff members, who all work from its Syracuse office. Christine N. Petrone has been promoted to accounting & advisory services director. She joined the firm in 2016 and is responsible for overseeing multiple client

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Christine N. Petrone has been promoted to accounting & advisory services director. She joined the firm in 2016 and is responsible for overseeing multiple client accounts and managing staff in the department. Her services include maintaining the general ledger, preparing budgets, and accrual-basis financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and maintaining accounting controls by preparing and recommending policies and procedures. Petrone is also a certified public bookkeeper and a QuickBooks ProAdvisor. She graduated from Cazenovia College in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in business management and holds a certificate in management and supervision.

John Archambeault was named audit manager. He joined Dannible & McKee in 2020 as a full-time employee after working as an intern the year before. Archambeault plans and manages multiple engagement teams through the completion of audits, reviews, compilations, and other attest services. He received his associate degree in business administration from Onondaga Community College in 2018 and earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2019 and an MBA degree in accounting in 2020 from SUNY Oswego. Archambeault is a certified public accountant in New York and a member of NYSSCPA.

Joshua T. Jasewicz has been promoted to tax manager. He joined Dannible’s tax department in 2019 after interning for two years. Jasewicz has experience in providing income-tax planning and compliance services to clients in the architectural, engineering, professional services, retail, and manufacturing industries. In his role, he provides individual, partnership, and corporate tax planning and compliance services, multi-state income-tax compliance services, and federal and state income-tax credit utilization studies. Jasewicz earned his MBA degree with a concentration in accounting in 2019 and a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2017 from SUNY Oswego. He is a certified public accountant in New York and a certified valuation analyst with the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts.

Jill M. Charsky was elevated to marketing supervisor. She joined the firm’s marketing department in 2021 and is responsible for email, newsletter, and automated marketing, and manages the firm’s customer relationship management (CRM) system. Charsky is also responsible for managing Dannible & McKee’s industry conferences, community and networking events, niche committees within the firm, and maintaining relationships with industry-related associations. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from SUNY Brockport. Charsky serves as a CenterState CEO chamber ambassador, is an executive committee member of the Central New York Community Foundation Women’s Fund Leadership Council, a committee member of Eye Got This, and a member of Central New York Sales and Marketing Executives.

Nathan Apker has been promoted to audit senior accountant. He joined Dannible & McKee full time in 2021 after working as an intern in the audit department for two years. Apker graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in accounting and finance from St. Bonaventure University in 2020, as well as his MBA degree in professional accountancy in 2021. Apker is responsible for performing audits, reviews, and compilation services, and the proofing of client financial statements/reports in preparation for issuance.

Luke Bennett was elevated to tax senior accountant. He joined Dannible & McKee full-time in 2022 after working as an intern in the tax department for two years. Bennett is responsible for personal and corporate income-tax preparation, tax planning, and tax closings. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University at Albany and an MBA in public accounting from SUNY Oswego. Bennett is a certified public accountant in New York.

Zachary Firestone has been promoted to tax senior accountant. He joined Dannible & McKee in 2023 as a tax staff accountant after completing a brief internship with the department. Firestone is responsible for personal and corporate income-tax preparation, tax planning, and tax closings. He earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Arizona State University in the same year. Firestone is a certified public accountant in New York.

Joseph Morgan was elevated to tax senior accountant. He joined the firm full-time in 2022 after working as an intern in the tax department for two years. Morgan is responsible for personal and corporate income-tax preparation, tax planning, and tax closings. He specializes in manufacturing, automotive, real-estate professionals, and professional-services industries. Morgan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and his MBA degree in business analytics from Le Moyne College.

Zachary O’Neill has been promoted to audit senior accountant. He joined Dannible & McKee full-time in 2021 and is responsible for performing audits, reviews and compilation services, and proofing client financial statements/reports in preparation for issuance. O’Neill graduated with his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Community Memorial gets Joint Commission accreditation renewed

Health Care, Mohawk Valley

HAMILTON, N.Y. — Community Memorial Hospital has received a renewal of its accreditation from The Joint Commission, demonstrating continuous compliance with performance standards. The Gold

OPINION: Voters say economy, immigration remain the top election issues

Opinion, Subscriber Only

A recent Emerson poll of likely voters from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 once again showed that the top issue in the 2024 election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is the economy (jobs, inflation, taxes) at 41 percent — followed by immigration at 17 percent. And Trump still holds substantial

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And Trump still holds substantial leads over Harris on both issues.

On those saying the economy is the most-important election matter, Trump’s lead was 62.5 percent to 35.2 percent. Among those saying immigration, Trump’s advantage was 84.1 percent to 15.8 percent. The most-important issues remained consistent from September, when Emerson showed 43 percent saying the economy (including inflation) and 15 percent naming immigration.

The other top issues were threats to democracy at 11 percent, abortion access at 7 percent, health care at 6 percent, and housing affordability at 5 percent, with Harris holding substantial leads on all of those issues.

Among democracy voters, Harris led 92.1 percent to 7.9 percent in the Emerson poll. Among abortion voters, Harris had an advantage of 90.2 percent to 8.3 percent. Among health-care voters, Harris led 72.9 percent to 23.7 percent. And on housing affordability, Harris had a big edge of 81.8 percent to 18.2 percent.

On that basis, with voters evenly divided among their issues groups, Harris held a narrow 2 1/2-point lead for the national popular vote, 49.6 percent to 48.2 percent — with 1.2 percent saying someone else and 1 percent indicating they were undecided.

That could still be bad news for Harris, given the recent history of Democrats winning pluralities of the popular vote but not majorities, and ultimately losing narrowly in the Electoral College, as Al Gore and Hillary Clinton did in 2000 and 2016, respectively.

Suffice to say, if the election boils down to the economy and immigration, it could be a very good day for Trump in November.

On the other hand, given the pluralities on the issues of importance — with no clear majority saying any particular issue — and their stability month to month in the Emerson poll and other polls, the race looks very close. And there is little margin for change given only 1 percent say they are undecided. With under a month to go, all eyes will be looking toward get-out-the-vote operations in the critical battleground states. Stay tuned.

Robert Romano is the VP of public policy at Americans for Limited Government, a conservative 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that says it is dedicated to restoring constitutionally limited government, allowing individuals to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.

OPINION: We Need a Civil Service That Can Do Its Best Work

Opinion, Subscriber Only

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Unlikely as it seems, U.S. government bureaucrats have been having a bit of a boomlet. For the last 23 years, the Partnership for Public Service has run an annual award, known as the “Sammies,” for civil servants who, in their words, “have helped our government innovate, save lives and deliver critical services to the public.” The awards have mostly flown far under the radar, but not this year; recently, they were featured in a New Yorker article by Casey Cep, who calls them, tongue firmly in cheek, “the Oscars for the deep state.”

At roughly the same time, The Washington Post has launched an extraordinary series of articles focusing on individual bureaucrats and agencies. It’s overseen by best-selling writer Michael Lewis, whose 2018 book, “The Fifth Risk,” highlighted the crucial and terribly underappreciated work done by federal civil servants. Lewis contributed the first article in the Post series, about Chris Mark, who works in the Pittsburgh office of the Mine Safety and Health Administration and, more than anyone, is responsible for a steep decline in coal miners’ deaths from roof collapses. The series is also looking at the VA, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, the IRS, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and more.

I don’t think there’s a huge mystery about why this is happening now. At the moment, the civil service also figures in a heated presidential campaign in which one of the candidates — Donald Trump — stands foursquare behind, essentially, demolishing it by removing current protections for civil servants so that political appointees and people committed to his goals can replace them. At a Texas rally last year, he told his audience, “Either the Deep State destroys America or we destroy the Deep State.”

As it happens, those awards I mentioned above, the Sammies — officially, they’re called the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals — were handed out on Sept. 11. So, let’s take a look at how members of the Deep State are “destroying” America.

The employees of the year, for instance, are Labor Department employees who discovered and investigated child-labor violations at meatpacking plants in eight states, where 102 children ages 13 to 17 were working illegally. An award went to Amira Boland, who used to work at the Office of Management and Budget, who over several years found ways to ease the Medicare-enrollment process, created a program for online passport renewal that has just gone into effect, and simplified disaster-assistance applications. Another award went to two USDA employees whose work “revolutionized bee disease diagnosis and treatment,” making it possible to develop medicines aimed at improving bee health and preventing colony collapse — vital to American farmers across a broad swath of the country.

Over the course of my life, I have spent a lot of time talking to federal bureaucrats. And yes, there are duds, as there are in pretty much any private-sector business. But the vast majority of civil servants I have encountered over the years are dedicated to making America better and stronger, using every tool at their disposal — and sometimes inventing them when they don’t exist — to improve life for ordinary Americans, regardless of where they live, what they look like, or what they believe.

They don’t talk about this much — and certainly not to the people in the press who could help Americans understand better what they actually do. “People who work in the government know you can get into a lot of trouble talking to a reporter,” the longtime journalist Timothy Noah wrote recently. “Civil servants are supposed to be invisible.”

That’s too bad. Because as Noah also points out, “Government is a tool that can be used for good or ill — depending to a great degree, yes, on who is president but depending also on the invisible people who work well below, most of them (in my experience) are smarter and more public-spirited than you’ll find most other places.” As the Sammies make clear, many of the people who serve us have the knowledge and skill to do extraordinary work. They need our support — and the backing of the people we elect — to do it.

Lee Hamilton, 93, is a senior advisor for the Indiana University (IU) Center on Representative Government, distinguished scholar at the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, and professor of practice at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Hamilton, a Democrat, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years (1965-1999), representing a district in south-central Indiana.

VIEWPOINT: Taking an AI approach to digital marketing

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only, Technology

The rise of AI-generated copywriting and video scripts has been rapid and, in some corners, difficult to keep up with. Marketers who are not yet familiar with generative AI and large language models are already falling behind their peers. Harnessing these tools can make the creative process for marketers more efficient and, in many cases,

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Less than a replacement for human talent, AI can assist digital-marketing efforts in a variety of situations. Consider small businesses who might not have the ability to hire a marketing agency, relying instead on an internal team of one or two people trying to repurpose more marketing copy than they could ever hope to read. Outsourcing the first draft to a generative AI script can be a massive time-saver. Even large teams might not have the manpower to scour the internet to research a topic on short notice, optimize a video script for search, or capture the most relevant keywords for a campaign.

Here’s an in-depth look at these and other uses of AI that can be applied in marketing today.

Performing research online

The perfect email blast template for one client might be great for another — were it not for state- or country-specific regulations around their industry that dictate what language you can and can’t use in marketing copy. Need help generating copy that can comply with those regulations? An AI script can digest large amounts of legal information and turn around a first draft that won’t run afoul of the law.

This is just one example of how AI can be used to perform research online. That draft will need editing, but the first step in the research process is a real time-saver compared to reading websites or books, and calling subject-matter experts who may or may not have the expertise you’re seeking.

Generating recommended copy

When typing a text message on an iPhone, it’s common to see word prompts that help complete your sentence. That’s because the phone has been trained to “learn” your linguistic habits — names, places, things you refer to often enough that they regularly come up in your own texts.

The same principle can be applied to generate recommendations for completing all sorts of marketing copy — a text blast, a newsletter, or a video script — depending on what words the AI script has been trained to “learn.” You can even train a script to digest your own brand voice as it exists online, eliminating some of the ethical qualms that copywriters might have about borrowing verbiage from another campaign.

Transcribing

AI tools can be used to transcribe short videos and audio files into text, a massive time-saver for anyone who’s spent time transcribing the words they need to complete a task. Those transcriptions then can become part of the written record you “learn from” when generating a first draft, broadening the range of possible source inputs for your next project.

Want to hop on the phone with someone to brainstorm ideas for a newsletter? Consider using an app to transcribe the recording of your call, then using an AI script to generate newsletter ideas from your conversation while you brew a pot of coffee.

Video-script ideas

Video scripts come in all shapes and sizes. Consider the kinds of scripts that translate well to various social-media platforms — TikTok, Instagram, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, et.al. There isn’t always a lot of overlap between those mediums. AI can be trained to learn the best practices for each platform and generate a 30-second script, for example, based on what’s already being shared far and wide on each platform.

For inexperienced video-script writers struggling with their first draft, or marketing professionals simply looking to expand a client’s reach into new platforms, this can be a timesaving first step in that process.

SEO-friendly copy

Leveraging Google Trends to learn what people are searching for in connection to a marketing campaign is a user-friendly process. It still requires knowing what trend words to search for, however, and that won’t always get the best keywords into your final copy.

Using ChatGPT, for example, to formulate copy around the most popular keywords that boost SEO is a useful shortcut. The first draft might not be in your brand’s voice, but that’s the point — it’s suggesting essential words you might never have thought to use in the first place.

AI can be a strong tool to maximize the marketing content you have already created, and to bring in other sources of information as needed to inform new campaigns. Remember: it’s your content, your brand, your brand voice. Think of AI not as a replacement for your human resources, but like a super-helpful intern who can do some of the work for you. AI can take the best-practice copy that you know to be doing well based on data and use it to help you repurpose it in other formats and other ways.

Andrea Ness is media strategy and oversight director at the marketing agency, ddm marketing + communications. She provides leadership and oversight to ddm’s media team.

Past Genius NY winner, Oswego County company collaborate on drone manufacturing

Technology, Construction, Design & Real Estate, Manufacturing & Engineering, New York News, Small Business, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

SCHROEPPEL, N.Y. — Blueflite, a provider of advanced drone-logistics products, has announced a strategic partnership with Think Variant, a firm described as a “high-precision manufacturing specialist,” to scale up production of its drones. Think Variant is based in southern Oswego County. Blueflite was the 2023 winner of the Genius NY competition at the Tech Garden

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Think Variant is based in southern Oswego County. Blueflite was the 2023 winner of the Genius NY competition at the Tech Garden in downtown Syracuse.

The collaboration leverages Think Variant’s additive manufacturing techniques to “meet the growing demand” for high-performance drones in both the commercial and defense sectors, CenterState CEO said in announcing the collaboration.

Production will begin this month at Think Variant’s facility in the town of Schroeppel “further cementing the region’s role as a center of excellence” for high-tech manufacturing.

“By leveraging Think Variant’s expertise in additive manufacturing and mass production, blueflite will meet the industry’s growing need for efficient, high-quality drone manufacturing that satisfies strict aerospace standards,” Frank Noppel, CEO of blueflite said in the CenterState CEO announcement. “Our collaboration aims to bring cutting-edge technology to the growing drone space that showcases the talent and capability found in New York state.”

Blueflite is known for its drone platform designed specifically for logistics and delivery. Its drones include a patented design capable of vertical take-off and landing, long-range flights, and carrying payloads “ideal” for industries ranging from medical-supply deliveries to e-commerce and defense applications, per the CenterState CEO announcement.

“Central New York is fast becoming a major hub for drone technology and advanced manufacturing,” Kara Jones, director of Genius NY, said in the announcement. “The collaboration between blueflite and Think Variant demonstrates the synergy between local innovation and global potential, and this is exactly the kind of partnership our program aims to foster.”

“This partnership allows us to apply our expertise in high-precision manufacturing to an exciting and rapidly growing industry,” Scott Antonacci, CEO of Think Variant, said in the release. “The demand for scalable, high-performance drones is skyrocketing, and Central New York is at the forefront of meeting that challenge.”

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Performing research online

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