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Syracuse, N.Y. — An associate professor at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry made a complaint in 2009 that she was being paid less than her male co-workers due to her gender.

The professor, Brenda Nordenstam, said she then faced retaliation from the college. Additional tasks assigned to her meant she couldn’t keep up with the work needed to advance to a full professorship, she said.

Nordenstam eventually sued the college. And after a 12-year journey through the state court system, a jury in Syracuse reached a verdict Friday.

Jurors gave Nordenstam $5,000 in damages for the difference in pay from January 2009 to August 2010. But they also voted to give her $2 million in damages for losses that include mental anguish and loss of reputation.

Nordenstam, 68, told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard Tuesday that reaching a resolution in the case was “unbelievably huge” to her.

“It’s like a huge shadow that’s been in my life for 15 years,” she said. “I felt vindicated and heard for really the first time.”

An ESF spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Originally hired as an assistant professor in the 1990s, Nordenstam was granted tenure in 2000 and promoted to associate professor in the environmental studies department. She said she was a detail-oriented person and enjoyed her work.

Nordenstam’s lawyer, A.J. Bosman, wrote in court papers that she had been paid less than a more junior male colleague, even though she was highly successful in securing grant money and mentoring Ph.D. students.

Nordenstam went on medical leave in 2009 and did not return to work.

Bosman said Nordenstam was “crushed” emotionally by the college. Nordenstam was deeply upset that ESF would not let her come back to work on part time, she said.

“She wanted to become a professor, that was her goal,” Bosman said. “That’s what she worked for all her professional life.”

The case has been pending in the court system for more than a decade.

Nordenstam originally sued the ESF in 2012, but a judge dismissed the case in 2018. An appellate court in Rochester two years later reinstated parts of the case, allowing it to proceed to the trial that concluded last week.

Nordenstam said it had been difficult to stick with the case for so many years, and at times considered giving up. She said she wanted to keep going to advocate for herself and other women who have faced pay discrimination.

“I had a determination, deep down, I wasn’t going to give up,” she said.

Staff writer Jon Moss covers breaking news, crime and public safety. He can be reached at jmoss@syracuse.com or @mossjon7.

Welcome to Queens, Juan Soto!

The New York Mets picked up former Yankees superstar Juan Soto in a $765 million, 15-year contract that has become the largest deal in franchise history, and excited Mets fans can already welcome Soto to Queens with Soto’s brand new New York Mets jersey, which is available to buy right now on Fanatics.

The new Juan Soto Mets jersey is made by Nike, and retails for $174.99. The Limited edition jersey is inspired by on-field gear, and ships 2-4 weeks after Soto’s number is officially confirmed.

Fanatics has the jersey in sizes small to 2XL to suit most fans, and has more sizes available in the replica Soto jersey ($134.99), and also has women’s fits available in both the Limited and Replica jerseys. The officially licensed jerseys feature Nike Dri-FIT ADV technology and a chassis with breathable, high-performance fabric.

Soto’s landmark deal marks a major turning point for the Stephen Cohen-owned Mets franchise. No longer will they be the default “other” New York team, with superstars like Soto and Francisco Lindor, and coming off a memorable 2024 postseason run. The Amazin’s may very well be the team to beat in the 2025 MLB season.

Soto is coming off the best season in his career, where he played 157 games with the Yankees and posted a career high of 156 hits, 128 runs and 41 home runs, with a .288 batting average and a .989 OPS.

One lingering question is whether Soto will keep his No. 22 jersey when he goes to Queens. Currently, that number is worn by Mets third baseman Brett Baty, and if Soto wants to keep it, he’ll have to work out a deal with Baty, and be on the hook to purchase the existing merchandise inventory with Baty’s name and number on it. With a $765 million, Soto could certainly afford to do so, but the other possibility is that New York trades Baty away, and the issue resolves itself.

Looking for more fresh Juan Soto/New York Mets drops? Fanatics is loaded with the latest merch, including:

Plus, you can find gear for Francisco Lindor, New York Mets City Connect gear, Mets postseason gear, and more.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Mets, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets, will soon be under new ownership, but the team is staying put in Syracuse and will remain the New York Mets’ top minor-league baseball affiliate.

Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH) on Tuesday said it has forged an agreement with affiliates of Cohen Private Ventures to purchase the Syracuse Mets. DBH is a New York City–based organization that owns and operates about three-dozen minor-league clubs affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB).

Subject to obtaining the consent of the league and satisfying other standard closing conditions, the transaction is expected to be completed “promptly,” per the Syracuse Mets Tuesday announcement, which didn’t include any financial details of the sale.

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The New York Mets bought the then-Syracuse Chiefs for $18 million in a deal the Chiefs announced in October 2017.

Following the club’s latest sale, it will remain in Syracuse as the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate and the club will also retain its front-office staff and continue to be led by General Manager Jason Smorol, according to the announcement.

As part of the transaction, DBH has also purchased the New York Mets’ High-A minor-league affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones. The Syracuse Mets and Cyclones join the franchise’s Double-A affiliate, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, on the DBH ownership roster.

“The New York Mets are deeply grateful to the staff and players of the Syracuse Mets and Brooklyn Cyclones. These franchises have created two of the best fan-bases in Minor League Baseball and we are excited to continue our affiliation with these cities,” M. Scott Havens, president of business operations for the New York Mets, said in the announcement. “With their acquisition by DBH, both clubs will have greater dedicated resources and player development tools to set them up for successful seasons for years to come.”

Diamond Baseball Holdings was formed in 2021 to support, promote, and enhance minor-league baseball clubs affiliated with MLB through professional management, best practices, innovation, and investment.

“The Syracuse Mets are a cornerstone of Central New York, where the franchise has deeply connected with the community while drawing fans from across the region for generations,” Pat Battle and Peter Freund, executive chairman and CEO of DBH, respectively, said in the announcement. “We’re thrilled to add them to our roster and continue growing our relationship with the New York Mets. We look forward to enhancing the distinct fan experience at NBT Bank Stadium while ensuring the ballpark remains a year-round destination for affordable, family-friendly entertainment for years to come.”

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), an organization that owns and operates select minor league clubs affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB), announced it has entered into an agreement with affiliates of Cohen Private Ventures to purchase the Syracuse Mets, which will remain the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets going forward. The club will retain its front office staff and continue to be led by General Manager Jason Smorol.

As part of the transaction, DBH has also purchased the New York Mets’ High-A affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones. The Syracuse Mets and Cyclones join the franchise’s Double-A affiliate, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, on the DBH roster.

"The New York Mets are deeply grateful to the staff and players of the Syracuse Mets and Brooklyn Cyclones. These franchises have created two of the best fan-bases in Minor League Baseball and we are excited to continue our affiliation with these cities,” said M. Scott Havens, President of Business Operations, New York Mets. “With their acquisition by DBH, both clubs will have greater dedicated resources and player development tools to set them up for successful seasons for years to come.”

The Syracuse Mets have one of the most storied histories in all of Minor League Baseball (MiLB). The franchise has played in the International League in all but five years since its inaugural season in 1934 and became an affiliate of the big-league Mets in 2019. After the acquisition closes, fans in Syracuse will continue cheering for their team at NBT Bank Stadium, which has served as the team’s home since it first opened in 1997.

“We are excited to grow our relationship with DBH as they work to finalize this sale,” said Andy Green, Mets Senior Vice President, Player Development. “Our affiliates provide valuable steppingstones for our players in these communities, but also family-friendly experiences for our fans in those cities. As we’ve seen in Binghamton, DBH will strengthen our affiliates from a baseball and fan perspective.”

"The Syracuse Mets are a cornerstone of Central New York, where the franchise has deeply connected with the community while drawing fans from across the region for generations,” said Pat Battle and Peter Freund, Executive Chairman and CEO of DBH, respectively. “We’re thrilled to add them to our roster and continue growing our relationship with the New York Mets. We look forward to enhancing the distinct fan experience at NBT Bank Stadium while ensuring the ballpark remains a year-round destination for affordable, family-friendly entertainment for years to come.”

The deal is subject to obtaining the consent of the league and satisfying other standard closing conditions. The transaction is expected to be completed promptly.

About Syracuse Mets

The Syracuse Mets are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets. They are located in Syracuse, New York, and play their home games at NBT Bank Stadium, which opened in 1997 and has a seating capacity of 10,815. The Mets are named for their major league affiliate, the New York Mets.

Syracuse, NY -- State and federal officials on Tuesday signed an agreement that promises to bring more medical providers, research and recruitment efforts to the Onondaga Nation.

A state-run medical clinic on the Nation will get a boost with a new full-time nurse practitioner and nurse manager positions, paid for by the federal Indian Health Service, said the health clinic’s medical director, Dr. Eva Gregory.

That will bolster a staff of about 20 that has, in recent years, been given a $1.6 million lifeline that has to be re-approved each year by the governor’s office, Gregory said.

Until now, the only consistent funding for the medical center has been a $1.3 million annual commitment from the state legislature. That led to chronic understaffing and long waits for Nation residents to receive care.

The federal money will provide another predictable revenue stream, Gregory said. The clinic also receives funding for three dentists.

About 2,000 Onondaga Nation residents are eligible to receive free care at the clinic. It sees about 10,000 patient visits a year.

Renovations are underway for the first time to the 1997 building on Route 11A, with plans to increase mental health services in coming months, Gregory said. Salaries, which had been far below market rates, have improved to retain staff.

The clinic’s viability is one facet of the memorandum of understanding signed Tuesday between the state’s Upstate Medical University, which runs the clinic, and the federal Indian Health Service, which is responsible for overseeing medical services on tribal lands.

Upstate also pledged to offer more health services on the Nation, including new programs to combat diabetes, and increase recruitment efforts to bring more Nation residents into the healthcare field. This year, it started a program that provides a four-year, $250,000 scholarship for Onondaga Nation residents to attend medical school.

Researchers will also begin studying why Nation residents have the highest premature death rate in the area, as well as a host of other chronic health challenges.

Upstate’s efforts extend to all indigenous peoples across the state, though it’s primary focus will be on the Onondaga Nation, only miles away from campus.

Onondaga Nation Council Member Brad Powless noted that such investments have been promised since a treaty signed in the 1700s.

“We continue to remind our brother government in the United States that we need to be promoting the health of the Haudenosaunee,” Powless said.

Upstate President Dr. Mantosh Dewan began the ceremony Tuesday by saying that not enough has been done.

“It is important to acknowledge this painful history,” Dewan said. “But it is even more important to act.”

Upstate OB-GYN Dr. Brian Thompson, an Oneida, noted the Onondagas' commitment to human and environmental rights, as well as the insistence that the Nation be treated as “brother-to-brother” with the U.S.

Before now, the federal Indian Health Service has primarily paid for inpatient hospital stays for Nation residents. The state has paid for outpatient services.

Indian Health Service director Roselyn Tso, a Navajo, drove through the night from New York City to attend Tuesday’s event in Syracuse after missing her connecting flight from the Washington D.C. area.

It’s Tso’s third visit to the ancestral lands of the Onondagas in her 27 months as director of the $8 billion federal agency.

“I have learned the most from you,” she told Onondaga leaders in an Upstate auditorium, pointing to their resolve to be treated as equals in dealings with the U.S. government.

“We’ll do it for your tribal communities, the way you want it,” she promised.

Staff writer Douglass Dowty can be reached at ddowty@syracuse.com or (315) 470-6070.

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