Valerie Pawlak, whose major claim to fame was being the No. 1 Bills’ fan, was just as dedicated to the northern Chautauqua County community and State University of New York at Fredonia.

Victory Mondays were extra special during the four consecutive Super Bowl appearances by the Buffalo Bills in the 1990s. As a student at the State University of New York at Fredonia, those years offered an introduction to Valerie Pawlak who worked weekdays in the housekeeping department and took an interest and pride in every student who crossed her path.

McGinnies Hall was where I first met Pawlak. Always a fireball, she was quick to share tidbits of information on the community she loved so much in northern Chautauqua County or offer an opinion on her beloved Bills.

It was a special and memorable connection in those days as the campus traditionally hosted the summer training camps for the National Football League team that lasted about four weeks annually. The arrangement also allowed SUNY Fredonia to be in the national spotlight each year the Bills were in town while also leading to one of the greatest honors for Pawlak.

In 2000, she was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, as the team’s No. 1 fan. At the ceremony, Dallas Cowboy Hall-of-Famer Roger Staubach presented her with the award.

It was a shining moment.

Pawlak, who retired from her SUNY job in 1996, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, Oct. 10, in her Dunkirk home at 87. Her unwavering spirit and commitment for the Bills and SUNY recalls some of the greatest glory years of both institutions.

Those sentiments speak to a simpler time — one that Pawlak embraced while attending civic functions or helping create a new water district in the town of Sheridan. Being a part of a community was a responsibility — whether it be with 80,000 fans at the former Rich Stadium cheering on a historic team or understanding that everyone who worked or attended SUNY Fredonia was there to better the region it served.

As the nearby NFL team goes through a bit of a renaissance in terms of a winning attitude, times are definitely not as bright for the local university. Fiscal worries have dominated discussions at College Council meetings and University Senate gatherings since even before the start of the pandemic.

Though finger-pointing is an easy way out, there is no question there’s been a breach when it comes to university relations with the communities it surrounds. Rarely, especially in the recent years, is the institution taking a lead or is it involved in major discussions of significant decisions in the north county.

Central Connections, which was an effort led by SUNY to bring the city of Dunkirk, village of Fredonia and campus together for better collaborations, appears to have fallen off the rails. Besides the hanging banners that line Central Avenue and a portion of Temple Street, what is the current mission of the initiative?

If it was to build bridges, it better start by simply filling the potholes. Dunkirk and Fredonia — just like on the high school football field tonight — have a history of being rivals and not always working together. Having university involvement — through Connections — was supposed to strengthen that bond.

Former President Virginia Horvath, who kick-started the effort in 2018, was thoroughly invested in northern Chautauqua County. Besides living here numerous years, she also was greatly aligned to non-profit boards.

Current President Stephen Kolison, as we have noted before, is not in the same position. He is nowhere near as hitched since arriving from the University of Indianapolis. Though serving on the Brooks-TLC Hospital and Chautauqua County Chamber boards, his voice — specifically the megaphone of the university — is too silent to lead on important local matters.

Earlier this month, during a College Council meeting, the commuting Kolison who has been residing in Hamburg spoke of the urgency of returning to the recently renovated Lanford House on Central Avenue. “I need to be here,” he said.

Thirty years ago, that was never a conundrum for an administrator at the university. Past leaders understood their importance and the economic role the campus had in the vibrancy of the region. They also accepted it as part of the job.

Our newspaper was outspoken whenever area school districts tapped superintendents who chose to live in nearby counties. Those all turned out to be hollow hires. We have been troubled by the same issue with one of the county’s major employers in the university.

This weekend marks a return by many to the campus as part of the homecoming celebrations that run from today through Monday. The celebrations include some significant names from the past that include Dr. Frank Pullano and Thomas Regelski, both of whom resided in the north county during their academic tenure.

Pawlak — and the great generation of academic staff and leadership who were a part of SUNY Fredonia in the 1990s through the 2010s — understood their position was more than a job. It was a way of life in northern Chautauqua County.

John D’Agostino is editor of The Post-Journal, OBSERVER and Times Observer. Send comments to jdagostino@observertoday.com or call 716-487-1111, ext. 253.