DAN QUAGLIANA
News Editor
Graphic by NICOLE THORSON | Art Director
Although there is no concrete way to anticipate what any given school year may bring, the State of the University address may provide the most accurate prediction of what to expect.
On Wednesday, Aug. 16, SUNY Fredonia President Stephen Kolison gave his State of the University address at the annual all-campus faculty and staff meeting. During the address, he talked about a plethora of both upcoming and completed projects and issues, but one problem stood far above the rest: declining enrollment.
Compounding the issue is the fact that with less students comes less money.
The student enrollment on campus, or lack thereof, has been talked about by almost every member of the campus community in recent years, but only now does it seem like a real, tangible issue that’s affecting life on campus.
A little over a year ago, the closing of Tim Hortons was what seemed like the first casualty of the low number of students. But now, the fact that the university is practically bleeding students and money is an open secret.
According to Kolison, the principal reason for rising costs, along with the fewer number of students attending the university, is the expanding personnel expenses, which have been increasing over the past few years — the opposite pattern of the student enrollment numbers.
When these factors are taken into account, the reason for the budget deficit, which currently totals $10,059,016, becomes clear.
“We are working on a plan to address this deficit,” Kolison said. “It’s not time to release that plan, but when everything is done, then I’ll be able to discuss [it] with the campus. [But] it’s time for us to try to bring this thing under control once and for all.”
The plan, which should be completed and mapped out in the next six to eight weeks, is just as much about growing existing programs as it is about cutting them.
Next year, for example, the College of Education, Health Sciences and Human Services will be rolling out a master’s program in mental health counseling, which is a program that is in very high demand across the country among prospective graduate students.
Kolison, for his part, is very optimistic that this plan will work, and that the university will recover from the recession that it’s currently in.
“We are looking for a Vice President for Enrollment Management and Services (VPEMS),” he said. “The [University] Senate was very gracious to support that effort. The University Foundation contributed money to help us to establish such a position. We need somebody who can devote ample time to the issue [of] enrollment.”
This new vice president’s job will be to pool available resources and work with the faculty and administration to stop the deficit from increasing and, eventually, to reverse it.
The search for this position is still ongoing, but the search committee is looking through nationwide contacts to find the “right person” for the role.
“They will look at everything we’re doing, [as well as] the things we’re not doing, and help to create a new approach on how to become more competitive,” Kolison explained.
He also said that he wants students to know that, “our commitment to a high quality education remains intact. [We’re also] working very hard to position SUNY Fredonia in a place where it is even stronger as we enter the future.”
The combination of the strategic plan and new VPEMS will allow Kolison to “propose a plan to decrease our annual expenses by $10 million over the next five years, underpinning our commitment to fiscal responsibility,” according to a message sent out by the president to the faculty and staff.
“If you look across the country, many schools are going through difficult times. The issue is, what are you committed to doing to get out of that situation?” Kolison said. “I’m very optimistic that the work we’re doing currently will make SUNY Fredonia a much stronger university.”
Contrary to how it seems, the entire address was not all about enrollment problems. Kolison also discussed how a number of positive developments have also occurred at Fredonia over the last few months.
Faculty-led study abroad programs have been relaunched, allowing students to study in foreign countries.
Jewett Hall and Mason Hall will be undergoing renovations in the near future, ensuring that they can continue to be used to their maximum potential. Jewett Hall, specifically, will eventually house most of the university’s administrative staff, allowing them to occupy a more centralized location on campus when compared to Maytum Hall.
“Even if you’re doing well, you have to look out for things that undermine that [status, so you can] position yourself,” Kolison stated. “So my State of the University address was about working with the faculty and staff to position this university for even greater success in the future.”