JACOB SANTOS
Special to The Leader
Within the last few years, the number of students enrolled at SUNY Fredonia has been in decline. A decrease in enrollment has resulted to a smaller budget given by New York state. The 2016-2017 budget was reduced by $1.4 million in comparison to its budget prior. President Virginia Horvath has initiated a plan in response to these shrinking numbers called “right-serving, right-sizing,” encouraging the college’s divisions to bring creative new ideas to the way they operate.
One primary reason Fredonia is facing enrollment issues is due to the smaller high school population within the area.
“In western New York, the high school population is down 15 to 26 percent, depending on the county,” said Horvath. “Its largest enrollment of high schoolers was in 2009, which was also the same time SUNY Fredonia had its largest student enrollment. There is a large correlation.”
The right-serving, right-sizing plan challenges administrators to bring questions and ideas to fulfill Fredonia’s needs with the same or fewer dollars, while meeting the same standards for the students.
For certain academic programs, initiatives have been made to review its curriculum to better serve its students. A few programs have a low enrollment rate, causing initiatives to promote the study. If needed, the academic program can come to a close or merge with another academic study.
The University is also taking the initiative to reimagine how it recruits new students. Traditionally, colleges and universities had a narrowed focus to recruit high school seniors, while lacking a focus on transfer students and college graduates. Furthermore, it is critical to have retention on the students already attending, to ensure their needs and capabilities to obtain a bachelor’s degree.
One way Fredonia is changing its recruitment is by revamping its open house, by having the program allow students to explore the college and visit a classroom session.
“The revamping of the college exploration gives [students] a chance to experience college in a day,” said Cedric Howard, the vice president for student affairs, “giving a better understanding what it means to come to Fredonia, rather than a perception or thought they had prior.”
The importance of higher education is being challenged, with an increased demand for free tuition paid through taxes, as well as questionable concern if pursuing a degree is truly beneficial. Institutions, such as SUNY Fredonia, are in need to take on a new approach to maintain their relevance and assistance to fulfill professional success.