Zoom meeting
SUNY Oneonta
Present
Mr. Joseph Bernier
Dr. David Brenner
Mr. Patrick Brown
Ms. Gabrielle Cecere
Dr. Diane Georgeson
Ms. Debra Parisian
Mr. Daniel Sniezek
Presiding
Mr. Patrick Brown, Chair
College Administrators
Mr. Paul Adamo, Vice President for College Advancement
Ms. Colleen Brannan, Chief of Staff
Dr. Franklin Chambers, Vice President for Student Development
Mr. Dennis Craig, Acting President
Dr. Leamor Kahanov, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs
Mr. Hal Legg, Chief Communication and Marketing Officer
Ms. Julie Piscitello, Vice President for Finance and Administration
Dr. Lisa Snyder, Vice President for Strategy, Planning and Effectiveness
Dr. Bernadette Tiapo, Chief Diversity Officer
Presenters, Invitees, Observers
Dr. Brendan Aucoin, Alternate Presiding Officer of the College Senate
Mr. Ed Aluck, Alumni Observer
Mr. Jeff Bishop
Mr. Dave Geasey
Hon. James L. Seward, New York State Senator
Call to Order
Mr. Brown called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.
Approval of Minutes of Sept. 30, 2020
Upon motion of Ms. Parisian, seconded by Dr. Georgeson, Council approved by unanimous vote the minutes of the Sept. 30, 2020 meeting.
Resolution to Honor the Service of Senator James L. Seward
Mr. Brown asked Ms. Brannan to read the following resolution into the record:
Whereas, it is the custom of the State University of New York College at Oneonta College Council to pay tribute to those who support Higher Education, the State University of New York College at Oneonta, and all students throughout the state of New York; it is with profound gratitude that we recognize Senator James Seward for his lifetime of service.
Whereas, Senator James L. Seward is a well-known, highly respected, resident of the Town of Milford, New York and a Republican member of the New York Senate 51st District. He has served the 51st District since 1986 and he will complete his final term in December 2020.
Whereas, Senator James L. Seward throughout his career has been an exemplary public servant to his constituents and to the residents of New York State. His committee service has been extensive, including service to the Committees on Agriculture, Higher Education, and Chairman of the Insurance Committee.
Whereas, Senator James L. Seward is a devoted husband, father, and grandfather and happily married for 46 years to his wife, Cynthia.
Whereas, Senator James L. Seward is a faithful supporter of SUNY Oneonta. During his tenure he joined other legislators as they sought capital funding for the College which accounts for the outstanding condition of our campus facilities and infrastructure. The projects have been transformative for our academic programs, student learning, and have had an impact on the college’s ability to recruit and retain students.
Whereas, The State University of New York College at Oneonta College Council recognizes the important contributions made by Senator James L. Seward to New York State and specifically to constituents within the district he serves.
Whereas, this action be recorded in the permanent record and minutes of the College Council meeting on November 5, 2020 and that a copy of this resolution be given to Senator James L. Seward.
Therefore be it resolved, that the State University of New York College at Oneonta College Council extends its deepest gratitude to Senator James L. Seward as he transitions from his work in the New York State Senate to a well-deserved retirement and wishes him good health and great fortune through the years.
Sen. Seward expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to serve the 51st District of the State of New York. He added that he has enjoyed advocating for education and the advancement of SUNY Oneonta, adding that the college is an important local economic driver that benefits the entire region and contributes to the quality of life for the residents of Oneonta and surrounding communities. He thanked Council for this honor and for their service.
Chair’s Report
Mr. Brown spoke about the presidential election, noting that he has worked as a poll watcher in the five past elections. He shared that he did so in Philadelphia this year and characterized that city’s proceedings as smooth. He deferred the rest of his report to later in the meeting.
Acting President’s Report
Mr. Craig shared his appreciation of the council members and their work. He reported on a town hall meeting held earlier in the day and a commitment that the college will communicate with faculty and staff first.
The acting president described the revitalized COVID Response Team and reviewed a few key areas. He shared that density and testing are keys to safety, that all students will be tested before returning to campus, and that routine surveillance testing will continue. He also referred to the SUNY uniform sanctioning policy for Code of Student Conduct infractions related to COVID-19 and added that influencing the behavior of students who reside off-campus will be critical.
Mr. Craig shared that the college has formed a UPD Task Force to examine police policies and strategies.
The acting president introduced Dr. Tiapo, who joined the college over the summer, and affirmed that her work as CDO is critical to the college and its brand.
In response to a question from Mr. Brown, Acting President Craig shared that reduced density on campus will be critical to creating a successful plan for spring. He acknowledged the trauma of the fall and the need to draft a plan that campus community members will support. He added that increasing COVID infection rates nationwide create a challenging context.
Mr. Craig affirmed that the campus will have on-campus residency, but that the decision about the extent of the housing program will be determined by college experts. He also noted that off-campus students share the responsibility for safety within the college and Oneonta community.
In response to a question from Mr. Sniezek, Mr. Craig clarified that SUNY mandates that campuses have protocols for halting in-person instruction in response to increasing infection rates.
In response to a question from Mr. Bernier, Mr. Craig shared that the college is creating and will share a retrospective of the COVID crisis.
Sen. Seward commended Mr. Craig for emphasizing communication with the college’s constituencies.
Budget Report
Ms. Piscitello referred to a document shared with Council. She highlighted the financial impacts of COVID-19, characterizing them as significant. She noted that the college entered the pandemic with health cash reserves and that she anticipates an operating shortfall of $12.2 million this fiscal year.
The vice president shared that the schedule of residence hall renovations will be slowed and that the college expects less revenue generation in the short term. She reviewed spending controls that were put in place prior to the pandemic and their success at reducing expenditures. She added that reducing spending has caused stress and that the pandemic, unlike previous challenges, affects several revenue streams, not only for the college, but for college-affiliated organizations. She added that the pandemic likely will affect enrollment and perhaps residence hall occupancy, but that there is no model for forecasting these at this point.
In response to a question from Mr. Brown, Ms. Piscitello reported that the pandemic has altered the normal cadence of the budget cycle on-campus and within SUNY, but that it has not affected the schedule for capital requests.
In response to a question from Dr. Brenner, Ms. Piscitello affirmed that the college will defer some purchases due to the college’s financial position, where appropriate, but that it is not a long-term solution.
In response to a question from Mr. Brown, Ms. Piscitello clarified that the college’s academic benchmarking study will contribute to informing the make-up of the faculty.
In response to a question from Mr. Sniezek, Ms. Piscitello shared that the college is mindful of necessary expenditures related to IT, especially as they relate to learning.
In response to a question from Mr. Sniezek, Mr. Adamo updated Council with regard to disbursements from the Student Emergency Fund.
Student Association Report
Ms. Cecere reported that the Student Association (SA) plans to update its strategic plan and has recently partnered with the City of Oneonta to better relations through events, health and safety initiatives and a committee dedicated to town gown relations. She added that the Student Association has appointed students to the Control Room and intends to promote mask wearing and implement new reflectors on staircases around campus to enhance accessibility.
The SA president announced the development of surveys between faculty, staff, and students in order to educate and learn more effectively and efficiently this upcoming semester, whether that be online or mask-to-mask. She added that one of SA’s biggest initiatives has been focusing on effective, transparent communication between the administration and students, noted that progress has been made in the past weeks and anticipates further improvement.
Ms. Cecere shared that students feel a great deal of stress and noted several mental health initiatives, among them a “SPARC 2.0,” in which interpersonal violence modules are more inclusive and given to returning students, and mental health awareness events over Zoom that allow for an open healing forum and the sharing of ideas. She also shared that the SA is working on an interfaith panel to assure representation from all sectors of faith and religion.
Ms. Cecere reported that SA has generated several ideas on how to improve academic quality and anticipates developing more of those soon.
In response to a question from Mr. Bernier, Mr. Craig confirmed that remote mental health services are challenging. He assured Council that the college will continue to invest in mental health services.
Enrollment Update
Dr. Snyder shared enrollment data for the fall. She described withdrawals as being consistent with previous years and noted that the enrollment of new students in the spring is projected to be down, which is consistent with the trend across SUNY. The vice president added that enrollment data is fluid this fall and reported that school counselors observe that traditional-aged prospects are less engaged this fall in the search process than they usually are.
Dr. Snyder reported that resuming campus tours likely will benefit recruitment efforts and that the college is reviewing Admissions processes, which will impact the scholarship model.
In response to a question from Mr. Sniezek, Dr. Snyder affirmed that transfer students appear to be waiting to make enrollment decisions.
In response to a question from Dr. Georgeson, Dr. Snyder clarified that the college’s fall 2021 enrollment planning assumes that pre-pandemic conditions for residential living. She noted that the demand for on-campus living may outstrip the supply of space in residence hall rooms.
ACT Report
Dr. Georgeson reported that she attended a virtual ACT conference on Oct. 15 at which SUNY Chancellor Malatras spoke about reopening in the spring, increasing Council engagement and the opportunity for growth in online learning. Mr. Brown, who chairs the ACT Strategic Planning Committee, shared that he proposed that ACT re-examine its goals and role, and then consider a new mission statement for the organization.
Chair’s Report (continued)
Mr. Brown updated Council about the process of searching for a new president, adding that he has accepted the chancellor’s request to chair the search committee. He invited Council members to signal their interest in serving on the search committee and anticipates that the chancellor will charge the search committee in January 2021. Mr. Sniezek expressed interest in serving as a member of the search committee.
Good of the Order
Upon motion by Ms. Parisian, seconded by Dr. Brenner, Council adopted by unanimous vote the earlier resolution to honor the service of Senator James L. Seward.
Resolution to Honor the Service of Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch
Mr. Brown asked Ms. Brannan to read the following resolution into the record:
Whereas, it is the custom of the State University of New York College at Oneonta College Council to pay tribute to those who support Higher Education, the State University of New York College at Oneonta, and all students throughout the state of New York; it is with profound gratitude that we recognize Assemblyman Clifford Crouch for his lifetime of service.
Whereas, Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch is a well-known, highly respected, resident of the Town of Bainbridge, New York and a Republican member of the New York State Assembly 122nd District. He is the longest serving member of the Republican Conference beginning in November 1995 and he will complete his final term in December 2020.
Whereas, Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch throughout his career has been an exemplary public servant to the Town of Bainbridge, to his constituents in Chenango and Otsego County, and to the residents of New York State. His committee service in the Assembly has been extensive including service to the Committees on Agriculture, Environmental Conservation, Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry, and Rules and Ways and Means.
Whereas, Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch is a devoted husband, father, and grandfather and happily married for 52 years to his wife, Barbara.
Whereas, Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch is a faithful supporter of SUNY Oneonta. During his tenure he joined other legislators as they sought capital funding for the College which accounts for the outstanding condition of our campus facilities and infrastructure. The projects have been transformative for our academic programs, student learning, and have had an impact on the college’s ability to recruit and retain students.
Whereas, The State University of New York College at Oneonta College Council recognizes the important contributions made by Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch to New York State and specifically to constituents within the district he serves.
Whereas, this action be recorded in the permanent record and minutes of the College Council meeting on November 5, 2020 and that a copy of this resolution be given to Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch.
Therefore be it resolved, that the State University of New York College at Oneonta College Council extends its deepest gratitude to Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch as he transitions from his work in the New York State Assembly to a well-deserved retirement and wishes him good health and great fortune through the years.
Upon motion by Ms. Parisian, seconded by Dr. Brenner, Council adopted the resolution by unanimous vote.
Good of the Order (continued)
Adjournment
Upon motion by Dr. Brenner, seconded by Mr. Bernier, Mr. Brown adjourned the meeting at 6:08 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Hal Legg
Chief Communication and Marketing Officer