Le Café, Morris Conference Center
SUNY Oneonta
Present
Dr. David Brenner
Mr. Patrick Brown
Dr. Diane Georgeson
Ms. Donglei Li
Ms. Debra Parisian
Mr. Daniel Sniezek
Presiding
Mr. Patrick Brown, Chair
College Administrators
Mr. Paul Adamo, Vice President for College Advancement
Ms. Colleen Brannan, Executive Assistant to the President
Mr. Todd Foreman, Vice President for Finance and Administration
Dr. Nancy Kleniewski, President
Mr. Hal Legg, Executive Director of Communication
Mr. Kevin Jensen, Associate Vice President and Chief Enrollment Management Officer
Dr. James Mackin, Provost
Ms.Lisa Wenck, Senior Executive Employee Services Officer
Presenters, Invitees, Observers
None
Call to Order
Mr. Brown called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m.
Approval of Minutes
Upon motion of Dr. Brenner, seconded by Ms. Parisian, Council unanimously approved the minutes of its April 12, 2017 meeting.
Chair’s Report
Mr. Brown congratulated Mr. Sniezek on being recognized for his success as a member of the American Society for Quality in a Binghamton News article.
Mr. Brown discussed the challenges in the process of seating College Council members. He deferred the remainder of his report.
President’s Report
Dr. Kleniewski reviewed some of the campus’s accomplishments during her presidency. She highlighted increases in access, advances in pedagogy, improvement in infrastructure, and the emergence of strategic planning. The president referred to the Aug. 29, 2017 “Institutional Priorities – 2017/18’” document, and shared that the campus has won a 2017 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity award.
Dr. Kleniewski referred to a publication concerning freedom of speech on campus, and added that the college will provide copies to Council members in preparation for a discussion on the topic.
In response to questions from Dr. Georgeson and Mr. Brown, Mr. Jensen described Civitas and its capability. 2
Mr. Adamo played a video about the president’s legacy and discussed plans to create a scholarship in Dr. Kleniewski’s name.
In response to a question from Mr. Sniezek, President Kleniewski affirmed that the college does not seek to know students’ immigration statuses. Mr. Jensen added that the college may seek to know the citizenship of applicants for certain forms of government aid.
Provost’s Report
Dr. Mackin referred to a listing of the 26 new faculty members hired as assistant professors and lecturers. In response to a question from Mr. Brown, Dr. Mackin clarified that the college conducts searches for faculty member positions.
Chair’s Report
Mr. Brown welcomed Ms. Li and invited her to introduce herself.
Mr. Brown shared the college’s presidential search is going well. He reviewed the Council’s role in the process.
Mr. Brown read a resolution expressing gratitude to Ms. Forgiano for her contributions as a member of College Council.
Preliminary Admissions/Enrollment Management Report
Mr. Jensen delivered a presentation on enrollment targets and results. Her referred to documents summarizing the same. The presentation included statistics on undergraduate and graduate admissions and demographic trends. He highlighted the increases in percentage of first-generation students, under-represented minority students, and overall enrollment.
Mr. Jensen shared an update on the Excelsior Scholarship, detailing the number of students who received awards this year and the total amount of aid to those students. He added that the Excelsior Scholarship will lower student debt.
In response to a question from Mr. Brown, Mr. Jensen clarified that shifts in the applicant pool affected the academic profile. He discussed the usefulness of Civitas in gaining insights that will improve students’ experiences and increase their persistence. President Kleniewski added that the college admitted more students, which may have affected the academic profile.
Mr. Jensen discussed the changing demographics of incoming students and how they might affect on-campus residency.
Budget Report
Mr. Foreman delivered a presentation on the college budget. He reviewed fund sources and discussed how the New York state budget will impact college finances. He also described the state’s commitment to capital improvement and noted that the College at Oneonta Foundation, the SUNY Research Foundation and Oneonta Auxiliary Services affect the campus’s overall financial position.
Mr. Foreman highlighted the increase in revenue generated by “Red Dragon Outfitters” and projected increases in revenue resulting from higher occupancy in residence halls.
Mr. Foreman reviewed fees charged to students. He noted that students are represented on advisory boards that recommend changes in fees, and reviewed the billed cost of attendance.
In response to questions from Mr. Sniezek, Mr. Jensen described the demography of the fall 2017 incoming students.
Approval of College Council Annual Report
Upon motion of Ms. Parisian, seconded by Dr. Georgeson, Council approved the 2016-2017 College Council Annual Report by unanimous vote. 3
College Council Vice Chair Selection
Council took no action relative to this item.
ACT Representative Selection and ACT Report
Upon motion of Ms. Parisian, seconded by Ms. Li, Council selected Dr. Georgeson as ACT representative for 2017-2018 by unanimous vote.
Good of the Order
None
Adjournment
Upon motion by Dr. Georgeson, seconded by Ms. Parisian, Mr. Brown adjourned the meeting at 5:36 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Hal Legg
Executive Director of Communications