Jan. 23, 2024
Welcome Center Presentation Room
SUNY Oneonta
DRAFT
Present
Mr. Joe Bernier
Ms. Emily DeStefano
Ms. Stacie Haynes
Mr. Gary Herzig
Ms. Debra Parisian
Mr. Will Rivera
Mr. Daniel Sniezek
Presiding
Mr. Gary Herzig
University Administrators
Mr. Paul Adamo, Vice President for College Advancement
Ms. Karen Brown, Assistant Vice President of Enrollment
Mr. Dirk Budd, University Police Chief
Dr. Alberto Cardelle, University President
Ms. Dia Carleton, Chief Human Resources Officer
Dr. Tracy Johnson, Vice President for Student Affairs
Ms. Lisa Miller, Senior Communication and Marketing Officer
Dr. Enrique Morales-Diaz, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Ms. Julie Piscitello, Vice President for Finance and Administration
Dr. Bernadette Tiapo, Chief Diversity Officer
Presenters, Invitees, Observers
Dr. Mark Davies, Dean of the School of Education, Human Ecology and Sport Studies
Mr. Mark Farrell, Instructional Support Technician
Dr. Keith Jones, Presiding Officer of the Faculty and Chair of the College Senate
Mr. Raphael Web, Instructional Support Technician
Call to Order
Mr. Herzig called the meeting to order at 4:06 p.m.
Approval of Minutes
Deb Parisian made a motion to approve the minutes of Nov. 16, 2023, seconded by Mr. Bernier. The minutes were approved by unanimous vote.
Chair’s Report
Mr. Herzig did not have a formal report but took a moment to thank everyone for navigating a challenging higher education landscape where free speech and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives are being debated, and for providing leadership in a county that is struggling economically.
President’s Report
Dr. Cardelle shared recent good news, including:
- Approximately 300 students were awarded degrees at the Fall Commencement ceremony in December 2023.
- An art show on voter suppression curated by Cooperstown Graduate Program students and displayed at the Golden Artist Colors gallery last fall will be on campus starting Feb. 8 in the Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence.
- SUNY Oneonta received an award from the National Organization for Student Success in recognition of the academic success program to support students in the deferred dismissal program.
- A Biological Field Station project to plant more than 2,000 trees on the shores of Otsego Lake.
- The articulation agreement signing event for a new partnership with Utica University for Oneonta students who want to do a post-baccalaureate 18-month accelerated nursing program.
- A campus celebration of Dr. Bill Harman’s legacy of 50+ service as director of the Biological Field Station and stewardship of Otsego Lake.
Dr. Cardelle gave an update on the university’s strategic planning process, including 13 10-year goals that emerged as a result of campus visioning sessions last semester. The Strategic Planning Committee and University Budget Committee (which together make up the Integrated Planning Council) will flesh out aspects of the goals to present at campus forums throughout the spring semester, and the campus community will take a vote at the end of the semester on the next two- to three-year agenda.
Dr. Cardelle also gave an update on recruitment, including 139 new students deposited at the start of the spring semester, a 13% year-over-year increase in fall 2024 applications for first-year students and a 30% year-over-year decrease in transfer applications. He mentioned strategies being employed to address transfer recruitment challenges, including new partnerships with several community colleges including a dedicated admissions counselor who will provide in-person support to prospective students from those schools; a two-week free application period in February, and an increase in university scholarships and grants. He mentioned the impact of the new Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which was updated and released later than in the past and is delaying colleges and universities’ ability to award financial aid to students applying for fall 2024 admission.
He then briefed the council on teacher certification changes the New York State Education Department is exploring and their potential impact on SUNY Oneonta’s graduate education programs.
After an overview of Title VI protections and obligations as they pertain to academic freedom and the First Amendment, Dr. Cardelle described the work of the university’s Bias Act Response Team and efforts to raise awareness about it. Mr. Rivera mentioned a surge of hate crimes on college campuses and encouraged the university to provide external resources. He also asked about campus efforts to address Title IX and shared information on his work as executive director for the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault to advocate for more funding for Title IX services on New York college campuses.
Dr. Cardelle mentioned New York Gov. Hochul’s State of the State address and key proposals that could affect SUNY Oneonta, including a direct admission initiative for the top 10% of graduates in every high school, and an Empire State Service Corps program, among others.
The president’s report closed with several announcements:
- an early March opening date for the new Extended and Community Learning (ExCL) Center downtown location at 2-4 Dietz St.;
- $1million in new grants for a new sustainable energy microcredential and an expansion of a workforce development program offering college credits and microcredentials to direct service providers at area nonprofits; and
- a project to review and expand the university brand guidelines, including a new logo concept in development that features the university pillars alongside the SUNY Oneonta wordmark.
University Budget and Executive Budget
Ms. Piscitello shared a high-level summary of the university’s $118.8 million 2023-24 all-funds operating budget, 80% of which is connected to enrollment. She said she is confident that we will close our structural core operating budget deficit this year and may even end the year with a surplus. She discussed the specific initiatives that will be funded by the $1.12 million one-time transformation funds provided to SUNY Oneonta from the New York State budget, including transfer recruitment programs, a Heritage Language Institute and workforce development programs offered through the ExCL Center. She gave an overview of the Regaining Momentum Agenda Strategic Opportunities funding program, through which $1.4 million was awarded to 30 projects from spring 2022 through 2025-26.
After providing a five-year outlook with financial projections through 2028-29, Ms. Piscitello discussed highlights of the proposed 2024-25 NYS Executive Budget Highlights, which includes $163 million in base operating support provided across SUNY ($2.9 million for SUNY Oneonta) in lieu of a tuition increase.
Mr. Bernier asked for examples of Regaining Momentum Agenda programs. Administrators in attendance mentioned a variety of funded initiatives, including the Making Cents financial literacy program, School of Liberal Arts and Business Artist in Residence, Kings of Excellence retention program, Faculty Academy for Inclusive Pedagogy and overnight event on campus for high school counselors. Dr. Cardelle said he would share the list of funded projects with the council.
Mr. Bernier asked how our sister institutions may be faring with their budgets; Ms. Piscitello said some are on par with Oneonta, while others are having challenges.
New Program Report
Dr. Morales-Diaz gave an overview of efforts to review and expand SUNY Oneonta’s academic offerings with the goal of strengthening existing programs and, where there is opportunity, adding new ones. In addition to possible changes in modality (for example, shifting a fully in-person graduate degree program to a “low-residency” program where most of the coursework is delivered online, he discussed a wide variety of new programs being considered. These include bachelor’s degree programs in Audio Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies and a 4+1 accounting BS/MBA program.
Mr. Bernier asked about plans to find faculty to teach all of the new programs. Dr. Morales-Diaz said some of the faculty needed are already teaching in other programs at the university, but in other cases we would need to hire faculty to teach new programs.
University Council By-Laws Draft
President Cardelle asked for approval to forward proposed changes to the University Council bylaws discussed in November to SUNY legal counsel for review, followed by formal submission to the SUNY Chancellor.
Dr. Parisian said she thought the changes were written very well and accurately summarized the discussion from the council’s November meeting. Ms. Parisian made a motion to approve forwarding the changes to SUNY legal, Mr. Bernier seconded, and the motion was approved unanimously.
ACT Report
Dr. Georgeson was not present, so no report was given.
Good of the Order
Dr. Cardelle encouraged council members to attend the university’s Martin Luther King Day event on Jan. 29 and Black History Month speaker in February and closed by mentioning his upcoming travel to meet with alumni in Florida and attend a conference of Latin American university leaders in Cuba.
Adjournment
Mr. Herzig adjourned the meeting at 5:39 p.m.