Le Café
Morris Conference Center
SUNY Oneonta
Present
Mr. Joseph Bernier
Dr. David Brenner
Mr. Patrick Brown
Ms. Gabrielle Cecere
Dr. Diane Georgeson
Maj. Gen. Anthony German
Ms. Debra Parisian
Mr. Daniel Sniezek
Presiding
Mr. Patrick Brown, Chair
College Administrators
Mr. Paul Adamo, Vice President for College Advancement
Dr. Alberto Cardelle, President
Dr. Franklin Chambers, Vice President for External Affairs
Mr. William Henn, Interim Chief of University Police
Dr. Richard Lee, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs
Ms. Danielle McMullen, Chief of Staff
Dr. Bernadette Tiapo, Chief Diversity Officer and Interim Vice President for Student Development
Presenters, Invitees, Observers
Ms. Kimberly Devlin
Dr. Eileen Morgan-Zayachek
Dr. Theresa Russo
Dr. Keith Jones
Call to Order
Mr. Brown called the meeting to order at 4 p.m.
Approval of Minutes of Sept. 29, 2021
Upon motion of Dr. Brenner, seconded by Dr. Georgeson, Council approved by unanimous vote the minutes of the Sept. 29, 2021 meeting.
Chair’s Report
Mr. Brown deferred his report.
President’s Report
Dr. Cardelle summarized the recent campus visit of SUNY Chancellor Malatras, who met with a group of staff and students at our Counseling Center and toured the Experiential Learning Center, where students shared with him their experiences with research, global education, internships and volunteer opportunities.
The president reported that mental health continues to be a growing concern of our students and that before the pandemic, the college had seen a 33% increase in the use of the services over five years. He shared that the college is seeking to hire another counselor and plans to pilot a position whereby a counselor would be embedded in the residence halls. President Cardelle highlighted other mental health-related initiatives, including an upcoming mental health summit before the spring semester.
Dr. Cardelle reported that the Hunt Union Ballroom will be taken offline for perhaps a year to address structural issues with the floor. He clarified that the Hunt Union is safe, but that engineers have suggested we do not use the ballroom for large groups.
The president shared a schedule of late fall campus events, including the Dec. 5 winter commencement and Pass Through the Pillars Dec. 4. He thanked Council members who had volunteered at the Oct. 30 graduation event and invited them to join the stage party on Dec. 5.
Dr. Cardelle referred to a hand-out describing SUNY enrollment data, noting that SUNY Oneonta has the third largest decline among SUNY comprehensive colleges this year but that, over the previous nine-year period, the college’s enrollment increased 11%. He observed that COVID likely impacted fall 2021 enrollment and noted that high school graduating class sizes will decline in New York, university centers’ enrollment continues to increase, and that new students seem to want to attend colleges closer to their homes.
The president added that this fall the college has received more applications from spring transfer students than it did last year and that SUNY Oneonta has received the third highest number of fall 2022 applications among SUNY comprehensive colleges, but that this is fewer than the number received at this point last year. He shared that the college received favorable feedback from events for high school counselors Albany, New York City and Long Island, adding that although some institutions are implementing late-breaking “incentives” to increase applications, SUNY Oneonta has no plan to do this.
The president concluded that offering advantageous financial packages to students, maximizing our Access and Opportunity Program enrollment and meaningful engaging with applicants should increase yield.
The president reported that, based on his attendance at a national conference for new college presidents, enrollment challenges among comprehensive colleges are nearly universal at this time.
In response to a question from Mr. Brown, the president affirmed that university centers’ enrollment has increased and that test-optional admissions policies may have contributed to this.
In response to a comment from Mr. Sniezek, President Cardelle clarified that attracting out-of-state students may be feasible, or at least more feasible than competing for international students, the number of which has declined nationwide in recent years.
In response to a comment from Mr. Brown, President Cardelle agreed that transfer student recruitment would be a good topic for Council’s next meeting.
Budget Report
Ms. Devlin delivered a presentation outlining the college’s operating budget, the sources of funds and the drivers of funding levels. She noted that enrollment-related revenue accounts for 80% of the college’s budget, that state support for the college has declined over the last decade and that, under the current state budget, there is little change in state support this year.
Ms. Devlin reviewed enrollment and college employment trends from 2008-2009 to now. In response to a comment from Mr. Brown, she clarified that the college has reduced spending in response to declining revenue. She highlighted the year-to-year cost of attendance, which is projected to increase 2% this fall.
Dr. Lee shared that about 28% of the college’s courses this semester are online, but that in the spring about 2%-3% will be online, consistent with SUNY Oneonta being a predominantly residential campus.
Ms. Devlin updated Council on the disbursement of federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds. In response to a question from Mr. Brown, she clarified that these were one-time funds. She recounted the effects on the budget of refunds, revenue lost because of the pandemic and the cost of pandemic management and gave an overview of the college's reserves, which stand at $24 million.
Ms. McMullen added the college is seeking efficiencies to alleviate the financial burden of pandemic management.
President Cardelle added that the college has submitted through SUNY a proposal requesting additional capital funding to renovate the Netzer Administration building with the goal of improving service to students.
Middle States Reaccreditation
Drs. Morgan-Zayacheck and Russo introduce themselves as the leaders of the college’s reaccreditation effort, in which about 80 members of the campus community are involved. Dr. Morgan-Zayachek shared that the college will host a reaccreditation-related site visit in 2023 and described the reaccreditation process, purview and purpose. She reviewed the standards for reaccreditation, noting that they have changed since the college’s last reaccreditation in 2013, and explained the form and function of the reaccreditation self-study, a reflective narrative that demonstrates the college’s efforts in pursuit of its strategic goals and mission.
In response to a question from Mr. Sniezek, Ms. McMullen affirmed that the college is working to update its emergency planning. Dr. Russo added that the accrediting body is allowing the college to thoroughly document the effects of COVID. Dr. Cardelle clarified that risk management, in general, is of interest to both the college and accreditors.
In response to a question from Mr. Brown, Dr. Morgan-Zayachek confirmed that there are financial and organizational ramifications for institutions that do not receive reaccreditations and that such institutions are compelled to take actions to qualify for reaccreditation. Dr. Cardelle described the organization of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, its workflow, authority and representatives.
Dr. Russo described how the college is conducting the self-study and the timeline for reaccreditation. She recapped progress up to the present point and briefly discussed the next steps of the process. She added that the self-study will mention Council in a chapter about governance and referred to a hand-out that poses questions for members.
Mr. Brown discussed the role of college councils in relation to state governance around the same, noting that the two may be inconsistent.
COVID Update
Ms. McMullen summarized the progress that the college has made in curtailing COVID, noting that there are four active cases within the campus community at the present time and that for about two weeks earlier this semester, there were no active cases. She added that indoor masking and some testing will continue as precautionary measures and that roughly 80% of all college employees and 96% of all students are fully vaccinated against COVID, while 3%-4% are exempt from the vaccination requirement.
Ms. McMullen thanked Dr. Georgeson for her continued participation in the COVID-19 Public Health Reporting Group.
ACT Report
Dr. Georgeson reported that the 2021 ACT conference, held virtually Oct. 15, featured a proposal to change the powers and duties of ACT members. Mr. Brown added that there is a wide disparity in how college councils function across SUNY and that the goal of the proposal is to identify and adopt best practices.
Good of the Order
Dr. Brenner stressed the importance of the development of an accreditation self-study that is complete, conscientious and accurate.
Upon motion of Dr. Georgeson, Mr. Brown adjourned the meeting at 5:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Hal Legg
Special Assistant to the President