Updates on campus construction and administrative searches were two topics discussed at the SUNY Fredonia College Council meeting Wednesday.
After several years of construction in nearly every corner of campus, things are starting to look better.
Vice President of Finance and Administra-tion Karen Porpiglia reported the Maytum Hall project is nearly completed after years of delays.
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SUNY Fredonia President Virginia Horvath (left) gave a report on the administration searches at the College Council meeting Wednesday. Also pictured is College Council Chairman Frank Pagano.
"As of yesterday there are just eight more windows that need to be replaced at Maytum Hall. Interior renovations have begun and we are set to move back into Maytum beginning Jan. 2," she said.
Porpiglia also reported the science center construction being on target for fall of 2014.
The installation of the main structural steel is complete and 40 percent of the exterior masonry is complete.
Porpiglia added once the science center is complete and staff has moved it the rehabilitation of Houghton Hall will begin and the staff will temporarily move to Jewett Hall until those renovations are complete.
The Dods Hall Fitness Center is also on target to be completed in the spring.
"For the last couple of years the campus has been pretty torn up and it had to affect our campus tours and the way people felt about Fredonia," Vice President for Student Affairs David Herman said, pointing out the new buildings will attract students and their friends to enroll at SUNY Fredonia.
Next on the list of construction are the Rockefeller Arts Center addition and the townhouse residence halls.
Porpiglia warned the Rockefeller addition will close Varsity Drive but an access road from Ring Road to the Steele Hall parking lot will be made for traffic utilizing the parking lot.
She also reported recently receiving bids for the town house project. However the bids must be reviewed by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York before the lowest bid is revealed. Although Porpiglia did say the bids came in closer to the estimate than the first round of bids and the three lowest bids would allow for alternate options to be added to the project.
Just in time for Maytum Hall's completion, SUNY Fredonia President Virginia Horvath announced the appointment of Stephen Schillo as the vice president of Finance and Administration. Porpiglia has filled this interim position for the past two years. Horvath lauded Schillo's experience in both the public and private sectors. He will assume the position Jan. 22 and attend the next college council meeting Feb. 13.
Horvath said the search for a provost is going well with five finalists chosen and three interviews completed so far. She said the search for the provost may affect the timeline for the search for a dean of visual and performing arts.
In other business:
Herman also reported having an enrollment analysis done by consultants from Noel-Levitz and receiving positive reviews. He also reported increasing calling campaigns, scholarships for science majors and out-of-state students (specifically in the Erie, Pa., area) as well as participating in "Say Yes Buffalo" and reaching out to Hurricane Sandy victims to solve decreased enrollment problems.
A new budget allocation formula from the state could prove favorable for SUNY Fredonia, in that the new calculation will mean a $350,000 decrease in state support as opposed to the $1 million decrease with the old formula.
The college is looking to change its mission statement from the 423-word version it currently has to a more concise version which makes the college's mission clear and easily followed by the whole campus community. The mission statement is hoped to be passed by the University Senate at its first meeting of the new year.
The Fredonia College Foundation wanted to remind the community how easy it is to donate this holiday season by going to fredonia.edu and selecting "giving" or making a check out to the Fredonia College Foundation with a memo for the designated fund.
