Bruce Simon

The leader of the University Senate that represents SUNY Fredonia faculty and staff sought some support from the College Council that oversees the campus Wednesday. He didn’t get all he wanted.

Bruce Simon did ask for and receive a resolution from the council demanding higher funding across the entire SUNY system.

“There’s time for a lot of efforts by everyone here to help the governor’s office understand our situation, our value, our potential,” he said. “This is a long term issue where the state’s funding is essentially under water, if you take into account inflation.”

He called for Gov. Kathy Hochul to “continue the trajectory she’s put the state on of getting closer to real-dollar increases.” She should “put away the shovel and give us a ladder” to get out of the university’s financial hole.

Simon’s speech on the matter apparently helped convince the council to support his proposed resolution. However, when he asked the council to endorse all of the senate’s resolutions from October on, College Council President Frank Pagano balked.

“I haven’t talked to all the college council members. I’m sure we will support it,” Pagano said.

Later in the meeting, Simon brought the council support issue up again and eventually opined, “The faculty does not feel trust has been extended to us” by either SUNY Fredonia or the SUNY system in general.

The issue is inextricably tied up with University President Stephen Kolison’s decision to announce the end of 13 major programs, while not specifying any staff cuts. Simon said the faculty was not properly brought in on Kolison’s planning.

Pagano responded that there was a similar plan for cuts five years ago but university officials “kicked the can down the road.”

He added that Kolison is “proceeding very cautiously… I think he’s doing a good job.” He told Simon, “You need to tell your members to work with him.”

“We’ve been ready to work with him since July,” Simon replied. “All these codes of silence… we do not appreciate it. We object to the SUNY system’s handling of this.”

Pagano said that SUNY Fredonia officials “are trying to be as transparent as they can.”

“We all want the same thing for this institution, we all do,” said Kolison. “We are going to have to deal with this (deficit) ourselves or someone will do it for us.”

He promised that last week’s presentation about his plan for campus financial health will not be his last public outreach on the matter.

A little later, Simon went on some more about state aid — but was cut off by Pagano, who wanted to move the meeting along.

Notably, an executive session regarding campus personnel ended the meeting. Pagano got some talkback from a student when he kicked out everyone who is not on the council or a campus administrator.

“I assure you, those 13 majors are more important than you think,” the student said.

“Yeah, OK,” responded Pagano.