OBSERVER file photo At least nine staff reductions have happened this fall.

On the day before the official one-week Thanksgiving break at the State University of New York at Fredonia, staff members received notice of additional reductions being made to the staff.

In a letter sent by President Stephen Kolison on Nov. 20, he again touched on the structural deficit that has plagued the university for more than a decade while “outlining work for the fall semester to realign our campus staffing with student enrollment and need.” Kolison’s three points include: revenue generation and growth; savings through enhanced efficiency initiatives; and strategic reductions in expenditures.

Cost-cutting saving measures last week included six notices of retrenchment that included three academic lecturers and three staff members. According to faculty members, this brings the total count of retrenchment notices to nine during the last year.

Defined in a contract with staff, retrenchment occurs “as a result of financial exigency, reallocation of resources, reorganization of degree or curriculum offerings or requirements, reorganization of academic or administrative structures, programs or functions or curtailment of one or more programs or functions University-wide or at such level of organization of the

University as a College, department, unit, program or such other level of organization of the University as the Chancellor, or designee, deems appropriate.”

Tensions had been rising earlier this fall between staff and administration, according to a letter from nine professors that was obtained by the OBSERVER. At issue was pay increases during the financial crisis on campus, noting “in 2025 the management confidential employees (president, provost, vice presidents, deans, and others) received $124,071 in raises, while the campus drowns in debt and faculty and staff positions are being eliminated.

“At a faculty forum, the interim provost stated that every $50-60,000 the university saves helps to save a neighbor’s job. Apparently giving themselves raises is more important than two people’s jobs on campus. When she was asked about her salary at a student forum, she replied ‘Would anyone in this room work for free? No. I won’t either.’ When asked about faculty course releases being taken away, she said they’ll do it for the mentorship. The institution and students’ education never come first for this administration.”

Since 2020, significant enrollment declines have hurt not just Fredonia, but a number of other SUNY campuses. Potsdam and Buffalo State also have faced financial difficulties that stem from lesser numbers.

According to administrators, there is some progress with the deficit. Once at $15 million it currently stands at $5 million due to decisions over the last two years.

As for the recent reductions, Kolison told staff in the memo that a review of all programs offered by the university is continuing. “These decisions are serious and difficult for everyone, and unfortunately, we periodically will have to take these kinds of actions,” he said.

Students will begin to return to the campus this weekend for the remainder of the fall semester. In recent years, there have been protests regarding the elimination of program and staff.

“We are committed to transparency as much as possible,” Kolison said in the memo. “However, please understand that we cannot discuss specific positions or individuals impacted by these steps. What we can assure you is that we follow all necessary collective bargaining processes. We ask that our campus community members respect the privacy of those affected