Officials move on, reveal plans at SUNY Fredonia
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There was plenty of the usual deficit-cutting rhetoric at the latest SUNY Fredonia University Council meeting. However, numbers were hard to come by -- in part because the official who used to run them was reassigned.
There was no financial report presented out loud at the Oct. 1 meeting, and the reassignment of former Vice President of Finance and Administration Wayne Lynch was held out as a reason for that. SUNY Fredonia President Stephen Kolison said Lynch is still on campus, but "transitioned" to work for the SUNY system's overall financial information office. Kolison said Lynch will be acting as his consultant until year's end.
Rachael Coon is acting as an interim comptroller for the campus, Kolison added. He said a national search for a new finance and administration vice president is underway. A search committee was formed, and Kolison hopes a hire can be announced in December.
University Council President Frank Pagano wondered if Lynch's time in Fredonia could be parlayed into more money the school. "He can influence. I wouldn't rule that out," Kolison replied.
"As far as SUNY Fredonia is concerned, he is no longer on our payroll," the campus president emphasized. "He is here in an advisory role."
Kolison went on to focus on two of his usual priorities, academic excellence and financial sustainability. SUNY Fredonia's new provost, Julie Gorlewski, later unveiled plans to make headway in those areas.
"We will focus heavily on enrollment, as we have," Kolison said. He also mentioned "aligning the academic administration with enrollment and financial realities."
He added, "We are continuing to look for ways to reduce costs. We have to, because we have a (SUNY-imposed) deadline to get out of a deficit situation."
The Buffalo News on Tuesday reported the Fredonia deficit has been whittled to $2.1 million after its editorial board met with SUNY Chancellor John King.
Kolison introduced Gorlewski to the council. She stated that while "it's important to note I've just finished 12 weeks here," she's been working hard to complete the program-updating work of her predecessor Judith Horowitz.
Gorlewski unveiled plans for several new programs. These include Bachelor of Science degree programs in healthcare administration and alternative energy management, an advanced certificate program for school district building leadership, and an online-based Masters of Music program intended for out-of-state and international students.
"You can cut and cut and cut, but you can't cut your way to success," Pagano later commented. He said admissions is SUNY Fredonia's greatest source of income, emphasizing that it needs programs that are attractive to potential students.
Gorlewski also mentioned plans to reorganize SUNY Fredonia's academic affairs structure. Instead of the current deans of campus schools, there will be just two deans: one for curriculum, the other for faculty. Leadership of individual schools will transfer to a department head system, with six division chiefs planned.
The provost said the plan will save SUNY Fredonia $500,000 a year. The current system is to be kept through the end of this school year, with the new structure partially implemented in autumn 2027 and fully in place by fall 2028.
Pagano began the meeting in a sour mood because only four members of the eight-member University Council were there. A fifth member came in later. (The council is supposed to have nine members, but one position is vacant.)
"We've gone through all this work to change the time and place (of meetings) for everybody, and they still don't show up," Pagano said. "If you want to be on the board, come -- or get out."