The leader of SUNY Fredonia was booed as he exited off the stage after delivering a campus-wide address announcing more than a dozen programs are on the chopping block to deal with a deficit.
It was a packed auditorium mixed with students and faculty to hear SUNY Fredonia President Stephen Kolison’s speech entitled “Ensuring a brighter future”. However, students became outraged at what they heard.
President Kolison addressed a $17 million deficit saying they’re planning to cut 13 programs at the university.
The Fredonia leader noted that trends in higher education have changed and they continue to deal with a downward trend in enrollment. Enrollment at the school has been dropping since 2014 and that means less tuition which is the biggest share of revenue on the campus.
Fredonia's president said they have developed a “roadmap” focusing on three pillars to improve fiscal stability:
- Revenue Generation
- Strategic Reductions in Expenditures
- Efficiency Enhancement
WKBWPresentation before SUNY Fredonia Wednesday.
Kolison explained the campus will work toward improving enrollment by trying to recruit 400 students a year starting in 2024.
“If we fail to adapt to those changes, we will be risking and squandering our future,” remarked Kolison.
Kolison explains that expenses outweigh revenue for the university. SUNY provided an additional $2.8 million to Fredonia, but the leader said the school’s “structural deficit” continues and now they must act to close the shortfall.
Included in the 13 programs to be cut are some language majors, art history, middle childhood, and early childhood:
- BA Visual Arts New Media: Art History
- BA French
- BA French Adolescence Education
- BS Industrial Management
- BS Mathematics: Middle Childhood Specialists (Grades 5-9)
- BA Philosophy
- BA Sociology
- BA Spanish
- BA Spanish Adolescence Education
- BFA Visual Arts New Media: Ceramics
- BFA Visual Arts New Media: Photographing
- BFA Visual Art New Media: Sculpture
- BSED Early Childhood
Some in the crowd gasped at the list and delivered a big outburst. “What the hell", shouted someone in the audience. “You kidding me?”
“I know this is painful for many people in our community. I know and I feel your pain as well,” described Kolison.
Some audience members laughed at his statement.
“I can not overstate that I need your support in this endeavor,” stated Kolison.
The school leader said there would be an area on the President’s page website for questions from the campus community. That sparked another outburst from the crowd, upset that he refused to take questions at the address.
“Just calm down,” Kolison told audience members. “Calm down? Calm down?,” replied a student.
The president did not take any questions and he was booed as he left the stage.
Students tell 7 News they are very upset.
“The students didn’t know any of this was happening until this morning, so a bunch of students went to class and woke up hearing — my major is now being completely destroyed,’’ replied Rae Wieser, Fredonia student
“It affects everyone because all the students need to take courses in those majors,” responded Henry Domst, student. “I don’t want to see anything cut.”
However, all students in those current majors will be able to complete their coursework.
As part of the plan, the school will create new programs in clinical mental health counseling and offer MBA degrees.
“We plan to add seven new programs, such as a masters program,” declared Kolison.
On Tuesday, members of the University United Professions staged a silent protest against proposed cuts at Fredonia and are calling on SUNY and New York State to provide more funding.
Following the announcement from Fredonia, the UUP issued a statement saying the union "vows to fight program cuts at SUNY Fredonia."
“UUP will stand against any and all attempts by SUNY and administration to cut programs at SUNY Fredonia and any other SUNY campus,” said UUP President Frederick E. Kowal. "Today’s announcement is no more than a continuation of the systematic dismantling of SUNY that started under former Gov. Cuomo. Further, it is a direct attack on the union workers who do the work of educating students at SUNY Fredonia and SUNY campuses across the state.”
Students tell me they expect to put more heat on this university by protesting these decisions.
“Every major is outraged. Everyone is outraged. No communication has gone to the students,” replied Wieser. "If he wants to fix this campus, he needs to talk to the body.”
