Roadmap to Financial Sustainability: Questions and Answers

We are discontinuing programs where students are not enrolling and investing in areas of potential growth and proven student demand. SUNY Fredonia’s deficit is currently $10 million, and we need to make difficult choices that we believe will, in the long term, put Fredonia on sound financial footing. To do this requires strategically reviewing academic programs, their respective enrollments and market trends on a regular basis, and then making the necessary adjustments.

The following programs would be discontinued and phased out over the next three to four academic years

• B.A. Visual Arts and New Media, Art History

• B.A. French

• B.A. French: Adolescence Education

• B.S. Industrial Management

• B.S. Mathematics: Middle Childhood Specialist (grades 5-9)

• B.A. Philosophy

• B.A. Sociology

• B.A. Spanish

• B.A. Spanish: Adolescence Education

• B.F.A. Visual Arts and New Media, Ceramics

• B.F.A. Visual Arts and New Media, Photography

• B.F.A. Visual Arts New Media, Sculpture

• B.S.Ed. Early Childhood (Birth - Grade 2)

We want to make it clear that inclusion on this list does NOT reflect poorly on that program’s quality or its dedicated faculty and staff.

Although certain programs will be discontinued, we will continue to offer classes in some of these areas, as appropriate, to support our general education program (Fredonia Foundations) and coursework for other degree-granting programs. We may also continue to support minors in some of these areas. Again, students in the impacted programs will have the opportunity to complete their degree in their chosen major at SUNY Fredonia.

Students in the impacted programs will have the opportunity to complete their degree in their chosen major at SUNY Fredonia. We will continue to teach the courses for the majors for all students currently enrolled. 

Although significant steps have been taken in recent years to reduce budgeted expenditures, the President and his Cabinet will continue to emphasize a disciplined approach to cost management, identifying areas for optimization without compromising the quality of education, student life, or commitment to faculty and staff.

An analysis was done of enrollment and graduation rates for 76 undergraduate programs in existence more than 3 years:

• A three-year average enrollment (years 2020-2021 – 2022-2023) was calculated. Programs with average enrollments under 15 were identified.  A total of 22 programs were noted.
• A three-year average of graduating students (years 2020-2021 – 2022-2023) was calculated.  Programs with average graduations under 4 were identified.  A total of 23 programs were noted.
• A five-year enrollment trend (years 2018-2019 – 2022-2023) was calculated.  Programs with trends below the university average trend (-27.9%) were identified.  A total of 38 programs were noted.

Programs appearing in two or more of these lists were considered for discontinuance.

Criteria for Program Discontinuation and Enrollment Data

No. SUNY Fredonia is not closing. This is a vibrant university that has existed for almost two centuries. The roadmap we are advancing will enhance our capacity for a stronger and brighter future far into a new century. SUNY and New York State continue to make strategic investments across the system. Fredonia’s vision for the future is designed to strategically add new programs while reducing expenditures on academic programs that no longer are aligned with student needs.

 This process does envision a better alignment of positions with revenue over the next several years. However, it is not possible to predict the number of positions that will be impacted at this time due to uncertainties in retirements and attrition. We are committed to following the contractual and civil service rules and requirements. As determinations are made, we will provide support for impacted employees.

We will ensure anyone impacted has the required notice per their contract and that information on transitioning benefits will be provided in a timely manner to affected employees so they can review and plan. That information is available now based on union affiliation, but again, we do not have a list of impacted employees at this time.

No. We will continue to prioritize hiring:

• to support the health and safety of the campus community;

• in those areas that would aid in student recruitment and retention and any required leadership of those areas; and

• in those areas demonstrating high-need and/or high enrollment. 

We believe that a blanket hiring freeze is not in the interest of our strategic growth initiatives.

Should there be any endowed funds that support the impacted programs, the Foundation will contact the donor to discuss alternative uses for the funds. Because the process occurs over a period of time, any Foundation dollars will be used in a manner that best meets the needs of that program and its students in accordance with any donor restrictions. The Fredonia College Foundation will direct any remaining unexpended funds to campus priorities that most closely align with the gift’s original intent.  If the donor is deceased with no other contact, the Foundation will work with key campus stakeholders to identify University funding priorities that most closely align with the donor’s original gift agreement.

All SUNY Fredonia degrees are as strong and meaningful as the day they were issued. Program discontinuations are not a reflection on that program’s quality, its dedicated faculty, and staff, or on the alumni who previously earned their degrees. 

The BSEd in "Early Childhood Education" leads to a recommendation for NYSED certification to teach children Birth through Grade Two. Our "Early Childhood/Childhood" major is a separately registered program that leads to a recommendation for two NYSED certifications to teach children Birth through Grade Two and Grades One through Six.  The "Early Childhood/Childhood" Major will not be changed due to the discontinuation of the stand alone "Early Childhood" Program. Students interested in being certified to teach at the Early Childhood Level can enroll in the Early Childhood/Childhood Major.  We will continue to recruit for and offer this major without change to its requirements. 

President Kolison and his administration actively advocate for SUNY Fredonia. President Kolison meets with and coordinates with other comprehensive sector presidents. He communicates with and meets regularly with local, county, and state representatives. President Kolison also coordinates advocacy efforts with UUP and University Senate. He encourages College Council members to advocate. Members of the Board of Trustees regularly visit SUNY campuses including Fredonia. 

No. The program has been proposed to be discontinued but there will be further discussion and input before a final decision is made.

SUNY Fredonia does not plan to offer another retirement incentive program.

There is a perception that if the 13 degree programs are discontinued we will have gutted the liberal arts. If all 13 programs are discontinued, over 25% of the the remaining 68 bachelor’s degrees are in the arts, over 25% are in the sciences, and over 25% are in the other humanities, with just under 12% in business and nearly 6% in education. Thus, over 80% of our undergraduate degree programs would still be in the liberal arts.

Programs are being discontinued but that does not mean that we will not offer courses in those disciplines nor that we are no longer a liberal arts campus.

Program Health and the proposals for discontinuation have separate and different goals and outcomes and used different data. The rank in the lists for these are not necessarily going to be the same. The accounting MBA makes accounting more attractive to students as it leads to the required hours to sit for the CPA. Online delivery will significantly increase the potential students who can access the program.

No, art and art history courses are not all being cut. What is being proposed is to discontinue the major in Art History. We will still teach art and art history courses. Students will still have access to an array of art and humanities courses and disciplines.

No, the proposed discontinuations were derived through a completely independent process. Both processes did use the same enrollment data.

No, it is just the majors/degree programs. Courses needed for other majors, minors, general education, etc. will not be eliminated.

The programs under consideration for discontinuation are on the list because they have low enrollments in them. While they may be attractive areas for students, very few students are enrolling in those programs.

Yes, Applications from students applying into one of the 13 programs being considered for deactivation/discontinuation are being reviewed and acceptances are being sent based on our normal criteria.

The campus is communicating with accepted students. This communication includes information a link to the recent campus announcement, notification that their program is under consideration for deactivation, and a message that the final decision about the long-term future of the program is expected mid-April, 2024.

Students are provided with contact information from Admissions in the event that they have concerns or questions.

No, minors in these programs are not being proposed for discontinuation.

SUNY Fredonia is planning for a longer-term financial stability plan, and is considering a combination of direct costs, indirect costs, and opportunity costs. When appropriate, a detailed analysis of the financial savings plan will be shared with the campus. According to the recent SUNY Report on Long-Term Enrollment and Financial Sustainability,  the system is predicted to have a $1 Billion annual shortfall in the next ten years if campuses continue with their current operational needs and cost structure. Each campus in the system must focus on their strongest programs by growing in areas of distinction and enrollment demand while considering the development and maintenance of other programs more "collaboratively and regionally". Optimizing our campus's academic portfolio is a longer-term financial stability strategy and thus, a direct cost analysis would not capture this broader strategic approach when considering the opportunity costs and indirect costs of maintaining low-enrolled programs.