September 19, 2023
Student Q&A Session: Financial stability plan
Dear students,
Earlier today, we held a meeting with faculty, staff and campus leaders to discuss the financial stability plan, a crucial step towards building a strong future for SUNY Potsdam by addressing our fiscal challenges. As discussed, I wanted to share with you the recording of the discussion, along with additional information about our framework for fiscal health.
Learn more: Read the overview here.
SUNY Potsdam, like many educational institutions across the nation, faces fiscal challenges that require us to take proactive measures. Despite our diligent efforts to reduce costs over the years, the financial constraints that affect our campus have persisted, largely due to demographic changes affecting enrollment.
In light of these challenges, we have embarked on a comprehensive process to realign our offerings and staffing with the level of student need and campus capacity that we can sustainably support. As part of this process, we are reviewing 14 programs for discontinuance over the course of the next few years. We intend to engage with the Faculty Senate and the campus governance structure to explore these proposals in the coming weeks. You can find the timeline for this review process on the website as well.
Please know that if you are enrolled in one of the impacted programs, your academic journey remains our priority. Regardless of any actions taken through this process, every single current active SUNY Potsdam student would still receive support to complete their degree here, enroll in a different major or transfer elsewhere, based on their personal circumstances and desires. All can graduate with a SUNY Potsdam degree in that field if they wish. Students in programs that are recommended for discontinuance will be contacted by their respective Dean's offices to plan advising sessions. During these sessions, you will receive personalized support and assistance in creating individualized degree completion plans that align with your academic goals and aspirations.
This is critical: None of these recommendations are based on the rigor of those programs, the quality of the faculty, or the experiences of our alumni who hold these degrees. We have simply had more programs than are supported by enrollment revenue. This framework is designed to guide us toward financial stability and strategic growth, ensuring a strong future for SUNY Potsdam.
As we navigate these changes, we must do so with compassion and care, remembering the sense of family that defines our community. Change is never easy, and we recognize that each of you may be personally impacted in some way.
However, it is precisely this sense of family that will enable us to face these challenges head-on and emerge stronger on the other side. Together, we can guide SUNY Potsdam through this period of transition, and, together, we will overcome these challenges.
In addition to the resources available on the website, I want to offer you an opportunity to engage directly with campus leadership. I, along with other members of our administration, will be hosting a student Q&A session to provide further insights.
Additionally, members of the administration will be available to attend upcoming Student Government Association meetings as requested, to help keep the lines of dialogue open.
We encourage you to join us to get answers to any questions you may have, and gain a deeper understanding of the plan's implications.
Your feedback is important to us, and we welcome your questions and comments, which can be submitted through the form on our website.
Sincerely,
Suzanne
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Suzanne R. Smith, Ph.D.
President
SUNY Potsdam