SPARC: Strategic Planning And Resource Council

Summary of “Planning Assumptions”
(based on SPARC workshop 8/20/09, SPARC meeting 10/6/09, Open Forum 11/16/09)

Planning Assumptions: What we expect from our environment in the next five years.

In the coming three to five years, the following factors are expected to have significant impacts upon the College:

The diversity of the potential applicant pool will increase as the population of NY State becomes more diverse.
Attracting academically talented students will be a challenge in the face of increased competition both within and outside of SUNY.
State support for operations will decrease.
Graduate, international and out-of-state students will represent populations which could be more aggressively recruited.
The pool of applicants for full-time faculty positions will diversify and remain strong.
Expectations for assessment and accountability will increase.
The College’s relationship with the community will become increasingly interdependent.

The following factors were also identified in the process as potentially significant:

State support for capital projects will remain stable or increase slightly.
Gifts and grants will increase moderately.
SUNY flexibility may increase opportunities for entrepreneurial activity.
Tuition revenues will either remain stable or increase by the rate of inflation.
Demand for on-campus housing will increase slightly.
The need for classroom and office space will increase.
There will be a greater level of instability and uncertainty.

Last Updated: November 20, 2009