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Challenges Ahead:
The following notes were submitted by our
planning consultant, David McFarland, as a
result of his meetings with multiple
constituencies on September 14-16, 2009, along
with this comment: "I did not mention an issue
unless it was endorsed by at least two people.
The issues are not mine but given to me
frequently from the many groups I interviewed."
Campus Constituencies:
Economy/resources – hiring, paying and
supporting faculty among virtually
everything else
Implementing a plan for increasing
diversity/inclusion of faculty, staff and
students
Rapid growth and use of information
technology–costs and the existing structure
Need strong enrollment management–should
not be adding more students than a program
can support
Managing current and future space
effectively without a facilities master plan
Balancing high tech and high touch
Retaining highly qualified faculty
Community Leaders:
$$$ New York State’s need for money
Having the courage to say no to NYS for
the small amount of money and soldiering on
Changing value/demand for
specialty/technical degrees vs. traditional
bachelor degree programs
Retirement of faculty and need to
replace and purchase those replacements
State budget, tuition increases;
increasing building endowments; student debt
Online colleges and institutions such as
Phoenix
Expenses of building and dorm
renovations and upgrades vs. competition in
competing for students
Keeping relevant majors
Accommodating a culturally diverse
student body
Retaining a larger portion of SUNY
Oneonta graduates
Town/student relations and values
Tradition: people want to do what they
have always done; huge inhibitor
Fear of the unknown–"new" is bad because
it is challenging
Don’t take a chance that might decrease
our ratings for the short term, even thought
there may be long term benefits
Positive night life for young people
Recruit and train board members and
non-profit CEOs
Predict, anticipate what is coming next;
do not be afraid to be ahead of the curve.
Prevent brain drain through encouraging
companies to expand or relocate to our
general area
Mineral extraction; how will it affect
quality of life
Enlarge housing and recreation
facilities while we enlarge educational
facilities; get community to increase
quality as college increases
For the leveraging of SUNY to be
effectively realized, a focus and support
for economic development has to occur,
concurrent with the investment in our
education. Otherwise we will continue to
spend more and not realize the benefits as
more and more young people leave NY for
better economies and lifestyles. The two
have to go hand in hand and the weight and
clout of SUNY to lobby for this will be
needed in Albany for this to occur
Last Updated: September 25, 2009
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