SUNY-Fredonia: Enrollment, Morale, and Finance Problems

Stephen Kershnar

Losing Ground

Dunkirk-Fredonia Observer

May 21, 2019

SUNY-Fredonia is similar to a ship listing in a storm. The issue is what, if anything, should be done to right it.

The college faces problems of enrollment, morale, and finance. First, consider enrollment. The number of students has declined by roughly 20% from a decade ago. In response to declining enrollment, the college now accepts a higher percentage of students who apply than in years past. Specifically, 53% of (first-year) applicants were accepted in 2014, 76% in 2018. Recently, the college has had large entering classes but because of declining retention, overall enrollment has, roughly, held steady or declined.  

Likely as a result of the greater acceptance rate, the caliber of students dropped. This can be seen in part in the significant increase in the percentage of freshmen from the bottom half and decrease in students in the top quarter of their high school class (2014 to 2018). In 2012, SUNY Central viewed Fredonia as similar to less selective SUNY schools (for example, Buffalo State, Farmingdale, and Old Westbury) rather than its more natural peers (Brockport, Oneonta, and Oswego). The retention rate declined, although it is unclear if this is the result of declining student ability. In 2012, Fredonia’s retention rate (for freshmen) was worse than the average for comprehensive SUNY colleges and it has dropped since then.

Second, consider morale. Faculty morale appears to be poor. Evidence that it is worse than peer SUNY colleges can be seen in a recent survey (COACHE survey). The survey indicates that the faculty take a dim view of the administration. It is reported to me, although I have not independently verified it, that an internal study indicates that Fredonia students’ view of the faculty has gotten worse. It is unclear if this is due to a decline in student ability, a decline in faculty teaching ability, faculty being insensitive to an increasingly diverse student body, or something else.

The poor relation between faculty and the administration can also be seen in part in the no-confidence motion that some faculty put forth in the university senate. A procedural vote on it indicated that it would likely pass. The president of the college (Virginia Horvath) retired, although it is unclear if she did so in response to the looming no-confidence vote. The underlying argument for the no-confidence vote was signed by a number of senior faculty including those from art, biology, English, math, music, and philosophy. Not only is the president retiring, but the provost (head of academic affairs) has been a finalist for the presidency of several universities and is clearly looking to leave, albeit as part of a perfectly normal desire to move up the academic food chain. Thus, at the top, academic leadership has one foot out the door. The senate took the unusual step of inviting an outside study team onto the campus to diagnose the school’s problems.

The poor relation between the administration and faculty can also be seen in that the university senate had an in-depth discussion of the provost’s plan to radically restructure the academic affairs division and, as a transition plan, eliminate chair positions in four departments (disclosure: philosophy is one of them). It voted against these changes. The provost (Terry Brown) announced that despite the senate’s vote, the restructuring will occur anyway, the senate be damned. This despite promising that she wouldn’t make such a change if the faculty didn’t buy into it. Her reasoning was that the university is sinking financially and the restructuring will not only save desperately needed money but also allow the college to better serve students with a 21st Century design. The discussion over the restructuring plan was accompanied by charges of miscalculation and bad faith on both sides.

Third, consider the college’s finances. The college will receive a $3.5 million dollar loan next year from SUNY Central. It is thus in danger of going into receivership, that is, having adult supervision.

The college’s problems are related. The declining student ability, number, and retention and increased acceptance rate are likely related. Declining enrollment creates financial difficulty. The difficulty worsens the relation between administration and faculty and lowers morale. The allegedly worsening view of the students toward faculty is, perhaps, in part the result of the change in (average) student ability and demographics that in turn are a response to declining enrollment.

To right the ship, the college will probably have to take several steps. First, it will have to shrink in size. This might be done by having fewer employees (administrators, faculty, and staff) and, perhaps, fewer programs. This might be done bluntly (via hiring freeze or uniform cuts) or not.

Second, the school will have to make a choice as to whether it wants to be similar to its historical peers or weaker comprehensive SUNY colleges. That is, it will have to choose between better students and more students. On some accounts and aside from its powerful presence in the arts, the university lacks a distinctive identity. This might not be a bad thing, though, as this is likely also true for its peers as well.

Third, relations between the faculty and administration need to be repaired or, at least, stabilized. The administration has lost respect for the university senate. Perhaps this is a good thing because faculty unduly focus on parochial matters or don’t appreciate the college’s financial straits. Also, the senate has a significant number of members who are not tenure-track faculty, specifically, contingent faculty, staff, and students. This has increasingly democratized the campus, but weakened the senate. This also might be a good reason to give the senate’s decisions less weight. On the other hand, the faculty have more experience at the college, because, in general, they’ve been there longer, are more talented academics, and bring in more perspectives.

Fredonia State won’t be shuttered. It’s too big to fail. Still, the school either needs to face its enrollment, morale, and finance problems or learn to live with them.