November 25, 2008 07:24 am
—
By Denise Richardson
Staff Writer
The State University College at Oneonta
has tightened its belt for this academic year
and is preparing for tighter notches next
year.
``We are extending the selective freeze of
vacant positions and encouraging the vice
presidents to identify additional budgetary
savings,’’ SUCO President
Nancy Kleniewski said in an
e-mail Friday to update the
campus community in the
wake of meetings held by state
leaders.
Meanwhile, students across
the state face higher tuition
bills this spring and next year
under a plan approved by
SUNY trustees.
The board adopted a ``rational tuition’’
policy that would implement modest, annual
and predictable increases based on the
Higher Education Price Index, according to
a SUNY media release. The board adopted
a tuition increase for in-state undergraduate
students at two “units” of HEPI, or $310,
effective in the spring 2009 semester, which
annualized will be $620.
Annual tuition as of fall 2009 will be $4,970
under the SUNY board plan, and tuition increases
in later years would be based on
HEPI. Tuition has been $4,350 since 2003-04.
SUNY trustees also approved budget re-
quests for state funding in 2009-10
at its meeting Tuesday.
The state Legislature met for a
one-day special session last week
but took no action on the governor’s
proposed midyear budget
cuts.
Also last week, the SUNY Student
Assembly of the State University
of New York this month reaffirmed
its opposition to any budget
cuts to the SUNY system.
Decreases in state funds undermine
increases to tuition, a media
release said, essentially taxing students
through tuition revenue for
state services not related to their
education.
In this fiscal year, SUCO’s budget
has been cut by $2.4 million,
Kleniewski said, and the reduction
will grow to $2.7 million next
year, representing a 14.3 percent
decrease in state support.
``To date, these budget reductions
have been accommodated
through a combination of holding
positions vacant and related savings,’’
Kleniewski wrote. ``While
the proposed tuition increase will
provide additional revenues for
the spring 2009 semester, the financial
benefit of the tuition proposal
for next year is still uncertain
pending executive and legislative
action on the 2009-10 budget.’’
Kleniewski extended a selective
hiring freeze, requested vice
presidents to find other savings to
total $800,000 and imposed limits
on travel expenses, among other
measures.
``These measures are both necessary
and prudent at this time to
conserve financial resources now
and prepare the campus for any
further possible budgetary reductions
or unfunded costs next year,’’
Kleniewski wrote. ``Working together,
we can meet these budgetary
challenges.’’
Recently, State University College
of Technology at Delhi officials
said the campus was holding
open positions, limiting travel and
overtime expenses, using reserve
funds and turning down thermostats
to meet budget challenges.
The SUNY budget request also
is based on expanding entrepreneurial
activity and public-private
partnerships, plus management
and operational reforms, SUNY officials
said.
“The university’s budget request
reflects the current fiscal
crisis, ensures access for current
and future students, maintains
academic quality, and supports
research and economic development,”
SUNY Board Chairman
Carl Hayden said in a media release
last week.
“SUNY’s rational tuition plan
will help students and their families
better plan for future college
costs, and provide them and the
campuses the ability to invest
in academic quality initiatives,’’
Hayden said.
The release continued, ``All of
this assumes, of course, that there
are no additional reductions to
SUNY operating support.”
___
Denise Richardson can be reached
at 432-1000 or (800) 721-1000, ext.
213, or at. drichardson@thedailystar.
com.
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