[Important Information for Employees] March Campus Update

[Office of the President]

Dear Campus Community,

I hope that each of you were able to have a good spring break last week.
Whether you were out of town or absorbed the slower campus pace, it was a
good opportunity to regroup ahead of the balance of the semester.

A good bit of my time last week was spent visiting with alumni and friends
of the university in Los Angeles and San Francisco. These are Cardinals
invested in SUNY Plattsburgh who credit the campus with helping to create
for them a lifetime of opportunity. They look back fondly on their time
here. Their generous investments in our work and campus are appreciated.

This Friday morning, we will host a short visit by SUNY Chancellor John B.
King, Jr., who is working to visit all 64 campuses this semester. He will
be able to see in person, as he meets with faculty, staff, and students,
just what these alumni spoke to on our visits last week -- that SUNY
Plattsburgh is a special place with the power to change lives.


*Enrollment*
Admissions' efforts for summer and fall 2023 continue to advance well. As
of this week we have 9,617 applications, with nearly 6,000 acceptances out
to prospective students. Undergraduate applications are tracking 25.9
percent above this time last year, largely due to the SUNY free application
period, and acceptances are tracking 19.1 percent above this time last
year. I appreciate the work of the admissions staff, faculty, and others
who are all actively engaged in yield efforts with these accepted students.

Part of the effort to gain deposits and enrollment were accepted student
receptions held last week in four locations across the state. A total of
129 families participated. Accepted students and their families met with
admissions representatives, other staff, and teaching faculty to learn more
about our university. Other yield efforts include personal outreach via
email, text, and phone calls. I want to acknowledge the work that goes into
this and the many faculty who have been partnering  by reaching out to
accepted students in their departments through the Slate portal. We will
know more about deposit numbers as we arrive at the May 1 deadline, but we
are on pace to hit our enrollment goal of 1,410 new undergraduate students
and 290 new graduate students for Fall 2023.

This upcoming Saturday, and again on Saturday, April 8, we will host spring
open houses. Bus trips and overnight visits for prospective New York City
area students will be held in conjunction with open houses. About 350
students are already registered for an open house event.

And yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet 100 8th grade students from
Northeastern Clinton Middle School visiting campus for the IBAC -- I've
Been Admitted to College program. This program introduces SUNY Plattsburgh
to North Country students and helps showcase the myriad of things we offer
to future Cardinals. I want to thank the faculty, staff, students and
Burghy who help make each IBAC event a memorable day for these area
middle-schoolers.

*Budget*
There is good news so far within the New York state budget process. Both
the state Assembly and Senate released spending plans in response to Gov.
Kathy Hochul's executive budget. This process will play out over the next
week and change, so continued advocacy where you are able can help the
campus and SUNY system.

Increased state operating aid to individual campuses, which has remained
flat for years and was included in the governor's plan, was maintained in
the legislative plans. While neither the Senate or Assembly included the
governor's proposed tuition increase, both added more state operating aid
as an offset. This is an important development and one that would help us
as we apply this to increased costs.

The state proposals also maintain the added funds for the new faculty lines
created last year and add money to continue narrowing the "TAP gap" -- the
difference between tuition billed to the student and that paid for by state
aid. These and other developments, such as the inclusion of one-time funds
for technology upgrades, are important for our growth and sustainability.

Two other important advancements: The inclusion in the Senate plan of an
allowance for nursing simulators to meet up to one-third of clinical
requirements, and the inclusion in the Senate version of academic program
review reform that would shorten the time for new program approval. While
neither may make the final state budget bill, their advancement is an
important step toward active conversations and eventual approval.

Our own work toward fiscal stability of the campus will be informed by
these developments as the divisional vice presidents continue to work on
our spending plans for 2023-2024. More details on that will be in next
month's update.


*Office Hours and Suggestion Box*
While the Hawkins Hall office receives lighting updates, paint, and a few
other changes over the next few months, the Office of the President is now
temporarily located on the second floor of Redcay Hall. Even so, I am still
holding this semester's office hours.

Office hours over the past couple years have been a good way for me to hear
ideas directly from you about campus. I have appreciated each connection
and insight. You can inquire about an appointment at
*plattsburgh.edu/officehours* <http://plattsburgh.edu/officehours>. Dates
for the balance of the spring are:

   - Tuesday, Apr. 4 from 10 a.m. to Noon
   - Monday, May 8 from Noon to 2 p.m.

On the same webpage link is a new option: A place to share your ideas and
suggestions. As we have outlined in the Plattsburgh Next strategic plan, we
must focus on our strengths and sustainability to grow in the future. Among
the keys to this success are ideas and suggestions from you. I hear many of
these as I visit with you across campus, but this is another direct way to
reach out with your thoughts that can help us reach our shared goals. Go to
*plattsburgh.edu/suggestions* <http://plattsburgh.edu/suggestions>.

Please accept my heartfelt thanks for all each of you do to support our
students, each other, and this university. SUNY Plattsburgh is a truly
special place and, as our alumni tell me, a place that changed their lives.

All the best,

Alex Enyedi
President
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