[Important Information for Employees] November Campus Update

[Ken Knelly]

Dear Campus Colleagues,

I want to focus this month's update on gratitude. This week's holiday is a
time each year we are drawn toward this, and there is much to be thankful
for today.

First, a special thank you to everyone’s contributions and support for a
successful Black Solidarity Day earlier this month. The wide-ranging
presentations and topics covered were relevant and comprehensive. It was an
incredible opportunity to learn something new. I also want to recognize the
student leaders who helped faculty senators develop not only an updated
Black Solidarity Day resolution but were catalysts in the formation of a
new academic policy. A policy I endorsed and fittingly signed on
Black Solidarity Day.

This year's program agenda was filled with presentations by dozens of
teaching faculty, staff and students. The academic scholarship and
expertise brought to the event were outstanding. All who participated
walked away with new understandings and knowledge. The day also featured a
keynote presentation by Dr. Ricardo Nazario y Colón, senior vice chancellor
for diversity, equity and inclusion and SUNY's chief diversity officer, who
noted we are one of only a few SUNY campuses to recognize the day in such
an impactful way.

I also want to draw your attention to two upcoming events organized by the
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion division. The DEI Lavender Ceremony, a
celebration
that recognizes LGBTQ students of all races and ethnicities and
acknowledges their leadership, success, and achievements, is set for Thursday,
Dec. 14 at 4 p.m. And the SUNY Plattsburgh 2024 National Day of Racial
Healing will be held Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024 from 10 a.m to 3 p.m.

*Fall Census*
Next, I want to thank the Office of Institutional Effectiveness for their
work on the final fall census report, attached to this message. The report
describes the enrollment changes happening in real-time at SUNY
Plattsburgh. One of many encouraging data points in the report is the fact
that overall fall-to-fall student retention has increased. Fall 2021 to
fall 2022 undergraduate retention was 78 percent and fall 2022 to fall
2023 overall undergraduate retention now stands at 81 percent.

However, the fall 2022 to fall 2023 retention among our first time,
full-time students stands at 74 percent, a slight increase from last year’s
retention rate of 73 percent. This highlights our next area of emphasis and
work and is spelled out in the first two pillars of our Plattsburgh Next
strategic plan. It will also be an effort benefitting from the use of the
Student Success data dashboards that have been developed and deployed
because of the hard work of many dedicated staff members in Information
Technology Services and Institutional Effectiveness.

*Recruitment*
After two successful fall open houses brought more than 300 families to explore
our campus, the admissions office work is fully focused on the next class
of Cardinals. I am thankful for the work in recruiting, admitting, and
yielding the incoming class. So far, undergraduate first-year admissions
has seen a 14 percent increase in applications over a year ago, to 4,772.
This is on top of last year's strong pace due to the SUNY-wide free
application period. Additionally, we have sent 2,516 acceptances to date
versus zero at this time a year ago. With a full team in place,
undergraduate admissions is reviewing completed application files in a
timely manner. The application and scholarship review processes have also
been redesigned to automate many tasks, leading to greater efficiency and
speed to decision.

It is important to recognize that the work of student recruiting is more
than processing. So far this fall, the team has participated in 256 high
school visits, 111 college fairs and hosted 3,705 campus visitors. Other
events include virtual academic meetings, in-person accepted student
receptions and direct faculty outreach. Graduate admissions also continues
to see growth in applications so far, up 67 percent over a year ago to 117.
Graduate admissions has been hosting both in-person and virtual information
sessions and participated in more than 20 graduate fairs to expand the
number of inquiries and cultivate relationships with students already in
the pipeline.

*Budget*
I also want to thank the university budget office for helping prepare our
fall campus state-side budget update meetings, which conclude this week.
>From faculty chairs and other campus leaders, it has been important to
share the context and breadth of our spending plans and future, as well as
to acknowledge and celebrate the hard work over the past seven years across
divisions to align revenues and expenses.

Based on this diligent hard work, adding in our receipt of the best state
allocation in 20 years, and further evidence that student enrollment is
stabilizing, this fiscal year will not require any new or additional
reductions beyond the commitments made over the past three fiscal years. As
a further point, SUNY system administration monitors the fiscal health of
all 64 institutions. I am proud to report that our university is viewed as
a financially responsible campus with sufficient reserves and capacity to
grow.


*Giving Tuesday and Graduation*
Two other points of gratitude are ahead. This month, we have an
opportunity to help transform the lives of our Cardinal students. Giving
Tuesday, held annually on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, is a global
day of giving aimed at unleashing the power of people and organizations to
transform their communities through generosity. With a gift to the
Plattsburgh College Foundation, you can help ensure every student has the
opportunity to achieve their goals inside and outside of the classroom. You
can give online here
<https://alumni.plattsburgh.edu/s/1603/bp19/interior.aspx?sid=1603&gid=1&pgid=2912&cid=6727&ecid=6727&appealcode=23FES13A>
.

Finally, the culmination of our students' academic journey is set for 10
a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16. Winter Commencement is a highlight of the
university careers of these students. I hope you are able to attend, either
as faculty in regalia or as a volunteer serving in a range of roles.

Thanks again for all each of you do at this busy time of the year for
members of our Cardinal community. Every action, every contribution, and
every bit of support is meaningful and impactful.


*Alexander Enyedi, Ph.D.*
President, SUNY Plattsburgh
159 Hawkins Hall
101 Broad Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
(Office) 518-564-2010 <+1-518-564-2010>
www.plattsburgh.edu
 [image: SUNY Plattsburgh Logo]
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