[Important Information for Employees] Campus Update | April-May

[Office of the President]

Dear Cardinal Community,

I am writing to share campus updates as we enter the final two weeks of the
spring semester. This is always the busiest time on any university campus,
one filled with energy, anticipation, and stress.

I want to thank each of you for your commitment to our students and for all
of your efforts this full academic year. It defines who we are as a campus
and I know first-hand how much our students appreciate you.

*State Budget*
However, your work and investment isn't only valued here, it is being
recognized in Albany. SUNY system and SUNY Plattsburgh were winners in the
just-concluded budget season, with the full continuation of funding from
last year's budget allocation and an additional $1.3 million this upcoming
fiscal year in new unrestricted funds for our campus. We are grateful to
Gov. Kathy Hochul, Sen. Dan Stec, Assemb. Billy Jones and Assemb. Matt
Simpson, who are advocates for this campus.

The new unrestricted funding for 2024-2025 represents a 9 percent increase
over a year earlier. An additional $14,000 for research activity and
$86,000 to support student internships was also included.

Continuing from the current fiscal year budget was the
increased unrestricted general fund support of $2.16 million -- an 18
percent increase from the year before. Continuing for next fiscal year are
the added $39,000 in food insecurity to support the Cardinal Cupboard,
$250,000 in mental health for the Wellness Center, $539,000 for students
with disabilities for the new Accessibility Resources Office, $232,000 in
internship opportunity support and $50,000 in research investment.

This is the best two-year period budget allocation for SUNY Plattsburgh in
five decades. Additionally, the new state budget raises the Tuition
Assistance Program (TAP) family annual income threshold up to $125,000 and
increases the minimum award for eligible students. There is also a
provision for $600,000 more for the SUNY Educational Opportunity Program
(EOP) across the system.

These investments improve access to higher education for North Country
students and in all of New York, ensuring we have the means to address
student basic needs, support campus operating expenses, and help preserve
our financial stability.

*Enrollment*
As we process the added resources, we are also working hard to bring in the
next class of Cardinals.

On everyone's mind continues to be the debacle that is the roll-out for the
new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Nationally, this
delay is severely impacting the ability for students and families to fully
consider grants and aid options as they evaluate acceptance  offers. On our
end, we shifted our deposit deadline to June 1 for all majors except
nursing, which is now May 15. We have also stepped up communication and
outreach efforts to assist prospective students and families. Our
admissions team is steadfast in their work toward the fall 2024 goal of
1,365 new undergraduate students. Graduate admissions is 94 percent of
their fall goal of 335.

For context, in a typical year Student Financial Service initiates the
distribution of award summaries to students in early December. This year,
due to the five month delay stemming from the rollout of the new FAFSA,
award summaries began going out from our campus on April 18. As
anticipated, both the number of year-to-date FAFSAs received by the
university and the number of award summaries sent to students are
considerably lower compared to the previous year. Total FAFSA submissions
(new and continuing students) are down 13 percent and the number of
financial packages are only down 6 percent, a credit to the work of Student
Financial Services, ITS, admissions and others.

In response, admissions is prioritizing its efforts to facilitate deposits
by cultivating relationships with accepted students and sharing why SUNY
Plattsburgh is the right place to continue their academic journey. Also,
admissions just conducted the largest yield event for the fall 2024 class
through the Spring 2024 Open House and bus trip. The campus experienced an
energy-filled, vibrant weekend where approximately 850 applicants and their
families enjoyed the Cardinal experience. This is an ongoing process with a
high level of intensity over the next few months to bring in the Fall 2024
class.

*North Country Impact Award Celebration*
Another aspect of the Plattsburgh Experience was recognized at a special
celebration attended by more than 200 people last Friday night. Three
special alumni -- Bonnie-Leigh Black '72 G'77, Jody Carpenter '92, and Dr.
Celine Racine Paquette '60 -- represented each of our three schools and
received the first North Country Impact Award. The event highlighted their
life experiences and impact they have had locally following their academic
preparation at SUNY Plattsburgh.

The evening also provided an opportunity to recognize the many North
Country Student Scholarship donors and the current student scholars who
represent our next generation of North Country leaders. The scholarship
program, which began in 2008, serves to keep our region's most promising
students close to home and pairs with local businesses and individuals who
fund scholarships through the Plattsburgh College Foundation. I thank
everyone involved with the program.

*Campus Events*
I want to thank all who were involved in our campus' planning and
follow-through for the total solar eclipse on April 8. SUNY Plattsburgh did
a wonderful job supporting our campus community and residents for a
one-in-a-lifetime celestial spectacle. For several hours that afternoon, we
paused and collectively shared a wonderful experience -- together.
I want to acknowledge our eclipse planning committee for their enthusiasm
and year-long planning to support this being a memorable event.

The other events, celebrations, honors, and recognitions that surround this
time of year are a tradition we experience annually. But for our students,
it is the equivalent of their collegiate eclipse, a once-in-a-lifetime
experience they will always remember. I ask you to join me to celebrate
these events with our graduates and their loved ones. It is a wonderful way
to bring our campus efforts full circle and witness first hand the outcome
of all our investment and hard work.

Our three commencement events are set for Saturday, May 18 at 9 a.m., noon
and 3 p.m. for each school. Much work has gone into the logistics for each
event, with added consideration this year to emergency response planning. I
thank each of you who has volunteered to assist in our celebrations of our
graduates. It cannot happen without such support and effort as we host
thousands of visitors over the day.

Have a great rest of the semester.

Alex Enyedi
President
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ls.plattsburgh.edu/pipermail/critical-employees/attachments/20240506/0cb21e2e/attachment.htm>