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JPBC Minutes: September 12, 2019

Time & Location: 8:30 – 10:30 a.m., 220 Seymour 

Attendees

Voting Members

  • Sondra Aman
  • Mike Andriatch
  • James Cordeiro
  • Frances Dearing
  • Kandie Gay
  • Scott Haines
  • Tom Hernandez
  • Cathy Houston-Wilson
  • Sara Kelly
  • Jose Maliekal
  • Pat Maxwell
  • Dave Mihalyov
  • Kathy Peterson
  • Summer Reiner
  • Susan Stites-Doe
  • Elliot Weininger
  • Katy Wilson
  • Jim Zollweg

Non-Voting Members

  • Denise Copelton: Co-Chair
  • Crystal Hallenbeck
  • President Macpherson
  • Jim Wall: Co-Chair
  • Melissa Wight

Guests

  • Eileen Daniel - attending on behalf of Katy Heyning

Regrets

Voting Members

  • Katy Heyning
  • Meaghan Irving
  • Craig Ross

Non-Voting Members

  • Karen Riotto

The meeting was called to order at 8:31am

Approval of the Minutes

Dr. Copelton asked the committee to review the minutes from the August 29, 2019 meeting. Dr. Wilson requested that the second sentence in bullet six on page two be removed, as it was not accurate. With this correction, Dr. Weininger motioned the minutes to be approved, Dr. Kelly seconded the motion and all present voting members were in favor. Therefore, the minutes were approved.

Announcements

Dr. Copelton made the following announcements:

  • There is a Town Hall on the Strategic and Operational Plan update on October 16 at 2:30-3:20pm in the McCue Auditorium located in the Liberal Arts Building.
  • There is a Budget Town Hall on Thursday, November 7 at 11:00am-12:15pm in the Seymour Union Ballroom.

Budget Model Update

Note: Presentation is available on Blackboard

Mr. Wall presented information on the Budget Model update. The following questions, answers and discussion points occurred during the presentation:

  • Clarification was requested regarding the graph titled “Total Enrollment 5 Year Model” as it shows decreased enrollment but the graph titled “Financial Stability” shows that we have a slight increase in enrollment. Mr. Wall stated that the “Financial Stability” graph is based on 2017-18 data.
  • The comment was made that the model is very abstract and difficult to visualize. Mr. Wall stated that there is still more work to be done to develop the templates, formats and data submissions that are required for this. We are starting with understanding our actuals and our cash, and then we will be moving into the detail submission. The team will be working on developing a detailed submission template so we can obtain the information we need and then consolidate it.
  • The question was raised if the March workshop would be where there would be a better
    understanding of our financial situation and where items align or diverge. Mr. Wall stated that would be where we would have a better understanding of what our financial gap is and where investment requirements are.
  • President Macpherson stated that this budget evaluation is a lot of work but it is important work. There have been instances where funds were placed into an area’s budget to provide funding for a specific operation, but individuals did not realize that specific funds were placed in the budget for that purpose and have requested additional funding. This causes the divisional reserves to go down when the reserve funds could be used towards initiatives instead of operational needs when the funding was already there. This analysis will help us have a better understanding of why certain funding is in each area so we can utilize our funds more effectively.
  • The question was raised that if we know of ways to increase enrollment quickly, should we proceed with those ideas. Mr. Wall stated that is on the top of their list. In Cabinet, they have developed 18 projects to reduce spending and increase revenue. The major project is enrollment and retention. These projects will be reviewed with the committee later in the fall.
  • The question was raised if a department was able to bring in additional students, how does that department get funding to support the extra students, for example funding for faculty. President Macpherson stated that part of this budget evaluation is to determine how much revenue programs bring in and how much it costs to run those programs. Tuition revenue does not just cover faculty salaries, there are other costs related to the program. The Provost is interested in where there is growth in the student market, where there is opportunity for the College to recruit, how much does it cost to recruit and is there space in buildings for new faculty. The Cabinet and this committee are very interested in what the programs are that have potential for growth, what kind of pattern we can follow for that growth and whether that growth would bring us more revenue or keep us even. The President encouraged members with an idea for a new program or intake, to discuss it with the Provost. She stated that the 18 cost-saving projects are very important too. With the budget model, we will be able to review annually what our expenses are, what the trends are, what has been our return on our expenses and what we have not received a return on so we can determine if there is a need to reallocate funds. This will also help us determine if there is inappropriate spending and utilize the funding somewhere else.
  • The question was raised whether this budget examination will determine the revenue based on student type. Mr. Wall stated we are starting with the financials by School and have layered in the General Education component. It is a very complicated process, but we should know by November if we can break it down by student type. President Macpherson added that there is a complexity with breaking the numbers down by student type. Not only do you have undergraduate and graduate, but the MBA program and the Doctorate in Nursing have higher tuition rates. In addition, there are out-of-state and international students that pay a higher tuition rate, but there is also the cost of recruitment for these students.
  • The question was raised regarding the enrollment projections and how the error margin
    increases the further out we predict. How confident are we with these projections and how concerned do we need to be about the magnitude of the trough? Dr. Wilson stated we have not hit the bottom yet. We have about four years before it bottoms out. The amount of transfer and freshman students has reduced. The community colleges in the area are also seeing decreased enrollment. We used to balance out low enrollment numbers of freshman students with transfer students, but we are no longer able to do that. Right now, we have to set the College apart from our competitors. Right now, we are using new software in Admissions that is a better communication tool. In addition, we are implementing new real-time software in financial aid that will tell parents and students what is missing from their FAFSA application instead of waiting for staff to manually review the application and then notify the parents or student. We are hoping this will speed up the process of the financial aid packages and allow us to serve our students faster than our competitors.
  • The question was raised regarding whether there is a SUNY-wide Enrollment Plan that looks at the university centers that are now taking in bigger classes and therefore hurting the comprehensives. President Macpherson stated that there is not one. There have been
    conversations regarding this, but it ends up pitting the sectors against each other.
  • The comment was made that we should look into ways to improve our reputation. During tough times, chances are parents and students will likely pick places with better reputations than places with slightly less of a reputation. President Macpherson stated that many of the rankings are done by peer evaluation. The peer evaluations are usually completed by the President, the Provost and the admissions counselors. Right now on the various different rankings, we are located alphabetically in different locations. We can be located under B, C, S or T. In addition, they do not give individuals very much time to complete these evaluations so if individuals are having difficulty finding us, that effects our ranking. SUNY did not even release us as a Military and Friendly college because we were not alphabetically listed under SUNY when they pulled the list. In addition, with Excelsior program for SUNYs, when Admissions goes to recruit students and we are labeled The College at Brockport, there is a misconception that Excelsior funding cannot be utilized at the College. I have tasked Mr. Mihalyov with looking at how we can raise our profile amongst our peers, which may help raise where we are in the rankings. Mr. Mihalyov stated that we are conducting some market research to see if it would be best if we went back to being called SUNY Brockport.
  • The comment was made the College’s name also affects the faculty’s reputation. There is more respect for faculty that come from universities over colleges.
  • The question was raised as to whether we are utilizing the advantages of Excelsior to the fullest. For example, can the residency requirement for freshman and sophomores be waived so that they can live at home with their parents and utilize Excelsior, therefore cutting down on the cost of college. President Macpherson stated that we already practice that for the students that live within a certain range of the College. We do need to look into how we market ourselves to transfer and commuting students.
  • President Macpherson stated that if the demographics of 18 year olds were to continue this way, we would need to start looking at developing programs to bring in older students that may want to complete their degree online so that they may have some career progression. These individuals may not need or want to travel to Brockport. This is why SUNY Online is so important to all of SUNY. She also extended her gratitude to all individuals who have been working on the online programs. We have the highest number of online graduate programs of any SUNY comprehensive.
  • The question was raised regarding where we are in terms of SUNY Online. President
    Macpherson stated that we are not in the first cohort. There is a pilot program running right now. The presidents are meeting on October 24, 2019 for the first update. If there is anything substantial to report after that, she will share the information. She stated that SUNY wanted to use the well-established programs first for SUNY Online to see if they could take them to scale by doing more marketing that is external.
  • The comment was made that we should be working on our retention as that also factors into our reputation. President Macpherson stated that there is a project for Strategic Plan for Undergraduate Retention (SPUR) that is targeting where we see the biggest issues in
    our retention. Dr. Kelly added that we have been taking action on our retention rates for the past year. On November 7, 2019, we will be presenting our progress to-date and some of the opportunities based on the trends. We have been talking about engaging Academic Affairs and how we can work within each School to influence those rates as well. Dr. Wilson stated how important retention needs to be across campus, within Academic Affairs, and not just the responsibility of the Academic Success Center. President Macpherson reminded members of the Presidential Teaching Excellence Award winner, Dr. Mario Fontana. Many students stated that he had spent a little time checking in with them and asking them if they are ok. That helped retain some students that were wavering. This simple question made a big impact. We need to remember that simple interactions with students can make a huge difference in their Brockport experience.
  • The questions were raised if a part of the undergraduate advisement process is to educate
    students on the graduate programs offered at the College, as this could be a prime opportunity to expose students to what we do especially if they are unsure what their career path might be. Dr. Stites-Doe stated that they are not given much time to work with students, as students are very much in a hurry to get their schedules put together. We do go over career ambitions, internship opportunities and graduate programs. Dr. Reiner suggested developing a flyer that advisors could give to undergraduate students outlining the graduate programs. Mr. Harrison stated that Dr. Reiner and Dr. Stites-Doe offered valid points and this will be discussed during the Strategic Plan review and examine ways we might market ourselves better earlier on in the journey of our undergraduate students. President Macpherson added that our graduate numbers are increasing and this is an area of growth and expressed appreciation to Mr. Harrison and the Center for Graduate Studies staff for all of their efforts in this area. Dr. Kelly stated that Dr. Daniel and herself as well as others have reviewed the research and will be discussing with the leadership in each school ways to grow in the retention area.
  • Clarification was requested regarding developing graduate programs and whether departments are allowed to develop programs that are not fully online programs. Online programs are growing and are the big trend right not, but there are still different styles of learners at the graduate level and some students would prefer hands on learning over online learning. Dr. Daniel stated that programs can be developed that are not fully online. We just need to be mindful that we are marketable to other areas beyond Monroe County and be willing to adapt when the needs of students change. President Macpherson stated if the research shows that a program designed as not fully online can succeed in the market and it is a good program, faculty should feel confident in moving forward through the new program request process.
  • A question was raised regarding if we have a sense of the impact of the Excelsior program. Dr. Wilson and Dr. Kelly stated that with frequent changes and confusing expectations, it makes it difficult to analyze in an efficient manner and for students to navigate through it.
    • The comment was made that there will always be good times and bad times, but no matter how good your model is, if you do not have a realistic set of assumptions, you will not be able to climb out of the hole. Mr. Wall stated that there are 18 projects that we are looking at implementing to reduce our spending and increase our revenue. We are still reviewing the financials on all of them, so they are all ready to be presented. One of the projects is the managed print services. If we implement the right matrixes, we could be saving $400,000-500,000 a year. Another project is the E-Procurement. This is a system where we would be buying from approved vendors and we could save 10-15% on our spending. When I have reviewed our adjustable spending, which is about $200 million a year and compare it to these 18 projects, there is about $10-15 million that could be addressed by aggressively working through these projects. This would help us get through the first few years of the down turn, but the key is to boost enrollment and get our numbers up.
  • The question was raised in regards to the age of the College workforce and if anyone is reviewing options of retirement incentives. Mr. Wall stated that it is on the list of items to review. We have to be mindful that if an incentive were to be offered, we would not be able to refill all of the positions that individuals retire from. Position tasks would need to be reviewed to see what positions are critical and need to be replaced. President Macpherson added that there are efficiencies that need to be reviewed with each position to be mindful of replacement and future thinking. There may be ways we are doing tasks right now that could be done more efficiently, for example by a computer system but not all tasks can be replaced by computers. The goal is to be more efficient in our tasks, but a retirement incentive is not where we a focusing at the moment.
  • Gratitude was extended to Mr. Wall for all of the work and detail this budget model involves and appreciation for educating individuals on how much a program and department costs to run. Dr. Copelton requested the names of the team members working on the model so that appreciation could be extended to all team members. Mr. Wall stated that the team is made up of Karen Riotto, Crystal Hallenbeck, Craig Ross and himself. Other individuals were brought in for discussions, but the four of them make up the team.
  • The comment was made that this model will be a big asset with the development of the academic master plan.

Dr Copelton asked members to review the 10 principles listed in budget model update for discussion and endorsement by the committee. The following questions and comments were made:

  • The question was raised regarding where the principles came from. Mr. Wall stated they were developed through various discussions.
  • Clarification was requested on what affordability was being defined as. Mr. Wall stated that it is the total campus affordability.
  • Explanation was requested regarding target development and deployment. Mr. Wall stated that there would be a bottom up budget submission for both strategic goals and operational goals. Once we look at the campus affordability, we would have to determine what prioritizations we can afford based on our budget.
  • The comment was made that the principles are very abstract. Mr. Wall stated that there would be a better understanding as we work through the process. Dr. Copelton stated that in the beginning we need to start with the abstract and as plans are put into place, we will see more of the plans. Listed within the presentation was a timeline and when different items would come to JPBC for review, so we should receive more detail then.

Dr. Peterson motioned for the 10 principles to be voted on for endorsement, Mr. Haines
seconded the motion, and all present voting members were in favor of voting. The following are the voting results of the present voting members:

Endorse - 14

Not Endorse - 0 

Abstain - 0

Other Items from the Committee

  • Dr. Kelly asked when we would have student representation at committee minutes. Dr. Copelton stated that BSG had just recently provided the names of the Undergraduate Representatives, which are Meghan Irving and Ed Ryan. A graduate representative has not been named yet.
  • President Macpherson stated that Cabinet’s response to the committee’s year-end report and recommendations is in draft form and should be sent soon. Dr. Copelton stated that she met with Cabinet to review the report and recommendations last week and she will share the response with the committee when she receives it as well as the year-end report.
  • Dr. Copelton announced that agenda items for the October 3, 2019 meeting would be
    presentations on goal updates and budget prioritization requests from Goals One and Four. On October 10, 2019, agenda items will be goal update and budget prioritizations requests from Goals Two and Three.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:50 a.m.

Next Meeting: October 3, 2019; 8:30-10:30 a.m.

DC/JW/mw