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Post by derhut on Jul 2, 2014 7:18:47 GMT -5
Begin forwarded message:
From: NOTICE-BOARD <NOTICE-BOARD@sbu.edu<mailto:NOTICE-BOARD@sbu.edu><mailto:NOTICE-BOARD@sbu.edu>> Subject: A Message from University President Sr. Margaret Carney Date: June 30, 2014 3:08:07 PM EDT
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June 30, 2014 A Message from University President Sr. Margaret Carney
Dear Members of the Campus Community:
Today we will begin mailing contracts to faculty. As you have undoubtedly already surmised, we are unable to provide salary increases for this year. Reduced income projections from a disappointing enrollment decline, coupled with the need to avoid new, additional debt in an effort to maintain our current credit rating, combine to create this necessity.
This is a situation we intended to avoid and overcome this year. We did not. Since the close of the academic year, I have been in constant deliberations with the Cabinet, Board of Trustees members, and numerous individuals and departments here on campus. I will continue to meet, discuss, and accept the responses, suggestions, criticisms and requests that you want to make to ensure that we will not accept another year of missing critical goals in enrollment. If you have not yet been invited into such a conversation, you will be when it is possible to schedule them.
At the same time, our work with Hilbert College continues. We have completed two important tasks. A financial model of what the combined institutions would be able to do to generate better financial health was presented to the Board at their June meeting. We will provide the same report to the campus at our Fall Convocation. A report from the Academic Program Opportunities Task Force was also completed. A significant number of new program options was uncovered by this work and that, too, was shared with the Board. We will also share this report at Convocation. In the planning meetings of the president and Cabinet it became clear that the opportunity for a successful alliance with Hilbert is a key to future successful operations on all levels. We will continue to pursue this alliance and are currently waiting for official clearance from the two boards to proceed with that work.
Many criticisms have been registered. Many good suggestions have been made. Pathways forward are being opened daily as the Cabinet and I review new data and change how we lead, monitor and measure this work. We intend to view the marketplace, invite accountable and diverse participation, hear and test new ideas and work to "right the ship." We are currently hiring an interim enrollment executive to provide much needed leadership and oversight of current and emerging enrollment operations. We will immediately proceed to the search for a permanent successor for Kate Dillon-Hogan once we have secured the interim assistance we need right now.
We have also taken some unprecedented steps to conserve costs going into this fiscal year and these will be reported to you in a separate communication.
This is and will continue to be an actual-not proverbial-long and hot summer. I look forward to beginning the fall semester with new operational plans in place and increased measures for consultation and decision-making with the various constituent bodies of the university community.
Sincerely, Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F. President of the University
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Post by class70 on Jul 2, 2014 7:46:32 GMT -5
I'm sorry to read that the bad news we've been fearing has hit. I hope the SBU community can pull together to boost enrollment and donations while cutting any wasteful spending (if there is any). I'll also be rooting for the sleeper Bonnies to astonish with a championship season that sends gate and TV revenues skyward. Oh yes, I'll probably dig a little deeper in my pocket when I write my donation checks later this year. After all, the stock market is hitting all-time records on a daily basis.
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Post by firstdev on Jul 2, 2014 10:43:27 GMT -5
This is really an admission by our President that she lost sight of the ball. Her number one priority should have been and still should be recruitment. Instead her focus was, incorrectly, was on tangential topics, that while important, did not rise to the level of urgency. For example, her overriding focus was on the construction of the new building business complex. One can make a strong case for this facility as a needed addition to the campus infrastructure (although its location was controversial to a number to many members of the community including myself). In this process the key issues on campus were shelved including making sure that students and their families were provided with above average residential facilities, and that high levels of resources were afforded to our admissions and recruitment efforts. Efforts are now being made to correct these oversights. Again there was an insular process on the second floor of Fort Duquesne that kept the views of alums, parents, students and FOSBU from reaching the President, all the while we witnessed a decided direction toward political correctness i.e.: selection of a commencement speaker completely unaffiliated with a Catholic concept or tradition, as if the top administrator was actually playing down our Catholic/Franciscan commitment. A confused message here.........our base of alums and potential alums is in middle class Catholic families and culture, yet we move away from that culture in our actions. Rejoice and promote that culture, stop running from our culture like it is some terrible affliction. Now we observe the magic bullet concept of a "merger" with a community college located 60 miles northwest of our campus, of which we already have a working co-operation agreement. This is our President deflecting her policy shortcomings. There is no practical advantage for Bonas either in an operational, academic or culture sense in a merger with Hilbert, yet the merger is being pursued (over the objections of many) and hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees are being incurred. Money that could be better expended in guaranteeing that we retain our esteemed AD, who as a result of his acumen has generated millions of dollars in national publicity for Bonas through our performances in the A10 conference and the NCAA playoffs, publicity that our community could never dream of purchasing in the market place(an athletic program that was literally rebuilt from the bottom of Division 1). Or providing raises and adequate family medical coverages to our dedicated faculty members who are among the lowest paid full time academics in the A10. Again a personal agenda of our president instead of a community agenda. While projected enrollment is up over 40 frosh from last year's level, we need to do even better to place ourselves in an increasingly stable financial and enrollment status. Recruiting is job one. Lastly we need to evaluate as a community whether we need new and different leadership at the top. There have been too many missteps here to just blithely allow her to continue in her post without a thorough and objective review of the president's leadership group. Let the process begin. Sounds like another interesting topic for our fall community convocation. Bonas is a special place, unique in this world, a place were students, faculty, staff, alums and FOSBU form a bond that is ageless. We need to make absolutely sure that we have the committed leadership that reflects that very special Franciscan experience.
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Post by firstdev on Jul 2, 2014 10:52:22 GMT -5
Sorry for the typo should be "to a number of"
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Post by 5and23 on Jul 2, 2014 10:56:40 GMT -5
I see the new business building as being very closely connected to our efforts to recruit students. Not a complete answer to our enrollment problems, but certainly it is part of making Bona's more appealing to potential students.
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Post by Pinnum on Jul 2, 2014 11:09:06 GMT -5
This is really an admission by our President that she lost sight of the ball. Her number one priority should have been and still should be recruitment. Instead her focus was, incorrectly, was on tangential topics, that while important, did not rise to the level of urgency. For example, her overriding focus was on the construction of the new building business complex. One can make a strong case for this facility as a needed addition to the campus infrastructure (although its location was controversial to a number to many members of the community including myself). In this process the key issues on campus were shelved including making sure that students and their families were provided with above average residential facilities, and that high levels of resources were afforded to our admissions and recruitment efforts. Efforts are now being made to correct these oversights. Again there was an insular process on the second floor of Fort Duquesne that kept the views of alums, parents, students and FOSBU from reaching the President, all the while we witnessed a decided direction toward political correctness i.e.: selection of a commencement speaker completely unaffiliated with a Catholic concept or tradition, as if the top administrator was actually playing down our Catholic/Franciscan commitment. A confused message here.........our base of alums and potential alums is in middle class Catholic families and culture, yet we move away from that culture in our actions. Rejoice and promote that culture, stop running from our culture like it is some terrible affliction. Now we observe the magic bullet concept of a "merger" with a community college located 60 miles northwest of our campus, of which we already have a working co-operation agreement. This is our President deflecting her policy shortcomings. There is no practical advantage for Bonas either in an operational, academic or culture sense in a merger with Hilbert, yet the merger is being pursued (over the objections of many) and hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees are being incurred. Money that could be better expended in guaranteeing that we retain our esteemed AD, who as a result of his acumen has generated millions of dollars in national publicity for Bonas through our performances in the A10 conference and the NCAA playoffs, publicity that our community could never dream of purchasing in the market place(an athletic program that was literally rebuilt from the bottom of Division 1). Or providing raises and adequate family medical coverages to our dedicated faculty members who are among the lowest paid full time academics in the A10. Again a personal agenda of our president instead of a community agenda. While projected enrollment is up over 40 frosh from last year's level, we need to do even better to place ourselves in an increasingly stable financial and enrollment status. Recruiting is job one. Lastly we need to evaluate as a community whether we need new and different leadership at the top. There have been too many missteps here to just blithely allow her to continue in her post without a thorough and objective review of the president's leadership group. Let the process begin. Sounds like another interesting topic for our fall community convocation. Bonas is a special place, unique in this world, a place were students, faculty, staff, alums and FOSBU form a bond that is ageless. We need to make absolutely sure that we have the committed leadership that reflects that very special Franciscan experience.
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Post by agoo on Jul 2, 2014 12:38:30 GMT -5
This is really an admission by our President that she lost sight of the ball. Her number one priority should have been and still should be recruitment. Instead her focus was, incorrectly, was on tangential topics, that while important, did not rise to the level of urgency. For example, her overriding focus was on the construction of the new building business complex. One can make a strong case for this facility as a needed addition to the campus infrastructure (although its location was controversial to a number to many members of the community including myself). In this process the key issues on campus were shelved including making sure that students and their families were provided with above average residential facilities, and that high levels of resources were afforded to our admissions and recruitment efforts. Efforts are now being made to correct these oversights. Again there was an insular process on the second floor of Fort Duquesne that kept the views of alums, parents, students and FOSBU from reaching the President, all the while we witnessed a decided direction toward political correctness i.e.: selection of a commencement speaker completely unaffiliated with a Catholic concept or tradition, as if the top administrator was actually playing down our Catholic/Franciscan commitment. A confused message here.........our base of alums and potential alums is in middle class Catholic families and culture, yet we move away from that culture in our actions. Rejoice and promote that culture, stop running from our culture like it is some terrible affliction. Now we observe the magic bullet concept of a "merger" with a community college located 60 miles northwest of our campus, of which we already have a working co-operation agreement. This is our President deflecting her policy shortcomings. There is no practical advantage for Bonas either in an operational, academic or culture sense in a merger with Hilbert, yet the merger is being pursued (over the objections of many) and hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees are being incurred. Money that could be better expended in guaranteeing that we retain our esteemed AD, who as a result of his acumen has generated millions of dollars in national publicity for Bonas through our performances in the A10 conference and the NCAA playoffs, publicity that our community could never dream of purchasing in the market place(an athletic program that was literally rebuilt from the bottom of Division 1). Or providing raises and adequate family medical coverages to our dedicated faculty members who are among the lowest paid full time academics in the A10. Again a personal agenda of our president instead of a community agenda. While projected enrollment is up over 40 frosh from last year's level, we need to do even better to place ourselves in an increasingly stable financial and enrollment status. Recruiting is job one. Lastly we need to evaluate as a community whether we need new and different leadership at the top. There have been too many missteps here to just blithely allow her to continue in her post without a thorough and objective review of the president's leadership group. Let the process begin. Sounds like another interesting topic for our fall community convocation. Bonas is a special place, unique in this world, a place were students, faculty, staff, alums and FOSBU form a bond that is ageless. We need to make absolutely sure that we have the committed leadership that reflects that very special Franciscan experience. Please describe to me how a horribly outdated campus with cramped classrooms and below average facilities would help recruitment. People like shiny new things, building them helps recruitment.
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Post by derhut on Jul 2, 2014 12:41:59 GMT -5
some interesting #s
Endowments: Canisius $103mm Niagara $ 72mm SBU $ 53mm Siena $120mm Houghton $37mm Hilbert $4mm Duquesne $ 203mm Alfred $ 85mm
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Post by class70 on Jul 2, 2014 12:49:53 GMT -5
I know it's barely relevant and there may be nothing gained by thinking about it, but Harvard University's endowment is $32.7 billion and income allocated from it covers about a third of their annual operating cost.
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Post by derhut on Jul 2, 2014 13:31:16 GMT -5
exactly...with a substantial endowment...a school can weather the tough times..but with low enrollment, ugly cash flow and no endowment...trouble
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clubber
Sophomore Member
Posts: 242
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Post by clubber on Jul 2, 2014 13:44:46 GMT -5
First Dev, Both Fordham and Pace have a Manhattan campus. There is PSU-McKeesport and Pitt-Bradford. There must be something positive about having a satellite campus or other schools would not have them. Who are the "Many" people who are against this and can you give reasons/evidence and not an opinion as to why this is a bad thing.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2014 13:49:55 GMT -5
Contents aside, in my opinion Sr. Margaret's letter is very poorly written.
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Post by route16 on Jul 2, 2014 14:58:36 GMT -5
Contents aside, in my opinion Sr. Margaret's letter is very poorly written. Welcome aboard. Any specific areas of concern?
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Post by fan4ever on Jul 2, 2014 17:46:19 GMT -5
She needs to graciously retire. She has SBU on a path to going belly-up.
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Post by bjif on Jul 2, 2014 18:29:38 GMT -5
I am far removed from campus and day to day operations. Trying to be objective here, I think the lady has done a creditable job given the circumstances and hand that she was dealt by the renown Doctor Wickenheiser.
If you start from a weak position which she did, it takes an awfully long time to dig yourself out of the hole that she started in. If you feel that she is doing a poor job, I would suggest other internal channels to raise your displeasure and grievances and not utilize a basketball message board to air your concerns. You clearly have a defined position of poor performance based on her body of work, I'm sure the Board of Directors is an appropriate place to channel your concerns.
By the way, I have no position nor information other than personal observations, so save your rants for someplace else.
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