ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) — A consulting firm confirmed what the president of SUNY Erie already knew, downsizing personnel and considerably reducing ECC South’s footprint is a should.
The faculty commissioned rpk Group, a consulting agency, to make adjustment tips as the a few-campus local community school faces plummeting enrollment. Enrollment has dropped nearly 50% around the previous 11 a long time, the institution at the moment has all around 8,000 pupils enrolled.
Essential conclusions from the report confirmed ECC failed to “right-size” school, employees, training course choices or amenities to account for lower enrollment. In addition, it was found working 3 individual campuses created “unnecessary administrative and academic buildings that perpetuate overstaffing.”
In March, ECC declared its programs to combine 16 typical courses scheduled at each the North and South campuses and hub them at the Amherst North campus. This indicates a reduction at the South campus.
“Probably the greatest consideration frankly was underutilized house suggesting there are other matters we may possibly be in a position to do with that room,” ECC President Dr. David Balkin instructed Information 4’s Chris Horvatits in March. “But moreover the demographics. The inhabitants expansion in the Southtowns is slated to be noticeably fewer than the other two locations. ”
The rpk review recommended going further more, no lengthier making use of South as a “home” for any educational or administrative departments. This aligns with a different suggestion to unify the university as “one university,” shifting away from the multi-campus product and doing away with minimal-enrolled packages.
ECC wants college students to know that if any of these recommendations are set into put, they will not affect latest, lively college students. Individuals enrolled in courses that are eradicated can finish out their scientific studies. New pupils intrigued in taken off applications will have to obtain a thing comparable with an lively offering.
Below are a look a the consultant’s certain suggestions on teachers:
- Reduce systems with fewer than 30 pupils enrolled (3-yr average), declining or one digit growth (3-yr regular) and diploma production underneath 10 (3-yr regular)
- Monitor programs that are new (due to the fact 2018), have fewer than 60 pupil enrolled, have declining or one digit progress (3-yr common), and have diploma generation down below 20 (3-yr ordinary)
- Restructure the academic offerings of SUNY Erie under a ‘One College’ product that assigns each and every section to one particular ‘home’ site, consolidates departments and departmental management to cut down the selection of departments, and gets rid of all situations of duplicative departmental management buildings. Do not use South campus as a ‘home’ for any academic department.
Below are the recommendations on administration and staff members:
- Shift all central office ‘homes’ to Town or North
- Lower or reallocate staffing at South campus in precise features to replicate the reduction of university student and operational activity at that campus
- Redesign Dean of College students purpose
- Undertake shared company products for educational and university student assistance capabilities as very well as non-tutorial administrative assist roles
- Distribute personnel throughout actual physical campuses centered on scholar have to have and action:
- Generate 1 quit stores on Town and North campus for direct pupil services, this sort of as Admissions, Bursar, Financial Help, Registration and Advising
- Bundled in this recommendation is a have to have to move as lots of scholar expert services on line (self-service) or ondemand by using digital engagement as possible to finest meet student wants
- All position vacancies really should be evaluated to identify possibility for likely reallocations or situation closure
“rpk’s evaluation affirms what our group by now is aware of. SUNY Erie ought to suitable-measurement the College’s staff members, framework and footprint to ideal posture the Faculty for achievement,” said Dr. David Balkin, president, SUNY Erie. “Our priorities are verified by this report, and we will carry on to work with all concerned events to examine and finest put into action information-centered tips to be certain the very long-time period sustainability and good results of the College or university.”
Perspective the study beneath:
Patrick Ryan is a electronic producer who has been aspect of the News 4 staff considering that 2020. See a lot more of his work right here.