Presidential Perspectives
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Difficult Decisions in Lean Times |
The economic crisis affecting our nation is forcing presidents of urban and metropolitan colleges and universities to face many daunting decisions, especially as state governments, a major source of funding, are projecting multi-billion dollar deficits and major reductions in higher education funding. Presidents find themselves at a crossroads in regards to fulfilling their institutional mission. The challenges provide many opportunities to renew strategic focus for their institutions while striving to minimize the negative impact on students, significant programs, and the surrounding urban and metropolitan community in which the college operates. Decisions that have a short term impact are preferred over actions that have long-term consequences that may adversely affect current and prospective students. Creative solutions and difficult decisions made during lean times can influence the institution for years to come.
The economic shift and slowing job market will produce many more applicants as students opt to return to college or continue directly to graduate school to increase career options. In addition, the last wave of members of the echo generation is eagerly completing college applications, contributing to demand. Metropolitan colleges and universities can anticipate this new influx of students, while recognizing that fiscal constraints could result in fewer resources to support them. Maximizing new pedagogical strategies that involve partnerships, technology, scheduling flexibility and class size are important tools in these circumstances.
Additionally, more incoming students are likely to fit a high need financial aid profile. Metropolitan colleges and universities can offer valuable informational services to students and their families in their communities on how to best maximize their financial options. They may consider media promotions and unconventional outreach through community and religious organizations to reach these perspective students and families.
A hallmark of urban and metropolitan colleges and universities is engagement in their communities that result not only in service, but in providing rich and robust learning experiences and opportunities for students. Often these are the experiences that enable graduates to become leaders in and sustainers of urban and metropolitan communities. Unfortunately, college and university community partners are also adversely affected in an economic downturn. These critical relationships may require renegotiation, refinement or postponement of specific projects to ensure that partnerships are not frayed.
Seeking creative solutions to immediate problems can lead to new and unique mutually beneficial community partnerships. Recently a major foundation in the Buffalo area approached Buffalo State College’s Small Business Development Center to assist a consortium of 200 locally owned small businesses to maintain much needed services that the consortium is no longer able to support due to lack of funding. The foundation will provide a grant, administered through the college, to help sustain the needed services.
Constant efforts to curtail costs are especially critical during lean times. Buffalo State College has demonstrated that partnering with other college campuses and governmental agencies can lead to significant cost savings and efficiencies. The college recently collaborated with the City of Buffalo, the University at Buffalo, the Department of Transportation and the Niagara Frontier Transportation authority to upgrade Internet infrastructure to create a several mile link that will connect its campus with other colleges in the metropolitan area. This project will enhance Internet service for students, create collaborative opportunities with other colleges and increase Internet capacity off campus, in the surrounding community. Perhaps the most significant impact will be on the bottom line. Buffalo State’s annual Internet maintenance costs are expected to decline to less than 10 percent of current costs when this project is completed.
Finally, communication and transparency are central principles of importance to any urban and metropolitan campus. These tenets are even more critical during times of financial constraint. Stakeholders will feel more empowered if they are able to participate in identifying solutions to the fiscal challenges at hand.
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