UAlbany Budget Updates
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about the President’s announcement
- So, what did the President say?
- I have heard different versions of the actions taken by the University. What exactly do President Philip’s announcements mean?
- I’ve heard that the University has closed all but one of its language programs.
- What do these actions say about the University’s commitment to the humanities?
- Would a loss of the Theatre program have an impact on the Performing Arts Center (PAC)?
- What about the Study Abroad program?
- Is it true that the University is cutting programs so that it can put money into a new building for the School of Business?
- Is UAlbany the only four-year SUNY campus that has suspended entire programs to deal with budget cuts?
- I’ve heard that there are over 2,000 total students in the programs that will be submitted for deactivation—over 19% of UAlbany’s undergraduates. Is that true?
- How can you say we put ‘The World Within Reach’ when you deactivate some of the language programs?
- All of the programs that will be submitted for deactivation are in the College of Arts and Sciences. What about the other parts of the University?
- What cuts have been made to the administrative side of things?
- What about athletics?
- I’ve heard that these reductions were made without any campus consultation.
- Some claim that the University timed the announcement on October 1 to occur just after hearing word about its renewed accreditation, and that the accreditation would have been at risk if the plans had been announced earlier. Is that true?
- I heard of programs that have fewer than 10 students enrolled—why weren’t they cut?
- What’s the larger vision here? Where are these actions taking us as a public research institution?
- I have a question that isn’t answered here. Where do I send it?
Frequently asked questions about the budget
- The budget that Governor Cuomo put out sounds pretty bad for us. Will there be more cuts?
- Will people be laid off?
- Will getting a tuition increase help? If we get to raise tuition, will we be able to restore any of these programs?
- What about all the construction I see on campus—how can we be spending money on that and not on our academic programs?
- If we have such a big budget problem, why is the University spending money to bring Barbara Walters and Bill Clinton to campus?
- What about more administrative cuts? We’re pretty “top heavy,” I hear.
- I’ve heard that we pay to have the Giants here in the summer—is that true?
- How is it possible that NYS and others were able to donate $100 million to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, which is already doing very well yet the University’s budget has no money to keep the language programs alive?
- Is it true that the Athletics budget has increased 26% in the last five years?
- Where can I get more information about the University’s budget?
- I have a question that isn’t answered here. Where do I send it?
Frequently asked questions for students
- I’m a major in one of these programs. What happens to me?
- Is it the same for declared minors?
- I was just about to declare my major in one of these areas, and I’ve already completed many of the requirements. What happens to me?
- Will I be able to fulfill my general education requirements?
- What about graduate study? I had hoped to pursue a master’s degree in one of these areas.
- What if I’m already enrolled in a graduate program in one of these areas?
- I am an undergraduate student and have been admitted to a combined BA/MA program in one of the areas. Will I be able to complete the MA portion of the program?
- I have a departmental assistantship – will my funding continue?
- Will graduate students enrolled in one of these areas be required to complete their degree requirements by a specific date?
- I’ve heard different stories about when I have to finish my degree—and even about what I can major in. Can you clarify?
- Will the foreign language Gen Ed requirement be harder to meet?
- Will I have to pay more tuition?
- I have a question that isn’t answered here. Where do I send it?
Frequently Asked Questions about the President’s announcement
- Reductions in the areas of recruitment, admissions, student accounts, financial aid, student academic support, and advising
- Reductions in all academic support areas—undergraduate, graduate, and international education, general studies and summer sessions, institutional research and program effectiveness, the University Art Museum, and the New York State Writers Institute
- Decreases in undergraduate student scholarships
- Decreases in graduate student support
- Reduction in library acquisitions
- Reductions in management and administrative staffing in the Division for Research
- Reduction of Facilities Management staffing which will adversely impact university-wide operations, such as:
- maintenance and ground services
- snow removal
- office cleaning and trash removal
- set-up and clean-up services for special events - Reduction of Human Resources staffing dedicated to recruitment support
- Reduction of Communications and Marketing staffing adversely impacting creative services, design, and web development
- Closure of Student Health Center services on weekends
- Reduction of student late night program staffing
- Reduction of UPD’s Security Services Assistants
- Reduction of Governmental Affairs staffing responsible for supporting the University’s State and Federal agenda
- Reduction of University Development staffing dedicated to cultivating donor prospects
- Reduction of the Provost’s Office support
- Reduction of President’s Office professional and support staff
So, what did the President say?
Here’s the text of his message on October 1, 2010
Here’s the textof his message on October 7, 2010
Here’s the text of his message on March 24, 2011
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I have heard different versions of the actions taken by the University. What exactly do President Philip’s announcements mean?
The University has suffered serious budget reductions in all areas of its operations. This year's State Budget reduced the level of State assistance to our campus by nearly $12 million. Over the past three years, the campus has cumulatively suffered more than $33.5 million in State tax support reductions – more than a 30% decline. While administrative units are shouldering a significantly higher percentage of the cost saving measures, administrative and extra-curricular areas by themselves are not enough to address the University’s budget shortfall. As a result, the University's academic program will be further impacted. As part of the plan for reducing costs in the Colleges and Schools, undergraduate majors in Classics (Greek and Roman Civilization), French, Italian, Russian (Russian, Russian and Eastern European Studies), and Theatre, and graduate programs in Classics, Russian, and French will be submitted to SUNY for formal deactivation. Students currently in those programs will be able to complete their programs of study within the normal time frame. We are developing plans for undergraduate students to continue to be able to pursue full minor programs of study in French, Russian, and Theatre, and we will continue to teach the Italian language and Latin. We will also continue to work with our excellent University in the High Schools faculty who provide instruction in languages and across the disciplines.
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I’ve heard that the University has closed all but one of its language programs.
Not true. There are 13 languages taught at UAlbany (Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, French, Hebrew, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish). (We also have a program in Linguistics.) In addition to instruction in each of these areas, students may pursue a full undergraduate major or a minor in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. Graduate programs are available in Spanish. While the University will be submitting to SUNY requests for deactivation of the majors and graduate programs in Russian and French, we are developing plans to offer undergraduate minors in these areas.
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What do these actions say about the University’s commitment to the humanities?
Although we are unable to offer full undergraduate or graduate programs in the Classics, French, Italian, Russian, and Theatre, it does not eliminate our commitment to sustain our offerings in the humanities, including instruction in 13 languages (Arabic, Dutch, Chinese, French, Hebrew, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish). Subject to student demand, courses in other languages are periodically offered in the curriculum. A number of literature and culture courses of study are also available in these areas, and we are working on plans for the undergraduate minor in French and Russian. We also are developing plans to offer a modified undergraduate minor in the Theatre, joining our other strong Humanities curriculum offerings found in the Departments of Art, English, East Asian Studies, History, Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Music, and Philosophy, as well as in those areas of scholarship and study in the humanistic tradition located in other departments. The University at Albany fully values the critically important role the Humanities play in the intellectual life of a university community, and appreciates the invaluable contributions made by our faculty across its disciplines.
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Would a loss of the Theatre program have an impact on the Performing Arts Center (PAC)?
With plans developing for a modified undergraduate minor in Theatre, we expect that the PAC would continue to be used for the performances associated with that program. The PAC also continues to be the venue of choice for a number of other events—sponsored by both on-campus and off-campus organizations. The performing arts continue to be important for the vitality and cultural experience of the campus, and we would continue to provide performances for our University community.
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What about the Study Abroad program?
We sponsor 65+ programs in 35 countries. In addition, through the State University of New York system, Albany students can participate in over 300 programs in more than 50 different countries. All of these opportunities continue to be available, many of which include world language learning options, including language courses and immersion experiences. See http://www.albany.edu/studyabroad/ for further information.
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Is it true that the University is cutting programs so that it can put money into a new building for the School of Business?
No. The construction of the new School of Business building is financed with State appropriated capital funds and private donations.
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Is UAlbany the only four-year SUNY campus that has suspended entire programs to deal with budget cuts?
No. There have been program deactivations, consolidations, changes, suspensions and other program modifications already completed or now being planned at a number of campuses.
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I’ve heard that there are over 2,000 total students in the programs that will be submitted for deactivation—over 19% of UAlbany’s undergraduates. Is that true?
No. There are currently about 130 undergraduate majors and 25 graduate students in these programs. All of these students will be able to complete their programs in the normal time frame. There WERE about 2000 seats offered in these areas in the fall semester—about 3% of the 68,000 undergraduate seats that are offered across the campus each semester.
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How can you say we put ‘The World Within Reach’ when you deactivate some of the language programs?
The University remains committed to putting "The World Within Reach" for our students and to celebrating the variety of ways in which opportunity, inspiration, excellence, and discovery is brought to the members of our campus community. The “World Within Reach” is found in addressing issues from the global—such as studying climate change, or making world health policy—to the local—such as promoting the literacy of urban youth, or enhancing access to technology, or providing an experience that bridges socio-economic groups in U.S. society. It is found in pursuing opportunities in trade and commerce, and in exploring the arts, including its many art forms and influences, in the study of politics and government, and in the understanding of different societies. The “World Within Reach” brings opportunity to our students. Certainly, one important contribution to this theme comes from opportunities at UAlbany to learn different languages and cultures. We currently offer instruction in 13 languages (Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, French, Hebrew, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish). In addition, as the demand arises, other languages are offered in the curriculum, and a number of literature and culture courses of study are also available in these areas. Indeed, our strategic plan articulates a goal for further internationalizing our institution across the entire curriculum by incorporating, where appropriate, global perspectives in all our courses, by encouraging more participation in study abroad, and by creating a welcoming environment for international students here at UAlbany. With an internationally recognized and highly productive faculty, along with an undergraduate and graduate curriculum enriched by far-reaching research and scholarship, the University will continue to put the “World Within Reach” for our students as we prepare them to join a global network of over 150,000 living alumni.
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All of the programs that will be submitted for deactivation are in the College of Arts and Sciences. What about the other parts of the University?
While the programs submitted for deactivation are all in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), the majority of the budget reduction targets lie outside CAS. CAS represents about 25% of the total University State operating budget, and it is managing a cut equivalent to 16% of the University's total targeted reduction, or about $4.7 million (just under 13% of its total state budget). The other Schools and Colleges are addressing a combined targeted reduction of over $6 million (just under 20% of their total state budget), while the non-academic units and other campus operating cost centers have addressed or are facing a nearly $22 million targeted reduction.
From 2008 to 2010, 200 positions have already been eliminated across the campus. The losses of faculty lines (approximately 70 over this time) have been roughly 11% in the Arts and Humanities, 72% in the Social Sciences (12% in CAS and 60% in the professional schools), and 17% in the Sciences/Mathematics. After considering the (few) hires during those two years, the resulting profile of faculty losses over these two years is, roughly: 4% in the Arts and Humanities, 87% in the Social Sciences (13% in CAS and 73% in the professional schools), and 10% in the Sciences/Mathematics.
By the end of 2012, we expect that the equivalent of another 160 vacant or filled staff or faculty positions will be eliminated. Of the reductions between 2008 and 2012, we anticipate that nearly three-quarters of the lost positions will relate to professional and support functions, while the remaining will relate to instructional functions.
From 2008 through 2012, a sampling of the administrative budget impacts includes (a full listing may be found at http://www.albany.edu/budget/files/2008_through_2012_cumulative_reductions_to_date.pdf:
It is important to note that every possible effort is being made to ensure the health and safety of our campus community is not compromised.
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What cuts have been made to the administrative side of things?
Administrative areas have had to absorb substantial reductions to their budgets—about 21% of their base so far, and another 10% to come. Academic support areas have also had to absorb major reductions in their budgets—10% so far, and another 11% to come. The impact of these reductions can be seen in the cleanliness of our spaces, in the reduced service hours, in the support you’re able to get, in the speed with which you are able to get your financial aid or reimbursements, in the fewer special appointment and purchasing options we’re able to give employees, in fewer development officers to help raise money, in a “bell” rather than a receptionist at the president’s office, in fewer staff in the provost’s office and for the downtown campus, in fewer secretaries and clerks in Finance and Business, fewer cleaners, fewer mechanics, fewer grounds workers, scaled back celebrations, longer response times to climate control/HVAC calls, slower space planning, fewer athletics staff, less IT equipment replacement, and more.
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Our Athletics program consists of both intercollegiate and intramural activities, serving the campus community as well as the larger Capital Region. The Athletics budget has participated fully in the reduction process, currently managing a 22% reduction in State operating funds. In addition, the President has initiated a review of the Athletic Program to consider further reductions going forward.
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I’ve heard that these reductions were made without any campus consultation.
Over the past two years, the University has taken extraordinary measures to engage the campus community in an extensive, inclusive and on-going consultative process regarding its future, in particular with respect to campus financial planning. You’ll find a map of the consultation process on the budget update page at http://www.albany.edu/budget or in http://www.albany.edu/myualbany.
Back in Fall 2008, the consultation process started with "The Going Forward Plan" -- an effort open to the entire University community ultimately including over 250 participants on campus. At the same time, the University was working on our Middle States Self-Study, which was part of our decennial accreditation process. In 2009, building on the work of the "Going Forward Plan" to define our future direction, and drawing on the findings of the Self-Study, the University initiated other campus-wide consultative advisory groups including the Strategic Planning Committee.
As the State Budget eroded, the University engaged in more focused consultation through the establishment of Budget Advisory Groups (BAG) I, II, and III -- aimed at helping the campus address and respond to its budgetary and fiscal challenges. In total, these groups included faculty and staff from campus departments, faculty governance, and/or members who were specifically vetted by the University Senate. In November 2010, the University Senate Governance Council reviewed the formation of BAG I and III (the groups serving as part of the formal consultation process), concluding that GOV was properly consulted, pursuant to section 2.5 of the Bylaws (see http://www.albany.edu/budget/files/GOV_response_to_10-1-2010_Philip_memo.pdf). The formation of BAG IV (currently underway) was also reviewed and approved by the Governance Council. Please visit http://www.albany.edu/budget or in http://www.albany.edu/myualbany (budget updates section) to learn more about the membership, charge, and reports of the work of these groups.
In addition, each Division, College and School developed independent budget plans to address the University's overall 30% reduction in State tax support since 2008. These plans were presented to and reviewed by BAG III, which included all of the members of the University Planning and Policy Council of the University Senate.
Finally, the academic component of the proposed financial plan announced at the Town Hall on October 1, 2010 was submitted to the University Senate for its review, consideration, and comment.
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Some claim that the University timed the announcement on October 1 to occur just after hearing word about its renewed accreditation, and that the accreditation would have been at risk if the plans had been announced earlier. Is that true?
No. The institutional accreditation decision was received in June 2010. Furthermore, decisions to deactivate degree programs have no effect on the institution’s accreditation. The University’s accreditation depends on many factors, but most importantly it focuses on (1) whether or not we have a clear mission that guides our actions and (2) whether we have appropriate plans in place to assess our programs, policies, and procedures, and take actions based on these assessments. It does not at all depend on whether we offer particular content in our curriculum.
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I heard of programs that have fewer than 10 students enrolled—why weren’t they cut?
We have an array of program sizes, including programs with relatively small enrollment; each has a different configuration of students, faculty, and contribution to the larger University mission. Program consolidation has already occurred in some of the Schools and Colleges and we continue to explore further possibilities in this direction. If you’re interested in learning more about the enrollment in different departments and degree programs, you’ll find data about that on the website of Institutional Research, Planning, and Effectiveness (http://www.albany.edu/ir/).
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What’s the larger vision here? Where are these actions taking us as a public research institution?
We’ve just completed our campus-wide strategic planning process (http://www.albany.edu/strategicplan/index.shtml), and are planning our implementation steps ahead. Within the constraints of our resources, we intend to offer a balance of undergraduate and graduate programs consistent with a research mission that encompasses a strong foundation in the arts and sciences as well as strong areas of distinctiveness in traditional, professional, and emerging areas that correspond to societal need, student interest, and competitive advantage. Guided by our strategic planning, our academic program will include a rigorous undergraduate educational experience with enhanced opportunities in general education, in writing, and in the major/minor, along with a curriculum enriched by research and scholarship. We will advance excellence in graduate education, sustaining our current strengths, and growing areas of promise. We will increase our profile in research, scholarship, and creative work. Our academic mission will be engaged in a university community that is safe, healthy, and attractive; that supports students in their pursuits by wise counsel and advice; that provides opportunities and spaces for student, faculty, and alumni engagement; and that is increasingly positioned, by virtue of development, sponsored funds, and entrepreneurial endeavor, to grow resources independent of State support.
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I have a question that isn’t answered here. Where do I send it?
Send your questions to SuggestionBox@uamail.albany.edu.
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Frequently asked questions about the budget
The budget that Governor Cuomo put out sounds pretty bad for us. Will there be more cuts?
That depends on the final outcome. If we see a tuition increase without the loss of additional state tax support, we hope to be able to manage our way through this latest reduction. However if we see no relief, we will need to fully absorb an additional $10 million in cuts on top of the $33.5 million we have already suffered. This will almost certainly have an impact on filled positions.
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We hope not. However, as this process plays out, we expect there will need to be some involuntary terminations of employment that may include some limited number of lay-offs. In these situations, we will proceed in full accordance with the requirements of applicable contractual obligations and the laws of the State of New York. Please be assured, the campus is committed to supporting faculty and staff impacted by resource reallocation and program decisions by providing opportunities to seek placement at another UAlbany program, to explore placement at another SUNY campus, if available, and/or to pursue retraining, where required.
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Will getting a tuition increase help? If we get to raise tuition, will we be able to restore any of these programs?
Getting a tuition increase will help with the latest budget reduction, but unfortunately these program actions are in response to the budget reductions already enacted and underway. Moreover, the decision to keep the minor in some of these areas has its own associated costs, and we will need to identify funding – hopefully from new revenues – to help pay for them.
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What about all the construction I see on campus—how can we be spending money on that and not on our academic programs?
There is a distinct difference between “capital” funds (borrowed one-time money that supports construction) and “operating” funds (recurring revenues that support salaries and supplies). By law, the State of New York prohibits SUNY campuses from using SUNY capital funds for operating related expenses, such as the salaries for faculty and staff. This capital or construction funding can ONLY be used for capital construction and improvement, as well as large equipment purchases.
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If we have such a big budget problem, why is the University spending money to bring Barbara Walters and Bill Clinton to campus?
The World Within Reach Speaker Series, featuring Barbara Walters on October 8 and Bill Clinton on March 2, is completely advanced and supported by the Student Association, which receives no State appropriated dollars and is funded from student fees. The Student Association (http://www.albany.edu/studentassociation/) is the recognized undergraduate student government on campus. The Student Association, as well as other groups, often sponsor events, concerts, and other activities on campus.
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What about more administrative cuts? We’re pretty “top heavy,” I hear.
Actually, we’re not “top heavy” when you look at our peer institutions. When you look at how many administrative staff we have, compared to the number of students we serve, UAlbany has fewer executive, administrative, and managerial (EAM) employees than other major public research universities (compared to the number of students we serve). UAlbany has, for example, 140 students for every such employee, while the median public research university has only 88. As a percentage of full time employees, EAM employees account for about five percent of total FTE, which is about the average for public research universities.
Another way to look at it as how many staff we have, relative to how many faculty. Our most recent staff-to-faculty ratio is 6.9 to 1, meaning that for every faculty member, there are about 7 supporting staff (non-faculty folks). Just over half of the public research universities in the U.S. with a “very high research” profile (like UAlbany) have higher staff to faculty ratios than does UAlbany, and just under half have a lower ratio – so we are right about in the middle of the pack (just under the 50th percentile) with regard to our overall level of administrative staffing. (These data are contained in a presentation by Assistant Vice-President Bruce Szelest titled “Key Performance Indicators: Full Time Equivalent Staff” which is included on the BAG IV website at http://www.albany.edu/budget/files/Comparative_data_for_BAG4_03-04-2011.pdf.
All that said, President Philip has put out a request for proposals for a study of our administrative organization and possible efficiencies. We should have more information about that process shortly.
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I’ve heard that we pay to have the Giants here in the summer—is that true?
UAlbany does not pay anything to the Giants. The NY Giants reimburse the University for housing, meals, and public safety costs.
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How is it possible that NYS and others were able to donate $100 million to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, which is already doing very well yet the University’s budget has no money to keep the language programs alive?
There are many partners and revenue streams associated with the creation and operation of the Nanotech complex at UAlbany, including private and legislative investments appropriated for specific purposes, which are beyond the control of the University. Like other divisions of the University, the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering has taken a substantial reduction in the allocation of State tax dollar support for its operating budget.
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Is it true that the Athletics budget has increased 26% in the last five years?
Not exactly. A simple comparison of the two base budgets does not tell the whole story. Between 2005 and 2010 the Athletics budget increased by approximately 17%. Over this period Athletics incurred the same share of reductions (-21.9%) as other non-academic units. A large percentage of the net increase is attributable to contractually negotiated salary increases for UUP and CSEA employees. Additional incentive salary payments were also made to coaches and staff for four programs who met performance goals specified in individual contracts. Lastly, Athletics received some additional resources in 2006 and 2007 as a result of reorganization, the budget process, and selective investment under President Hall.
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Where can I get more information about the University’s budget?
A table summarizing the reductions across the institution’s major divisions is available on the budget update page. There is also a summary of the University’s all funds revenues provided annually in the Year in Review (http://www.albany.edu/yearinreview/financials.shtml), and also in the budget presentations posted at www.albany.edu/budget. As additional information is developed, it will be posted.
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I have a question that isn’t answered here. Where do I send it?
Send your questions to SuggestionBox@uamail.albany.edu.
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Frequently asked questions for students
I’m a major in one of these programs. What happens to me?
If you have already declared your major, the University will ensure that you have the opportunities needed to complete your degree in the normal time frame. The Office of Undergraduate Education and your major advisor will work with you to map out how best to complete your remaining major requirements. Please contact Vice Provost Sue Faerman (UGEducation@uamail.albany.edu) for details and help developing a major completion plan.
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Is it the same for declared minors?
We are making plans to insure that students can continue to pursue a minor in Theatre, French, and Russian. For minors in Italian and Classics, if you have already declared your minor, the University will ensure that you have the opportunities needed to complete your degree in the normal time frame. The Office of Undergraduate Education and your major advisor will work with you to map out how best to complete your remaining major requirements. Please contact Vice Provost Sue Faerman (UGEducation@uamail.albany.edu) in the Office of Undergraduate Education for details and for assistance in developing a minor completion plan
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I was just about to declare my major in one of these areas, and I’ve already completed many of the requirements. What happens to me?
The appeal process for declaring a major in Theatre, French, Russian, Italian, or Classics will end at the time that SUNY confirms the formal deactivation of these degree programs, likely in April, 2011. Until that time, please contact the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education at UGEducation@uamail.albany.edu for details.
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Will I be able to fulfill my general education requirements?
Yes, there will be sufficient course offerings to ensure that students can fulfill all of their general education requirements, including courses in foreign languages, arts, humanities, and cultural and historical perspectives.
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What about graduate study? I had hoped to pursue a master’s degree in one of these areas.
You would best be served by contacting the Dean of Graduate Studies at 518-956-8035, or graduate@uamail.albany.edu, to discuss what other programs of study might suit your goals.
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What if I’m already enrolled in a graduate program in one of these areas
The University will ensure that you have the opportunities needed to complete your degree. The Office of Graduate Studies and your advisor would be working with you to map out how best to complete your remaining program requirements and within the customary timeframe. Please contact the Dean of Graduate Studies, Kevin Williams, at graduate@uamail.albany.edu for details and assistance in developing a program completion plan.
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I am an undergraduate student and have been admitted to a combined BA/MA program in one of the areas. Will I be able to complete the MA portion of the program?
Yes. If you have already been admitted to a combined BA/MA program you will be provided with the opportunities needed to complete both the Bachelor’s and the Master’s degree within the normal time frames.
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I have a departmental assistantship – will my funding continue?
The University will honor all contractual obligations. You will be able to retain your assistantship for the duration of your eligibility.
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Will graduate students enrolled in one of these areas be required to complete their degree requirements by a specific date?
Students will be given the opportunity to complete their program within a time period that is customary for the degree being sought. Students and advisors should work with the Office of Graduate Studies to construct a reasonable timetable for completing program requirements. Please contact the Dean of Graduate Studies, Kevin Williams, at graduate@uamail.albany.edu for details and assistance in developing a program completion plan.
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I’ve heard different stories about when I have to finish my degree—and even about what I can major in. Can you clarify?
There has been some confusion about the options for students who have already declared their major (or minor), and also for those who indicated upon admission or subsequently that they intended to major in a particular area, but had not yet declared that major. (Note that there is no similar process for indicating that one intends to minor in a particular area).
All students who have already declared a major or minor in one of these areas will be able to complete their programs. It is expected that these students will complete their programs over a customary timeframe. Students who have already declared a major or minor in one of these areas do not have to complete their degrees by May of 2012.
There were also provisions for students who had not yet declared a major or minor in one of these program areas, including filing an appeal to be able to pursue the desired major/minor, considering a student-initiated major, exploring other alternatives here at the University, and exploring other alternatives at other institutions. Advisors have been asked to provide guidance about what options might be best for the individual circumstances of each student.
The appeal process for declaring a major in Theatre, French, Russian, Italian, or Classics will end at the time that SUNY confirms the formal deactivation of these degree programs, likely in April, 2011. Until that time, please contact the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education at UGEducation@uamail.albany.edu for details.
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Will the foreign language Gen Ed requirement be harder to meet?
No. The university will provide adequate numbers of courses to address the Gen Ed needs of the students.
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Will I have to pay more tuition?
We don’t know. The rate of tuition is set by the SUNY Board of Trustees and authorized by the NYS Legislature and Governor. The President’s actions do not affect your tuition. You should know that the President is working with the SUNY Chancellor to insure that your tuition dollars are invested in your University at Albany education. This would be a departure from the longstanding practice of the State of New York simply replacing State tax dollar support for public higher education with tuition increases. Your voice is important and we ask for your help in making this argument to the Governor and the Legislature in the months ahead.
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I have a question that isn’t answered here. Where do I send it?
Send your questions to SuggestionBox@uamail.albany.edu.
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