SUNY Potsdam President

As one of the nation’s 50 original colleges and the oldest institution in New York’s public university system, SUNY Potsdam has a long and proud history of providing students a quality higher education and serving as an economic anchor for the community.

SUNY Potsdam is at a crossroads.

Like many other colleges and universities across the nation, we have experienced a steady decline in enrollment over the past decade.

Despite diligent effort to reverse this trend and to cut costs, our expenses have continued to exceed our expenses.

As a result, we are facing an annual structural deficit of $9 million.

Though the state has provided additional aid, no one-time bailout would be sufficient to secure our financial future.

There is a path forward. It will be difficult, but I am convinced that this tight-knit campus community will come together and pull through.

Last month, I unveiled a plan to put SUNY Potsdam on the path to sound fiscal footing, including through the recalibration of our academic offerings to better accommodate student demand.

As part of our plan, 14 programs, representing 6.3 percent of our enrollment, are currently being reviewed for discontinuation over the next few years.

To be clear, we aren’t just cutting. We are also investing in areas of need and potential growth.

We have an opportunity to be creative, work across disciplines, and develop new programming—like micro credentialing—that today’s students want.

That’s why I am meeting with employers from across the region in the coming days and months, to find out ways that we can help address our area’s workforce needs and support the vitality of the North Country.

While we examine tough but necessary changes, I give you my word that SUNY Potsdam will continue to uphold our mission and the hands-on student experience we are known for.

I believe in this campus, this community and in the path ahead. I moved here with my family five months ago, with the intention of staying for a long time to come.

We love the natural beauty and the neighborly spirit here, which made us, and our five dogs, instantly feel at home.

As we work to return our campus to fiscal health, I am committed to providing transparency and openness about this process, as we work collaboratively to see Potsdam succeed through this challenging period and soar into a new era of strength and prosperity.

Before assuming the role of SUNY Potsdam president on April 17, Suzanne Smith was provost at Georgia Southwestern University.