POTSDAM, New York (WWNY) – Facing a $3 million deficit and a deep drop in enrollment, SUNY Potsdam is getting back on track.
About 2,400 students will be back on campus this fall, down 20 percent from pre-pandemic enrollment.
‘“Our challenge has kind of been a perfect storm. Larger numbers graduating, fewer numbers of high school students coming from high school to college,” said Patrick Quinn, the college’s Vice-President for Enrollment Management.
The drop in enrollment looks even worse because the incoming classes right before the pandemic were around 3,000 students, the largest in recent years, officials said.
Today’s lower enrollment is contributing to financial issues at the college. Officer-in-charge Philip Neisser says the university recently had a $3 million dollar deficit. Where that stands now – the college won’t know until the fall semester begins.
Despite the deficit, Neisser says they haven’t made any layoffs and don’t plan on it – but they are considering realigning some of the academic programs.
“Some programs might be a little redundant with each other, and we can be more efficient in how we design them. Maybe we don’t quite need as many programs, we’re studying all that,” Neisser said.
Neisser says moving some graduate programs online has helped graduate enrollment. Plus, the university recently received a $720,000 federal grant, and they’re expecting more funding soon from Albany.
“It gets us closer. We need that plus the enrollment increases that we’re seeing,” he said.
Neisser also hopes next year’s World University Games, with athletes housed and some games played at SUNY Potsdam, will generate extra revenue.
Neisser believes the college will be financially stable soon, as long as enrollment at SUNY Potsdam gets closer to 3,000 students.
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