'Rethinking SUNY' gets wide input

By CHRISTINE VIDAL

Reporter Editor

Campus representatives from throughout the SUNY system are preparing a report to the SUNY trustees titled "Rethinking SUNY," which recommends changes in SUNY administrative systems and work processes to allow the state university system to deal effectively with the dramatic financial reductions it faces.

The report comes at the request of the New York State legislature, which has charged the SUNY Trustees with developing by Dec. 1 "a multi-year, comprehensive, system-wide plan to increase cost efficiency in the continuing pursuit of the highest quality and broadest possible access consistent with the state university mission."

According to Senior Vice President Robert J. Wagner, UB is actively participating in planning the future of the state university system, an endeavor that involves campus officers, governance leaders and system officers from throughout the state.

And while the timeline under which the report is being produced is "very compressed," he emphasized that the scope of the planning effort is even broader than what was requested in the legislative charge. In addition, "Rethinking SUNY" is receiving wide input, with comments being solicited from presidents and other campus groups throughout SUNY, Wagner said.

"Rethinking SUNY" recommends an aggressive range of initiatives that would reduce costs, redefine SUNY administrative and campus relationships, and place renewed emphasis on campus responsibility and accountability. "Rethinking SUNY" also emphasizes that management flexibility is needed if SUNY is to reduce and minimize bureaucratic impediments to efficiency and effective management.

The report says, "SUNY will need to change the way in which it does business. SUNY is approaching a period of rapid and dramatic change, when 'business as usual' will no longer be appropriate. We must begin now with a multi-year, multi-faceted strategy to transform SUNY's business and support operations."

Elements of the strategies being recommended by "Rethinking SUNY" include:

  • Identifying and applying "best practices" on as many SUNY campuses as possible in the near future.

  • Optimizing the use of available technology for administrative efficiency.

  • Outsourcing services where it is cost-effective and feasible.

  • Expanding opportunities for entrepreneurship to increase non-state resources to meet program objectives.

    "SUNY's current approach to management and resource allocation will need to be reconsidered," the report says. "From the system's perspective, stronger incentives for good management and resource utilization will need to be devised. The system must place renewed emphasis on effective planning and the achievement of results when making resource allocations. At the campuses, effective management needs to be affirmed and inter-campus and system collaboration and resource sharing must be encouraged and rewarded."

    • [Current Issue] [Search Reporter] [Talk to Reporter]