Part 5: Final Recommendation - SUNY Cobleskill

SUNY Cobleskill Facilities Master Plan – Phase 5 Report
November 2011
CAMPUS STRATEGIC PLANA
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN
SUNY Cobleskill Mascot
The Second Century Enterprise and the Facilities Master Plan come at an
uncertain time given the current economic climate of New York State and
the nation. Although conditions have stabilized, state funding of higher
education continues to be scaled back, resulting in a greater reliance on
student tuition and fees to support the College’s operations.
As SUNY Cobleskill focuses on improving the quality of its services and
the caliber of its students—rather than the quantity of growth—one of
the most important considerations is the market viability of academic
programs. It is critical that the College’s academic offerings respond to
current and future labor market opportunities. In addition to establishing an
appropriate variety of academic programs, the College must also ensure
that the educational experience it offers is consistent with professional best
practices. To this end, the College will undertake a 2011-2012 Academic
Review to assess the viability of its course offerings.
Investment in physical capital is a critical challenge identified in The
Second Century Enterprise that is directly related to the FMP. While there
have been recent improvements to the SUNY Cobleskill campus, including
the renovation of Frisbie Hall, the addition to Wheeler Hall, the design
of the new Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources [CANR], and
the construction of the Center for Environmental Science and Technology
[CEST], among others, a significant need remains for physical investment.
Most importantly, the campus lacks a centralized location with amenities
for students that fulfills the role of a Student & Community Center. This
is the highest priority for the campus and the need for such a facility is
emphasized in the FMP.
As noted in The Second Century Enterprise, any investments in physical
capital must be approached in a manner that is consistent with the College’s
goals of energy efficiency and cost reduction. It is also imperative that
physical investments are carefully considered and purposefully executed
support the mission and goals of SUNY Cobleskill.
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