Road Map takes ‘deep dive’ into strategic investments

The Road Map Steering Committee met on May 30 to hear a “deep dive” presentation from Strategic Priority No. 5: Strategic Investments.

This strategic priority focuses on goals related to financial resources, faculty and staff resources, technological resources and physical infrastructure.

John Cordi, chief financial officer and senior associate vice president of Academic Affairs, reported on Binghamton University’s financial resources. For two consecutive years, the University has exceeded its target of $12,500 in revenue per annual average full-time equivalent (AAFTE) student. In addition to tuition revenue, support from the New York state-enacted budget has allowed the University to meet this goal. Previous state funding provided for new faculty and staff hires and the 2024-25 budget will give the University $8.4 million in new direct support, $5.5 million for union-negotiated salary increases, $1 million for new hires through the Road Map proposal process and $1.4 million left to campus discretion.

In fall 2023, the University reached its target goal of 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio for full-time equivalent (FTE) students and FTE faculty. Improvements have been made three consecutive years in the student-to-tenure track faculty ratio, but that figure stands at 27:1 with a goal of reaching 25:1 by 2026. The faculty attrition rate remains well below its target rate of 4% and exit surveys of department faculty have shown that they were pleased with the teaching experience and mentorship support they received during their time at Binghamton. Staff attrition, which excludes retirements, remains about 1.5% above the target rate of 5%. The addition of an employee engagement specialist and a talent-acquisition specialist are part of the committee’s strategy for decreasing staff attrition. A referral bonus program for new employees in critical-needs areas has led to 65 new hires and will be continued for another year.

Vice President for Advancement John Koch presented on several topics related to giving. The University is on track to reach its goal of $200 million in its endowment by fiscal year 2024. Investable funds have tripled from $60 million to $180 million in the decade from 2013 to 2023. A goal of having 7% of undergraduate alumni contribute to annual giving is about 3% shy. Koch, however, says that this reflects national trends in alumni giving and that many college rankings are shifting away from using it as a factor, instead using the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s (CASE) alumni engagement metrics, which combine financial gifts with volunteerism and advocacy on behalf of the University. The Division of Advancement is also making progress in growing planned giving, with newsletters and targeted appeals identifying new donors and reengaging with those who had expressed prior interest in making a deferred gift. Planned gifts for fiscal year 2024, totaling $3.6 million, doubled what had been received the previous year.

Recent surveys of faculty, staff and students have shown that most respondents are satisfied or extremely satisfied with the University’s technological resources. Eighty-six percent of faculty and staff reported that they were satisfied or extremely satisfied, keeping pace with the 87% of respondents who answered similarly in surveys in 2019 and 2021. A survey of students found that 74% were satisfied or extremely satisfied with technological resources and another 22% were neutral.

JoAnn Navarro, vice president for operations, reported on topics related to infrastructure, the facility master plan and capital improvements. The University’s Facilities Condition Index (FCI), which identifies capital investment needs, improved by more than one point from 2022 to 2023, but remains 4% above its target goal of 10% by 2026. Binghamton, however, is outpacing the SUNY system average of 18% and is spending capital money effectively, Navarro said. A new facility master plan is being drafted and should be in place by early 2025 to guide the next 10 years of development, maintenance and improvement of the University’s facilities.

The University is now working on several construction and renovation projects in the planning, design, procurement or construction phases, totaling $450 million. Those projects include:

• The Charlene and Roger Kramer Welcome Center, opened spring 2024;

• Fieldhouse, to be completed this fall;

• Bartle Library third floor, to be completed in October 2024;

• Science 3, phase 1, to be completed in March 2025 and phases 2 and 3 are in design;

• East Gym expansion, construction starting this summer;

• Chenango Room/Panera Bread expansion, project starting this summer;

• Lecture Hall and Classroom Building, construction to start in spring 2025 with a projected occupancy date of fall 2027;

• The Speech and Language Pathology clinic will open soon in the Gannett Building;

• Work continues on the Ozalid Building in Johnson City.

Two proposals have been submitted to the State University Construction Fund and are awaiting approval. They include a $195 million smart technology building to house research activities in artificial intelligence, robotics, microelectronics and clean energy and a $75 million sustainable transportation center that would create new parking spaces, a transit hub and incorporate innovative charging solutions.

At the conclusion of the presentation, the other strategic priority committees gave brief updates on progress in their areas. SP2, Learning Community, reported on the success of providing high-impact learning experiences through research, student employment and internships. Demand for these programs remains high and will especially serve first-generation and transfer students and those with financial need. The committee members also hope that these experiences will help support retention among students who participate. SP3, Inclusive Campus, is working to hire a new position to support its Male Scholars Initiative to mentor and coach first-year men who are at high risk of leaving the University. SP4, Engagement, is busy completing the University’s application for the Carnegie Classification of Institution of Higher Education in Community Engagement. SP6, Internationalization, is continuing to develop scholarships to lessen the financial burden on those who chose to study abroad as well as supporting Binghamton’s international undergraduate students.