BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM -- Fewer than 20 people are expected to be impacted immediately by Clarkson's restructuring plan which has been months in the making, officials say.

In October news broke that Clarkson would cut programs in an attempt to become more financially solvent and provide a return on investment for students enrolled at the college.

The news was met by an outpouring of students enrolled in the programs slated for cuts and rallies of support for staff who might be out of jobs. Officials say impacted programs will be “sunset” rather than eliminated immediately, which means students enrolled in the programs will still be able to earn their majors.

In October there were talks of as many as 42 faculty members impacted by the changes, however Vice President of External Relations Kelly Chezum says now fewer than 20 are expected to be impacted and added that the university may be able to find new positions for them.

“We have just begun to share broadly with our faculty and staff the plan, including those personally impacted by sunset programs. With the sunsetting of programs over the next three years and anticipated additions of new majors, normal turnover, options to move to research faculty status, changes in current teaching assignments, and retirements, it is still too early to provide more detail on personnel impact. We are working with fewer than 20 people across our campuses to determine if the new structure of the University has a new way of using their talents and career interests,” she said.

In an emailed response to questions, Chezum said most of the faculty will be kept on as part of the Clarkson Common Experience, which is offered to all undergraduates. However the university will be "sunsetting" full majors in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Communications and Media Design.

"Those programs offered currently are literature, film, sociology, political science, American studies, history, digital arts & sciences, social documentation, humanities, social sciences, communications, media & design, as they exist today," she said.

Although Chezum noted that those majors accounted for less than 2% of all students, and even fewer when considering those who choose to double major in another area.

"In the near future, we anticipate moving forward to New York State with new offerings with modern digital and data proficiency that will differentiate how Clarkson prepares students for rewarding careers in demand by industry with the full return on investment," she said.

Nationwide and locally educational institutions both private and public are facing massive shortfalls and declining enrollments.

SUNY Potsdam and St. Lawrence University have both shared news of $9 million and $11.5 million deficits respectively.

Emails obtained by North Country Now indicate that Clarkson had been dealing with a $6.75 million operating budget shortfall and though Chezum did not confirm the number she provided the following statement.

"Clarkson, like most private higher education institutions, strategically uses its endowment to fund operations, financial aid and make improvements to its infrastructure within a defined framework that enables those funding streams to perpetuate. We have always balanced the budget and will continue to do so. As part of this process with the input from the Task Force, we have identified net savings so operating budgets stay aligned with revenue streams and hold our safety net resources for unforeseen as well as strategic expenditures that create new program revenue, " she said. "With today’s actions, we have found a way to begin mobilizing for strategic planning to begin in the spring and to move forward with initiatives we want to do in the future."

Officials at Clarkson said the goal is to play toward the university's strengths.

"As a University, we have prioritized investing in the student experience and access to education, and we have begun to now pave the way to add in-demand degree programs and advance relevant research and workforce development for industry partners that align to our STEM strengths. We are committed to fiscal responsibility with student tuition dollars from CU families and investments from our donors,” President President Marc P. Christensen said.

Christensen says the changes are a positive for the university.

“Today, we proudly affirmed Clarkson as a proven leader in technological education, research and innovation. We embrace STEM as a means to advance social mobility and the trajectory of innovation that impacts all of humanity,” he said. “As we go forward and implement the work of Re-Imagining Clarkson, our academic, fiscal, and brand commitments are again aligned and focused on what we are known for: providing students hands-on, practical experience in technology, innovation and research that lead to outstanding career placement and an incredible return on investment.”

Chezum said Clarkson’s core mission is in technological education, research and innovation.

“The unparalleled career trajectories and high-paying salaries of our alumni are testament that we deliver on our ROI commitment for each and every student. We are the place where corporate America and global industries come when they need technical talent that can lead and find solutions to get the job done. Our educational outreach is over 7,800 students annually inclusive of the structured K-12 programs we lead, the paramedic and EMT trainings we do, and the executive education courses/seminars we offer with our corporate partners in addition to our undergraduate and graduate programs. We know who we are and why we matter,” she said.