Middletown. SUNY Orange Board accepts voluntary pay cut by president

The SUNY Orange Board of Trustees has accepted a proposal from President Dr. Kristine Young to voluntarily reduce her salary by 10 percent in anticipation of potential cuts in the College’s New York State appropriations during the 2020-21 fiscal year.

“Our state and local economies have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Governor Andrew Cuomo has previewed how drastic declines in state revenues could possibly result in significant cuts in state aid,” said Fred Watson, chair of the SUNY Orange Board of Trustees. “While we are unsure how extreme those cuts may be, we anticipate some reduction in state aid in the short term, so the Board, Dr. Young and her administrative team continue to plan a 2020-21 budget that accounts for all contingencies. The Board appreciates this gesture from Dr. Young, who continues to demonstrate her selfless leadership and commitment to the college’s fiscal stability during these difficult times.”

Young is a member of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s New York Forward Reopening Advisory Board as well as a member of the American Association of Community Colleges’ Board of Directors and the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council.

The president’s salary was not disclosed.