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SUNY tuition change proves sticking point


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Among the many issues left unresolved by our deadlocked and inactive state Legislature is the proposal to allow State University of New York campuses to set their own tuition.

 

SUNY officials have been pushing the Higher Education Improvement and Empowerment Act, which would wrest the ability to capture tuition dollars from the Legislature. The proposal would allow SUNY to keep 100 percent of its tuition and enable it develop other revenue streams through public-private partnerships.

 

But that tuition reform discussion is now holding up the entire state budget process, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

 

"The governor is now saying, 'SUNY is what I absolutely, positively need to close down the budget,' " one anonymous legislative official involved in the discussions told the paper.

 

The proposal would effectively create a two-tier tuition system. SUNY's research campuses, including the University at Albany, could cost more to attend. SUNY officials have argued that the Legislature keeps tuition flat for years, then raises it in times of economic distress to hijack the increase for the purpose of plugging a state budget gap.

 

Officials from the United University Professions, the union representing 35,000 professionals and faculty members at 29 SUNY campuses, have been fighting the proposal because it could sideline some schools in favor of others. The UUP is asking state lawmakers to reject the act, saying it would pave the way for steep tuition increases.

 

Sexual assault conference

 

A 2006 rape that saw the arrest and conviction of two football players at the University at Albany has made the school a local leader in combating sexual assault on campus.

 

UAlbany hosted a conference on sexual assault to better train campus officials on how to respond. The conference hosted a wide variety of participants who could play a role in reducing such assaults, the vast majority of which are never reported.

 

The "Effective Responses to Sexual Assault on College Campuses: Putting the Pieces Together" conference included more than 160 participants from law enforcement, campus safety/security officers, prosecutors, medical personnel, advocates, campus responders, and other professionals. It addressed a broad range of issues pertaining to the multidisciplinary response to sexual assault in our diverse campus communities. Speakers included local attorneys, rape experts, a psychologist and law enforcement officials.

 

Recently, hundreds of Skidmore College students held a rally to call for improving that school's handling of sexual assault cases. A Times Union article earlier this year recounted the story of a Skidmore student who dropped out after the school allowed her alleged attacker to remain on campus without imposing any disciplinary measures.

 

Got a tip? Scott Waldman can be reached at 454-5080 or by e-mail at swaldman@timesunion.com.

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This would be great for UAlbany. I'm holding out hope. My biggest fear is a back door deal where they give the 'ok' to Buffalo and Stony Brook. Once again leaving Albany and Bingo to rot on the vine.

 

You're fears are valid. I'm not against UA and BU seeing the reforms, only against UA and BU holding back reforms at the cost of UB. UA and the others need to keep up the pressure on Glick and Silver to get the whole billed passed or the legislative will of UB and SBU may cause just that; A piecemeal distribution of pilot reforms:

 

"The SUNY plan has come down to a battle of wills between Paterson and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D- Manhattan....A top Paterson administration official told The Buffalo News that if no overall budget deal is reached, the governor will include key components of the SUNY plan in the next emergency appropriation bill, which the Legislature would have to approve by Monday to avoid a shutdown in state government.

 

About 70 percent of the overdue budget has been completed through the emergency spending measures adopted weekly since the April 1 start of the state fiscal year to keep the state operating. Paterson has warned that unless Legislature leaders reach a final deal by Monday, he will include all remaining issues in a final emergency measure that lawmakers would have to adopt — without changes — or parts of the state government would shut down.

 

"The governor knows the priorities of the chancellor of SUNY and the trustees, and absent any agreement with the Legislature, those priorities will be reflected in the extender bill on Monday," said the administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

 

"The governor wants the SUNY system to be the best system in the nation, and to get there, they need one or two aspects of his proposal," the official said, indicating Paterson is willing to budge on some parts of the SUNY plan....

 

...As an alternative, sources said discussions have returned to permitting pilot projects for a certain number of years at two of SUNY's biggest schools — the University at Buffalo and Stony Brook University. UB originated the idea, but other campuses have embraced it. SUNY now wants the authority extended statewide.

 

When asked about the possibility of a SUNY deal, Silver said, "I would hope so."...

 

One Democrat insisted the plan is a priority. "I'm telling our leadership to stay firm because it's very important to have UB in it," said Sen. William T. Stachowski, of Lake View.

 

"We have to have this as part of the budget," said Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes, a Buffalo Democrat, who added that proponents would lose their negotiating leverage if the issue is pushed out of the budget talks.

 

Democrats in the two branches of state government remain sharply split. Silver also found himself at odds Wednesday with State Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, the Democrats' designated gubernatorial candidate, who supported the SUNY tuition plan during a visit to Buffalo.

Buffalo News budget story

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Patterson released his final budget for weekend negotiations:

 

The new plan would permit SUNY colleges that grant doctoral level degrees to raise tuition a maximum of 8 percent annually over the next four years. At non-PhD campuses, the tuition hike would be capped at 5 percent annually. Officials say that tuition has grown over the past 30 years at about 6 percent annually. SUNY tuition is now $4,970.

 

The governor also will propose an increase to the Tuition Assistance Program, which would result in much — but not all — of the future tuition hikes being covered for low-income students. Critics have said Paterson and legislators today can't make such binding decisions on a future Legislature, so they question the level of commitment to the low-income students.

 

The Paterson bill also includes authority for SUNY schools to enter into partnerships with private companies, which UB wants to expand to help grow its downtown Buffalo campus...The Paterson budget also calls for $180 million in cuts to SUNY and the City University of New York this year. SUNY schools would be able to raise tuition by 2 percent in the coming school year.

 

Buffalo News story

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So if it costs $4,970 to currently go to the big 4 in the suny system under this proposal tuition for incoming freshman would cost

 

Freshman $4,970

Sophmore $5,368

Junior $5,797

Senior $6,261

 

That is an increase of $1,291 per student over four years. Not terrible compared to other states and private universities, and it will keep and improve the quality of education on the campuses.

 

Let's hope it passes WITH UAlbany. We don't want to be Cal State when we can be UC!

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Sheldon Silver is an ass. UC costs 2x what SUNY costs but they're consistently rated way above SUNY. There isn't one SUNY that can touch UCLA, UC Berkeley etc. Oh, and UC is still 1/5 the cost of the Capitol Region's private colleges. This BS about "accessibility" means MEDIOCRITY. Silver wants SUNY cheap to appease his old liberal friends. He or they don't care if the quality sucks. They didn't attend SUNY and the're not sending their kids. SUNY only works if you have a range of institutions. A Research university CANNOT operate on the same funding as a liberal arts college. Research costs money! Silver knows that but the old socialist doesn't care.

 

Vote Silver out!!!

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So the budget passed, but it appears that Paterson has vetoed some or all of it:

 

I'm lost now on the process.

 

 

 

 

Too bad, said Paterson. "Rather than act in the interests of the people of New York state, they have engaged in legislation that is in self-interest, and presented us with a series of bills that have the same gimmicks, chicanery and avoidant conduct that has

characterized fiscal management in this state for far too long," Paterson said in an evening news conference that included his veto.

 

He said legislators were sending a message to New Yorkers that they wanted "mediocrity" in higher education and that "property tax relief will have to give way to an election-year gimmick."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Democratic holdout was Buffalo's Bill Stachowski, who wants the University at Buffalo -- which has ambitious expansion plans -- to be able to raise tuition rates. Paterson had proposed a plan that would give SUNY campuses some leeway in setting tuition, but it was removed from the budget at the insistence of Assembly Democrats, who dislike the idea. Eventually Stachowski fell in line after receiving assurances from Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson that they would continue to push for allowing SUNY campuses more autonomy.

 

 

 

 

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=945832&category=REGION&TextPage=1#ixzz0sFaYZEan

 

 

 

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So the budget passed, but it appears that Paterson has vetoed some or all of it:

 

I'm lost now on the process.

 

 

 

 

Too bad, said Paterson. "Rather than act in the interests of the people of New York state, they have engaged in legislation that is in self-interest, and presented us with a series of bills that have the same gimmicks, chicanery and avoidant conduct that has

characterized fiscal management in this state for far too long," Paterson said in an evening news conference that included his veto.

 

He said legislators were sending a message to New Yorkers that they wanted "mediocrity" in higher education and that "property tax relief will have to give way to an election-year gimmick."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Democratic holdout was Buffalo's Bill Stachowski, who wants the University at Buffalo -- which has ambitious expansion plans -- to be able to raise tuition rates. Paterson had proposed a plan that would give SUNY campuses some leeway in setting tuition, but it was removed from the budget at the insistence of Assembly Democrats, who dislike the idea. Eventually Stachowski fell in line after receiving assurances from Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson that they would continue to push for allowing SUNY campuses more autonomy.

 

 

 

 

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=945832&category=REGION&TextPage=1#ixzz0sFaYZEan

 

 

As I understand it the SUNY Reform Act, or something similar, would now have to be proposed as new legislation, so it would need a sponsor (either the governor could re-submit, or a member of the legislature could introduce).

 

The legislation would need to be drafted, referred to committee, subject to revision, then if it makes it out of committee it goes to the full legislature for vote.

 

Stachowski could, for example, introduce Buffalo 2020 again, without regard for the rest of the SUNYs.

 

SUNY reform would now seem to be on a long and torturous path --- IMHO

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Figured you'd like this news ;)

 

Democrats say SUNY Plan Still Allive

 

"An alternative proposal being kicked around — to help three Democratic senators, including William Stachowski of Lake View, facing tough re-election battles this fall — would permit elements of the plan on a pilot basis at the University at Buffalo, Stony Brook and Albany."

 

Any ideas of any Capital District Senator needing help?

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Breslin: Don't forget UAlbany

 

Senators are pushing, probably in vain, for some type of compromise legislation that will give greater flexibility to SUNY and CUNY campuses to charge higher tuition.

 

The idea, put forth by Gov. David Paterson, is to allow campuses to set different tuition rates in the hope of letting some of the flagship campuses in the public system reach greater prominence. It landed with a thud in the Assembly, but is particularly important to Sen. Bill Stachowski, D-Lakeview, who represents the University at Buffalo. Stachowski and Sen. Brian Foley (whose Long Island district includes SUNY Stony Brook) withheld their support of the education portion of the budget, for a time, before falling into line and voting it up Monday.

 

They pitched a compromise that would create a pilot program at their campuses. Now, Sen. Neil Breslin wants in.

 

“Obviously the University at Albany is the flagship university in the state system. Any project either complete or in part should include the University at Albany,” the Bethlehem Democrat said. “I’m working internally to make sure that the University at Albany has the highest priority.”

 

Of course, the well-known trick about the Senate Democratic conference is that any one member can threaten to defect, destroying its ability to deliver a block vote (See: Diaz, Ruben). Breslin doesn’t typically take this route — he’s more loyal soldier than prodigal son — but seems willing to at least make some noise on this issue. I asked if it would be a condition of his vote on whatever bill arises from negotiations.

 

“I will do what is in the best interests of my Democratic conference, which will be in the best interests of the State of New York,” he said.

 

 

 

 

 

http://blog.timesuni...forget-ualbany/

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Make sure UAlbany and Bingo don't get left out. This could be the end run that Buffalo and Stony Brook need to get their "flagship". We can't let that happen.

 

We don't want to be Kent State and allow Buffalo to be "The Ohio State". Come on, do you want to be Kennesaw State and allow Buffalo to be University of Georgia? We need to fight now.

 

 

Take 20 seconds and call your senator!!!

 

Breslin's Office: 518-455-2225

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