From fluckr at upstate.edu Tue Nov 8 14:54:00 2005 From: fluckr at upstate.edu (Bob Fluck) Date: Wed Mar 4 13:27:45 2020 Subject: [gen-assem] de Russy on the budget Message-ID: >Faculties- I received this from Bill Scheuerman, President of UUP, regarding the latest rant by SUNY Trustee Candace de Russy. It's an interesting read. Bob >Colleagues: > > The following Newsday article talks about deRussy's response to >SUNY's budget proposal and accuses the chancellor of caving in to the >union's demands. Now there's a trustee who thinks it's wrong to >advocate for SUNY. > > Hope you find it interesting. > > Bill > >http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--sunybudget1107nov07,0,4185393,print.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyorkSUNY >budget with 12 percent spending hike praised, faulted By MICHAEL >GORMLEY Associated Press Writer > >November 7, 2005, 5:17 PM EST > >ALBANY, N.Y. -- The State University of New York budget proposal that >calls for no tuition increase but 12 percent more in spending and the >hiring of more unionized instructors was criticized Monday as >unnecessary and unaffordable. > >"Chancellor (John) Ryan's proposed 12 percent spending increase, at a >time when state finances are strained to the breaking point, shows once >again that it is high time for a reality check at SUNY," said SUNY >Trustee Candace de Russy. She said Monday that Ryan "cowed" to the >demands of the politically powerful instructors' union and to campus >administrators. > >The nearly $5.6 billion budget proposal is scheduled to be voted on >Wednesday by the Board of Trustees. > >From there it will go to Gov. George Pataki. Pataki has pledged to have >a lean 2006-07 executive budget proposal in January with tax cuts while >filling a $2.5 billion deficit, although a spokesman emphasized that >wouldn't have to threaten holding the line on tuition. Pataki's budget >will then go the Legislature. > >Ryan said his proposal will help make SUNY "exceptional." It would >provide more full-time faculty and other campus financial support, some >of it as cash incentives to improve timely graduation rates and student >performance. > >It was immediately applauded by the student-backed New York Public >Interest Group and the United University Professions union that >represents most SUNY employees. > >"For years, we've been urging the SUNY Board of Trustees to act as >advocates for the university," said UUP President William Scheuerman. >"We're pleased that the board has adopted our approach in its 2006-7 >budget request." > >De Russy, however, has long criticized her board for failing to save >money through efficiencies before seeking more taxpayer funding or >tuition. She said redundant programs should be closed, some campus aid >should be tied to student performance in publicly available report >cards, and teaching loads should be increased. She said requiring >instructors to teach more classes and abandon some unnecessary research >could ease or eliminate the need for more instructors. She also called >for more online classes across SUNY. > >De Russy said the accountability measures in place or proposed by Ryan >"are perversely designed to avoid academic comparability systemwide, for >fear of embarrassing campuses that are low-performing, and thus parents >and students remain in the dark about the actual quality of education on >different campuses." > >De Russy isn't alone. On Monday a New York Post editorial referred to >it as "SUNY's botched budget," criticizing Ryan for spending the >newspaper called "creative accounting." > >Ryan's proposal to hire more full-time faculty is a longtime objective >of the union and student groups. Part-time or adjunct instructors don't >advise students or hold office hours and a shortage of full-time >instructors has been blamed in part for a lack of enough class offerings >for students to graduate on time. > >SUNY spokesman David Henanhan said Monday that the faculty work load is >comparable to national averages and that SUNY faculty members publish at >a rate higher than the national average. He also said the school has >eliminated about 350 programs between 1995-2003 and is seeking more >funding for campuses and instructors because of record growth in >enrollment. > >Henahan noted that SUNY's energy purchasing program, for example, saves >nearly $2 million a year and 130 measures taken since an internal >efficiency report have saved more than $7.5 million. > >Ryan's budget also calls for a $122.6 million over three years for the >Excelsior Research Faculty Initiative. The program's goal would be to >attract and pay 200 new researchers and retain top current researchers >with pay and other compensation. The funding would pay for full-time >faculty salaries and equipment and provide a 20 percent match to >campuses that secure federal research grants. > >Henahan said the Excelsior program is projected by SUNY to bring $61 >million to the state economy in its first year and create jobs. > >Ryan doesn't propose increasing tuition, which was last raised in 2003 >by $950 to the current $4,350.