[gen-assem] de Russy on the budget

[Bob Fluck]

>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.