Gov. Spitzer aims to rebuild SUNY, CUNY

Julianne Herts Assistant News Editor

New York Governor Eliot Spitzer formed a Commission on Higher Educationlast May, with the goal of putting New York State Universities on par with the State Universities of California and the University of Michigan. The Commission released its preliminary report in December 2007, calling for massive educational reform.

The State Universities of New York (SUNY) and the City Universities of New York (CUNY) comprise the nation’s largest public university program, yet the Higher Education Commission report declared that “SUNY and CUNY have a chronic problem: too little revenue, too little investment and too much regulation.”

The governor addressed a few points from the Commission’s report during his 2008 State of the State Address on Jan. 8. During the address Spitzer noted the economic benefits of improved higher education at both state and private institutions, saying, “We can’t strengthen our economy without the best colleges producing the best-prepared graduates. That’s why our goal must be to make higher education affordable for every New Yorker.”

Spitzer proposed that the state raise funds for higher education by creating a permanent endowment, which would start with $4 billion and be funded by lottery ticket sales.

Vassar’s Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Davis Borus approves of the Governor’s concern for education. “I think it is always positive when proposals are put forward that will strengthen higher education in the state,” said Borus. “I hope the legislature agrees with the Governor that both the public and private sectors of higher education in New York contribute greatly to the continued welfare and prosperity of the state and its people.”

Fortunately, though the reform’s focus is on public schools, students at private institutions such as Vassar would also benefit from a few of the Commission’s recommendations. For example, low-interest loans for residents attending any college in the state were recommended by the commission’s report, which noted that every other state in the Northeast already has a similar program in place.
Also of potential benefit to Vassar is the $3 billion Empire State Innovation Fund to promote research at the state’s public and private schools. The Innovation fund is one of the few proposals that Spitzer endorsed during his address. The other Spitzer-approved plans are the proposal to make the transfer of credits from community colleges to four-year public institutions easier, and the recommendation that 2,000 new faculty members be employed by SUNY and CUNY. Among the new faculty will be 250 “eminent scholars” who the governor hopes will bring prestige.

Spitzer has not yet taken a position on the commission’s other recommendations, which include the establishment of Educational Partnership Zones (EPZs), in which colleges will work with low-income, low-achieving primary and secondary schools. The Commission’s recommendation is that every seventh- and eighth-grader who meets grade-level standards in an EPZ and goes on to graduate from high school will be guaranteed free tuition at CUNY or SUNY, or special financial assistance at participating private colleges.

Further suggestions from the Commission include remedial instruction for high school students via a College Readiness Act, a New York State Compact for Public Higher Education to define the State and school’s responsibilities for education, and the modification of SUNY’s governance.

The state’s first attempt to boost the economy through higher education reform is already underway in the form of the University of Buffalo’s 2020 plan. The plan calls for the University to make room for 12,000 more students and to create a new campus specializing in medicine and health. The plan is designed both to enlarge the University and create consistency throughout its programs. During his State Address, Spitzer acknowledged the University’s progress and declared that the 2020 plan would make it “a flagship institution for a world-class public university system.”

CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein issued a statement that praised Spitzer’s efforts at educational reform, declaring that “the governor’s proposals acknowledge the forward-thinking work of the Commission on Higher Education and lead the way in positioning the state as a global center of research and new industry, with a highly skilled workforce and a diverse, knowledge-based economy.”