Carl Hayden and H. Carl McCall are now members of the SUNY Board of Trustees, attending their first meeting Oct. 26, just four days after their nominations were confirmed by the state Senate.

UUP President William Scheuerman hailed the Senate’s action and praised both men.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with McCall in his role as co-chair of the New York State Public Higher Education Conference Board, and I know first hand

of his unwavering commitment to affordable, accessible public higher education,” Scheuerman said. “He understands the critical need to ensure access

to quality public higher education for an ever-increasing student population, and will be a strong advocate for all SUNY students seeking the skills they need to compete in the 21st century.”

Scheuerman said Carl Hayden’s confirmation as board chair will set the board on an active course toward finding a new permanent chancellor.

“His leadership in that effort will help restore stability to the chancellor’s position, and allow SUNY to continue making strides toward becoming the best public higher education system in America,” he said.

Gov. Eliot Spitzer said McCall and Hayden’s presence will strengthen the board.

“The dynamic leadership of these new board members, combined with the work of the higher education commission and a new chancellor, are critical components that will propel SUNY into one of the nation’s premier systems of higher education,” the governor said.

In an interview with the Long Island newspaper Newsday, Hayden said continuing to increase full-time faculty ranked among his priorities. He also said it may take a while to choose a new permanent chancellor.

“I should think because we are looking for people with singular accomplishment and national reputation, that it will take more than the typical search to accomplish,” Hayden sad.

McCall and Hayden take the place of Candace deRussy and Teresa Santiago, both appointees of former Gov. George Pataki, whose terms had expired. A third Spitzer nominee, Linda Sanford, has yet to be confirmed by the Senate.

McCall is a former New York state comptroller; Hayden is an Elmira attorney and former chancellor for the state Board of Regents.

— Donald Feldstein