McNitt

Public higher education rose to the fore in Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s 2008 State of the State address. In his annual address to both houses of the state Legislature Jan. 9, the governor called for the hiring of 2,000 more full-time faculty for SUNY and CUNY over the next five years, reflecting the recommendations of his Commission on Higher Education.

“If you want to participate in the innovation economy, a high school diploma is not always enough – you’re going to need a college diploma, or better yet, an advanced degree. We can’t strengthen our economy without the best colleges producing the best-prepared graduates,” the governor said. “That’s why our goal must be to make an outstanding higher education affordable for every New Yorker.”

At the Capitol to watch the speech, UUP Acting President Frederick Floss said the governor was on the right track by linking state investment in public higher education to the future of the state’s economy.

“The governor reaffirmed his longtime commitment to higher education and to a strong state economy by calling for 2,000 more full-time faculty for the state’s public university systems,” Floss said. “Rebuilding the ranks of our full-time faculty at SUNY and CUNY is absolutely critical to rebuilding New York’s financial future, and we applaud the governor for seeing that connection.”

Floss noted UUP’s leadership in the fight for additional full-time faculty. He stressed that SUNY needs 1,600 more full-time faculty just to restore the student to faculty ratio that existed 15 years ago.

To fund the cost of more full-time faculty, as well as other investments in public higher education, the governor proposed the establishment of a $4 billion endowment for public higher education that would be financed by privatizing at least part of the New York State Lottery.

Floss hoped the governor’s proposed budget — scheduled to be released after The Voice went to press — would include direct state funds for the additional faculty.

“The full funding for these new faculty lines in the state budget would be a major investment in SUNY’s future,” Floss said. “SUNY needs a reliable funding stream to be certain the funds are there to move the University and our economy forward.”

The governor also called for state leaders to make the process for community college students who want to transfer to four-year SUNY and CUNY schools “simple and seamless.” But Floss noted without more full-time faculty, SUNY cannot accommodate the transfer students.

“Over the last several years, SUNY has reported that it turned away 7,500 qualified community college students because of the shortage of full-time faculty,” Floss said. “The state must provide public funds for enrollment growth, including the growth we expect to see from community college transfers.”

The governor also proposed designating SUNY’s university centers at Buffalo and Stony Brook as “flagship” campuses.

— Donald Feldstein