State University Strongly Supported in
Executive Budget
Hospitals Strengthened - Tuition held level

[From SUNY News]

Once again the State University of New York received
strong support from Gov. George E. Pataki in his Executive
Budget. Tuition at the State-operated campuses would
remain at $3,400 for the 6th year in a row and the
University's annual core instructional budget would grow
to over $1.8 billion dollars.

The Governor's proposed 2001-02 fiscal year budget
includes an increase of $55.2 million for the State
University to fund collective bargaining agreements, to
account for inflation, to provide for faculty lines and to
fulfill other priorities outlined by Chancellor King and the
State University of New York Board of Trustees. The
University hospitals would be financially restructured and
receive new operational aid. And, $155 million in new
bonding authority for residence halls would meet current
needs.

Board Chairman Thomas F. Egan said, "We very much
appreciate the Governor's strong support for the State
University of New York including the Governor's proposal
to strengthen the financial structure of our teaching
hospitals. This support, when coupled with his visionary
Centers of Excellence and the current $2 billion capital
construction program, will continue to propel the
University into the front rank of American higher
education." 

Chancellor Robert L. King said, "I am delighted with
Governor Pataki's budget proposal. Enhancements to New
York's Tuition Assistance Program, increases to our core
instructional budget and new bonding authority enabling
the creation and renovation of residence halls will enable
us to continue to move the State University of New York
forward."

Tuition Assistance Program(TAP) highlights include the
elimination of the 90% cap on awards for public university
students, increasing the minimum award level to $500
when fully phased-in and increasing income eligibility
levels for the 2000-01 academic year.

The Governor's plan provides State support of $92.1
million, which recognizes the hospitals' status as public
entities. Beginning with the 2001-02 budget and
continuing over several years, the State would provide a
total of $84.6 million to assist the hospitals in repaying
outstanding loans. The Governor's proposal also contains
legislation giving the hospitals additional operational
flexibility to aid them in becoming self-sufficient.
Simultaneously, the hospitals will continue to undertake
operational efficiencies and strategic initiatives to achieve
financial self-sufficiency over the next few years. 

Over the last 4 years, enrollment at the state-operated
campuses has grown to 192,646 students and the
University projects continued enrollment growth. As a
result, the Governor has proposed providing an additional
$155 million in bonding authority for the construction and
rehabilitation of new residence halls across the
University. 

Other budget proposal highlights include $325 million for
the 30 community colleges. This figure includes $5.8
million to fully fund the 2000-01 base-aid increase and
another $3.5 million for enrollment growth at the
community colleges.

The State University would also benefit under the
Governor's 2001-02 budget proposal through the creation
of university-based Centers of Excellence. New York's
Centers of Excellence would attract $1 billion for high-tech
and biotech research by using $283 million in state
support to leverage over $700 million in public and private
investment. These Centers would allow the State to
become a worldwide leader in university-based research,
business creation and job development. 

Chancellor King praised the Governor's research agenda,
"Gov. Pataki's university-based Centers of Excellence, and
other state initiatives such as NYSTAR and our Centers for
Advanced Technology, provide enormous opportunity to
attract additional sponsored research funding. " The
Chancellor said, " Part of my plan to bring $5 billion in
new resources to the State University calls for attracting
an additional $1.5 billion in new sponsored research. The
Centers of Excellence would go a long way in helping us
reach that goal."

In addition to $1.5 billion in new sponsored research,
Chancellor King's plan also relies on $1.0 billion in
fundraising from private sources and $500 million in new
campus generated revenues.

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