SUNY Seeks Increased Investment in Maintenance, Research

Story by Samuel King/New York Public News Network

The chancellor of SUNY says the system’s enrollment is growing and its financial picture is stabilizing, but more investment is needed in capital projects.

Chancellor John King told lawmakers during a recent budget hearing that there is a $10 billion critical maintenance backlog across the State University of New York system, which officials want to tackle with a multi-year plan.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget proposal includes $595 million for critical maintenance next fiscal year, up from $540 million this year. Trustees had hoped for $1 billion in funding for critical maintenance and emergency avoidance, King said, along with $460 million for research capital.

“That would allow us to continue to pursue these areas of real leadership for SUNY in research and important areas of potential growth in the New York state economy,” King told lawmakers. “So, we are hopeful that in the enacted budget … that capital number could be significantly higher.”

King also said that, so far, the system has lost millions of dollars in federal grants. But he is hopeful after Congress decided to restore some funding.

“They rejected the administration’s attempt to cut the reimbursement to universities for the infrastructure that supports that research,” King said in an interview. “So that’s the good news. But we still need the federal agencies to have the staff and charge to actually deliver those dollars to not only our campuses, but campuses throughout the country.”

SUNY faculty, staff and students also lobbied lawmakers for more investments. Mathena Rush, a student at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, was among those who took part in a rally Wednesday at the Capitol.

“The past year has been really rough for us financially, and we need the state to invest in us, and we need the state to invest in all other SUNYs and CUNYs, because we’re extremely important,” Rush said.

United University Professions, a key union representing faculty and staff at SUNY, proposed $41.8 million in funding to target four campuses with the deepest deficits. They include SUNY ESF and campuses in Buffalo, Fredonia and Potsdam.

“We need this investment now, because there is a financial crunch coming from D.C. next year, we need to give our campuses a cushion, and a cushion to the people who do the work,” said Fred Kowal, president of UUP.

The governor’s budget proposal continues an in-state tuition freeze at SUNY campuses, and expands the free community college program for adults to more sectors.

Image: SUNY students at a rally at the state Capitol calling for more investment in higher education. (Samuel King/New York Public News Network)