SUNY's trustees have approved a "lock box" to stockpile funding to help stabilize tuition increases over the next five yeras, reports Jimmy Vielkind at the Times Union:
The resolution would have [SUNY chancellor Nancy] Zimpher, pursuant to guidelines set by the Student Assembly and the Faculty Senate, negotiate a plan for five-years worth of tuition actions with the governor and legislative leaders. SUNY's Board of Trustees would then enact any tuition increases under that plan. Zimpher's spokesman Morgan Hook said there were no details of how much tuition could rise this year or over five years. The Student Assembly passed a resolution saying increases should be no more than 5.5 percent annually; both the Student Assembly and Faculty Senate supported Tuesday's resolution, but other students oppose hikes. Unveiling his budget in February, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said SUNY could weather his proposed $362 million cut without raising tuition. He said Tuesday "there's merit to the concept" of the resolution.
Another item that passed at the meeting yesterday was a resolution that gives graduate students more seats in student government at SUNY, reports Cara Matthews at Politics on the Hudson.
Binghamton University
The search for a new president at Binghamton University will be kept more private than the failed search that just ended, reports George Basler at the Press & Sun-Bulletin:
On Tuesday, members of the [Binghamton University] council and search committee met privately with State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher and other SUNY leaders to discuss the search. Earlier this month, Zimpher said she would not recommend either of the finalists selected by the Binghamton University Council to take over the university. "There was a genuine disconnect" between Zimpher and the BU campus on the criteria for a new president, [council president Kathryn Grant] Madigan said. Tuesday's meeting, which followed a SUNY Board of Trustees meeting, helped clarify "the type of candidate the chancellor feels should be in the mix" to be BU's next president, Madigan said. That candidate would be a provost or dean, from another large, selective university, she said.
Cayuga Community College
Cayuga Community College has approval to purchase a building adjacent to its Fulton campus, reports Scott Rapp at the Post-Standard. That will allow the school to expand its classroom space, as well as add parking.
University at Buffalo
The Spectrum, the student paper at the University at Buffalo, has an editorial criticizing what it calls a lack of transparency in the selection of university provost Satish Tripathi as the school's next president.
And state senator Mark Grisanti is asking constituents to sign an online petition supporting the University at Buffalo's "UB2020" campaign in Albany, reports the Niagara Gazette.
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