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History
- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Full text
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Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to autonomy for the state university centers at Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Stony Brook
Purpose
To create autonomy for the university centers at Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, and Stony Brook so that they shall be considered separate and distinct entities.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 239-a so that it creates autonomy for the university centers at Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, and Stony Brook for the purposes of separate state budget allocations, research grants and awards, new construction, rehabilitation, renovation and maintenance of campus facilities and grounds, and acquisition of all equipment, services and supplies.
The legislation would require that each university center submit a yearly budget request to the legislature's fiscal committees on November first.
Each university's budget shall be reviewed by the legislature, and based on this review, receive a single appropriation, separate from the overall state university budget and its current allocation formula.
Each university center shall establish its own Research Foundation with a board of nine members and separate legal counsel.
East campus president would determine the new construction, renovation and maintenance of campus facilities and grounds, as per state university guidelines, including the purchasing of equipment, services and supplies.
Existing law
None.
Justification
Although the state university system provides funding for each campus state wide, there is a need by our research institutions to have autonomy due to the expenses these four campuses incur. Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, and Stony Brook are unique institutions which require local autonomy and flexibility over its operations.
Over the last several years, our State's four University Centers at Stony Brook, Albany, Binghamton and Buffalo have become major research institutions offering hundreds of licensing programs and research initiatives to thousands of students throughout the world. Their mission has become increasingly complex, their regional influence critically important to the state's economy, and their level of federal grants and awards a major factor in the state's ability to create and attract new businesses.
In order to effectively manage these and other demands while maintaining their regional and national competitiveness, these institutions must have the freedom to budget independently and administer their institutions with as much autonomy as possible. Given their local and regional influence they must also have the ability to work with other higher education institutions and businesses in the area to advance their mission and the economic health of their distinct regions.
Legislative history
2005-06 S.4203; 2007-08 S.3321.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.