In separate town hall meetings with faculty and staff on Tuesday, UB President John B Simpson discussed the current budget crisis facing the state and the State University of New York system. The meetings, held with faculty at Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall and with students in the Student Union Theater, outlined the crisis' effects on UB 2020 and the goals of the university.
Simpson said that there has been a fundamental change in the way public and higher education has been viewed. He disagrees with the view of New York politicians, who see higher education as a private good that has no societal benefit.
"My view is that this is a mistaken notion," Simpson said, expressing his belief that education should be seen as a service that benefits not only the individual, but also society.
Gov. David A. Paterson's state budget proposal will be punitive to research institutions like UB, according to Simpson because of the drastic budget cuts Paterson wishes to impose. UB lost $21 million in state funding over a four-month span in 2008, Simpson said, which directly cut into the university's basic operating costs, while SUNY lost $146 million over that same time span.
"I urge you to advocate against it," said the university president, who has been instrumental in challenging the so-called "tuition roulette" of increasing public education costs.
Simpson went on to discuss the objectives of UB 2020, saying that his general endeavors have not changed. However, the current cuts coming from Albany have made it extremely difficult for the university and he said that UB is farther away in the plan than it was two years ago.
"My take is, the aspiration and goal hasn't changed at all," Simpson said. "What's changed is the route and road we're going to have to take to try and get to where we want to go with UB 2020 as a whole."
Simpson also addressed the proposed campus-wide smoking ban, set to take effect during the fall semester. Simpson supports the program, calling it a "very interesting social experiment." He was unsure as to how the university will enforce the ban and while he half-jokingly suggested a "smoking police," he said that it would be up to the public to tell a person who is caught smoking that it isn't something that they should be doing.
"Personally I don't think I'm going to play a major role in enforcing it," Simpson said.
Simpson also believes that a predictable tuition policy is necessary to help students plan ahead so that they can afford to continue to go to college.
"I really, really object to raising [students'] tuition and using that as a vehicle to fund the state's budgetary problems," Simpson said. "That should not be the way in which the state takes care of its short fallings - essentially taxing you as a student."
A policy reform agenda was also thrown into the mix by the Simpson, which would allow for UB 2020 to progress.
When asked if breaking away from SUNY was an option the UB administration had considered, Simpson said that many possibilities are on the table.
"I would consider anything at this point...that would benefit the university in the short-term and even more so in the long-term," Simpson said.
He said that there is value in being a part of SUNY and that the school must find a better way to work within the system. He also expressed his interest in meeting with Nancy L. Zimpher, the SUNY chancellor-designate, when she officially takes office on June 1.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
