ALBANY (AP) -- The State University of New York will try to meet hard fiscal times by operating more efficiently, tapping its 3 million alumni, and using research and private partnerships to increase revenues and help the state create 40,000 private sector jobs.
Those are among the priorities presented Wednesday in SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher's first state of SUNY address.
She said the largest public university system in the nation faces a challenging route in coming years. State funding has already been cut 30 percent over three years.
Zimpher also plans on increasing students' access to classes so they can complete degrees on time, what she calls seamless transfers between campuses, several efficiencies through the Internet, and expanding SUNY's global reach for students.
Original story from Tuesday:
State University of New York Chancellor Nancy Zimpher will announce plans Wednesday that would make campuses compete for some state aid as an incentive for faster improvements and growth, according to a senior administration official.
The official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Zimpher's "state of SUNY" address on Wednesday will reveal the incentive proposal. The official required anonymity because the plan hadn't yet been made public. Campuses and the SUNY Board of Trustees will provide input next.
Campuses would be able to compete for a share of state aid based on their performance in a few select priorities.
For example, campuses that excel in research awards or graduation and retention rates, student course completion, diversity of students and faculty, and programs that address work force shortages and the needs of emerging industries could land more aid in those areas.
The aid is traditionally distributed on the basis of enrollment.
Other campuses could lose some aid under the system at first, unless the pool is created by increases in SUNY funding which is expected in coming years. But the official said the system wouldn't create tiers of campuses based on how well they are funded because all campuses would likely score well in at least one area.
The priorities and the amount of aid that would be transferred to the incentive pool haven't yet been decided.
Zimpher will talk about meshing the idea of competition among campuses with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's goal to make government more efficient.
"To realize the governor's call to be New York's economic engine, we must be committed to SUNY's capacity to innovate and expand our marketable research," states Zimpher's prepared remarks.
The system would begin in the 2011-12 academic year and likely take several years to fully phase in for the 64 campuses. Community colleges that receive aid through a different state formula are not included.
There was no immediate comment from the United University Professions, the union that represents most SUNY employees. The union office in an Albany suburb closed early because of an ice storm.
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