SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy has been lobbying in Albany against the state Division of Budget's proposed 3.35 percent spending cut for the SUNY system.
He and SUNY Potsdam President John F. Schwaller say that the St. Lawrence County colleges could weather the systemwide budget cut — but jobs may be in jeopardy across the state.
"We'll all be hard pressed to meet the $109 million without laying people off, and nobody wants to go there. That's the truth," Mr. Kennedy said Wednesday from Albany. "I believe a better solution will come out of this."
The state budget office estimates the 3.35 percent would amount to a savings of $109 million out of the State University of New York's $4.5 billion budget. That's on top of a 2.9 percent budget cut — totaling $38.8 million — already imposed on the funding requested by SUNY in the recently enacted 2008-09 state budget.
For the first time, the state not only is imposing a spending limit on the funding it provides, but also on the amount colleges can spend in non-state revenues. So universities can't fully spend the money they take in from tuition and room and board fees, which support academic programming and housing, for instance.
The across-the-board 3.35 percent spending restriction would cover all of SUNY's 64 campuses. It's not yet clear how that will affect individual schools.
However, Mr. Kennedy estimated that SUNY Canton might have to cut its budget by $1.5 million, while Mr. Schwaller said SUNY Potsdam may need to trim $1 million from its spending plan.
"It would be exceptionally difficult for us to reduce our spending by that much without having an impact on our programs," Mr. Schwaller said. "Across the SUNY system, we are continually hiring faculty and recruiting students. So if a reduction comes once those activities are under way, it would be very difficult to stop the ship, if you will."
Mr. Kennedy has said that state funding of about $12 million makes up about one-third of SUNY Canton's $40 million budget. The rest of the budget is comprised of dozens of revenue categories, including student payments for tuition, room and board and fees.
Each fund is required to cover expenses in its category as well as contribute to the overall growth of the college — or in other words, make a profit — each year.
Both presidents criticized the state budget office for not requiring such steep spending cuts from community colleges or the City University of New York.
Mr. Kennedy contends that limiting how much of their own money schools can spend has the potential to limit each college's individual character.
"I don't think they understand the entrepreneurial nature of the colleges. But I think we're making headway," Mr. Kennedy said. "People are starting to go, 'Oh.' The last thing New York wants to do is stop its colleges from being creative."
SUNY officials continue to plead their case with legislators and Gov. David A. Paterson. In addition, several hundred members of the United University Professions union protested the spending cap in Albany on Tuesday.
"I'm taking a 'wait-and-see' attitude. It's preliminary to make assumptions," Mr. Schwaller said. "Once we have some idea of what the actual numbers are we'll begin to plan in a more efficient manner. We'll do our best to manage."
SUNY has until May 16 to present a plan for cutting its budget.
