MORE THAN 360,000 STUDENTS IN NEW YORK ATTEND ONE OF THE STATE'S 64 PUBLIC COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES.

THAT'S THE SUNY SYSTEM, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, AND IN THE PAST FEW DECADES, IT'S BEEN CHANGING.

FOR ONE, ENROLLMENT IS DROPPING AND FAST.

THERE WERE ABOUT 100,000 FEWER STUDENTS ENROLLED IN SUNY SCHOOLS IN 2022 THAN A DECADE EARLIER.

BUT FOR TWO, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THREE SUNY CHANCE CHANCELLORS OVER THAT SAME PERIOD.

AND THE LAST ONE RESIGNED OVER GOVERNOR CUOMO'S SEXUAL HARASSMENT SCANDALS.

.

SO NOW, THE SUNY SYSTEM IS TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER THAT AND COVID AND WITH A NEW CHANCELLOR.

JOHN KING WAS THE U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA AND BEFORE THAT, HE WAS STATE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER RIGHT HERE IN NEW YORK.

AND NOW HE'S BACK AS THE STATE'S NEW SUNY CHANCELLOR.

WE SAT DOWN TO CHAT ABOUT HIS VISION FOR SUNY, GOVERNOR HOCHUL'S PROPOSED TUITION HIKES AND MORE.

SUNY CHANCELLOR JOHN KING, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

6 >> THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

>> OF COURSE, ANYTIME.

SO THE SUNY SYSTEM IS SUCH A BIG, COMPLICATED SYSTEM.

I WANT TO SEE LIKE-- I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN HOW YOU VIEW THE SUNY SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.

COMING IN AS CHANCELLOR, YOU CAME IN DECEMBER, JANUARY, AND WHERE DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT.

LET'S START WITH YOUR VIEW OF SUNY.

>> YEAH.

WELL, YOU KNOW, SUNY IS AN INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY OF INSTITUTIONS, 64 CAMPUSES THAT PROVIDE A RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO OUR FOUR-YEAR COMPREHENSIVE INSTITUTIONS, TECHNOLOGY, COLLEGES, OUR UNIVERSITY CENTERS THAT ARE DOING CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH.

WE HAVE THREE MEDICAL CENTERS.

SO IT'S REALLY A BROAD RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES.

I LIKE TO SAY THERE'S A PLACE FOR EVERY NEW YORK STUDENT AT SUNY.

>> I REALLY THINK THAT.

I REALLY THINK THAT.

AND BEFORE WE WERE RECORDING THIS INTERVIEW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THERE ARE CERTAIN CAMPUSES THAT ARE MORE SPECIALIZED TO PEOPLE AND PEOPLE REALLY FIND THEIR HOME ON THESE CAMPUSES.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY SPECIAL.

>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

IT'S INSPIRING.

>> YEAH.

7 >> YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SPEND TIME ON A CAMPUS AND YOU SEE THAT STUDENTS FOUND THE THING THAT THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT, IT'S REALLY AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AHEAD TODAY, SUNY IS ARGUABLY THE MOST AFFORDABLE HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION AVAILABLE IN THE COUNTRY.

>> UH-HUH.

>> BUT THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID AS OUR BOARD THAT WE REALLY WANT TO BE THE BEST PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM IN OUR COUNTRY.

THE BEST, AND THAT MEANS THERE'S SOME THINGS WE NEED TO DO.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE NEW YORK STUDENTS KNOW ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES AT SUNY.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN STUDENTS GET TO OUR CAMPUSES, THEY DON'T JUST START BUT FINISH.

SO STUDENT SUCCESS IS CRITICAL.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION IS CRITICAL.

WE DON'T, RIGHT NOW, HAVE A STUDENT BODY THAT FULLY REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR STATE.

THE FACULTY DOESN'T FULLY REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF OUR STUDENT.

OUR CAMPUS LEADERSHIP TEAMS DON'T.

WE HAVE WORK TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REFLECT THE RICH DIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.

WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GROWING RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP.

OUR CAMPUSES CAN BE A PART OF SOLVING THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS WE FACE AS A SOCIETY, WHETHER IT'S 8 CLIMATE CHANGE, OR PROTECTING THE HEALTH OF OUR DEMOCRACY HERE AND ABROAD.

AND THE FOURTH PRIORITY FOR ME IS AROUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND UPWARD MOBILITY.

>> OH YEAH.

>> MANY PARTS OF THE STATE, SUNY IS ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS.

OUR CAMPUSES ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL TO PREPARING THE WORKFORCE FOR THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY AS MICRON COMES TO CENTRAL NEW YORK.

WE'VE GOT GREAT NANOTECH WORK HAPPENING IN ALBANY.

THAT WILL HELP SPUR THE GROWTH OF THAT SECTOR HERE.

WE'VE GOT BATTERY RESEARCH HAPPENING AT BINGHAMTON THAT'S GOING TO HELP US GET TO NET ZERO.

LOTS OF GOOD JOBS TO BE CREATED AND GREEN RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES.

I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE CAN BUILD ON A BASE THAT IS INCREDIBLY STRONG.

IT'S REALLY AN ASSET FOR THE STATE.

>> HOW DO WE GET THERE?

THESE ARE VERY EXPANSIVE IDEAS, AND THE CAMPUSES NEED GUIDANCE AND FUNDING TO MAKE THEM HAPPEN.

IS THAT WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO?

WOULD YOU SEEK BIGGER FINANCIAL INFUSION FROM THE STATE TO MAKE THIS PLAN A REALITY, OR DO YOU SEE ANOTHER STRATEGY?

>> RESOURCES AND PARTNERSHIP, I WOULD SAY.

>> YEAH.

9 >> RESOURCES ARE CRITICAL.

WE NEED THE STATE TO INVEST.

THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR MADE SOME BIG COMMITMENTS TO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM REACHING PART-TIME STUDENTS.

THAT WAS A BIG DEAL.

>> GAME-CHANGER.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE APPRECIATED THAT.

THE GOVERNOR MADE A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS GOING INTO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS.

$500 MILLION ENDOWMENT MATCHING FUND THAT WOULD GALVANIZE A BILLION DOLLARS IN PHILANTHROPY TO SUPPORT RESEARCH AT OUR UNIVERSITY CENTERS.

>> WOW.

>> THE TRUSTEES HAVE ASKED FOR AN INCREASE IN OPERATING AID SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE STUDENT SUPPORTS ACROSS ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES AND ATTRACT THE BEST FACULTY.

RESOURCES ARE CRITICAL.

BUT ALSO PARTNERSHIP WITH EMPLOYERS, WITH COMMUNITIES, WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.

>> UH-HUH.

>> YOU KNOW, AS MICRON COMES TO SYRACUSE AREA, WE WANT THEM TO KNOW HOW THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS GOING TO BE A KEY PARTNER IN PROVIDING THE WORKFORCE THAT THEY NEED.

FOR OUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AROUND THE STATE, WE WANT THEM TO KNOW 10 WE NEED THEIR PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP THE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE WE NEED.

SO IF WE CAN GET MORE RESOURCES AND BUILD THOSE PARTNERSHIPS, WE CAN FULFILL THAT VISION OF SUNY AS THE BEST PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY.

>> YOU KNOW, SPEAKING OF ALL OF THIS, THERE'S A PROPOSAL FROM THE GOVERNOR THIS YEAR IN HER STATE OF THE STATE TO ALLOW SUNY TO RAISE TUITION AT MOST CAMPUSES 3%, FOUR FLAGSHIP CAMPUSES, 6%.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT AS SUNY CHANCELLOR?

>> WELL, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S OPERATING AID TO SUPPORT THE CAMPUSES.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> I WILL MAKE THE CASE WITH THE LEGISLATURE THAT WE NEED TO SEE AN INCREASE IN OPERATING AID.

THAT SAID, IT IS VERY HELPFUL TO CAMPUSES TO BE ABLE TO PLAN TO KNOW RELIABLY HOW TUITION WILL CHANGE OVER TIME.

AND SO WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED IS A VERY MODEST INCREASE, THAT WILL KEEP SUNY AS THE MOST AFFORDABLE HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE COUNTRY BUT ALLOW CAMPUSES TO DO PLANNING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT 53% OF OUR STUDENTS AT OUR FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTIONS NOW DON'T PAY TUITION BECAUSE OF PELL, THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND EXCELSIOR WHICH IS AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES MAKING UP TO $125,000.

SO 11 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN HONEST INCREASE FOR A PORTION OF OUR STUDENTS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THAT RELIABLE, SUSTAINABLE, PREDICTABLE PATH FOR OUR CAMPUSES, AND THE GOVERNOR'S ALSO PROPOSED FLEXIBILITY FOR OUR FOUR UNIVERSITY CENTERS BECAUSE THEY ARE INVESTING A LOT OF RESOURCES IN RESEARCH.

THEY'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT WORLD-CLASS FACULTY TO LEAD THAT RESEARCH, AND SO THEY NEED TO HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY.

OTHER STATES PROVIDE THEIR FLAGSHIP INSTITUTIONS WITH THAT KIND OF FLEXIBILITY.

>> IT WOULD BE A MODEST INCREASE, BUT I CAN SEE FAMILIES, IF THIS HAPPENS THIS YEAR, BEING UPSET THAT DURING A TIME OF GREAT INFLATION, A TIME OF COST OF LIVING GOING UP, THAT TUITION IS GOING TO GO UP AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THOSE FAMILIES?

>> OUR COMMITMENT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL GOES THROUGH THAT THOSE DOLLARS TRANSLATE INTO BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS.

>> YEAH.

>> RECRUITING GREAT FACULTY MEMBERS, PROVIDING STUDENT SUPPORTS, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE A KEY INVESTMENT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE ACROSS OUR CAMPUSES.

WE HAD CHALLENGES BEFORE COVID, BUT COVID, IN MANY WAYS, EXACERBATED THE MENTAL 12 HEALTH NEEDS ACROSS OUR SYSTEM.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> OUR COMMITMENT IS THAT EXTRA 200 SOME ODD DOLLARS A YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO TURN THAT INTO BETTER SUPPORTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS?

>> YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE STATE FUNDING SIDE OF IT, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH HOW MUCH MORE MONEY YOU ARE SEEKING THIS YEAR.

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IS SEEKING THIS YEAR.

CAN YOU KIND OF GIVE US A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE STATE BUDGET FOR SUNY?

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, WE ASKED FOR A MODEST INCREASE, ABOUT $133 MILLION, WHICH IS REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CAMPUSES ARE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH SALARY INCREASES, THINGS LIKE RISING ENERGY COSTS.

SO THAT'S MODEST.

WE ALSO ASKED FOR A $60 MILLION INVESTMENT IN INITIATIVES TO BETTER ALIGN OUR PROGRAMS WITH CURRENT MARKET DEMANDS.

LAST YEAR, THE LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR COMMITTED $60 MILLION TO THOSE SORTS OF INITIATIVES THAT ALLOWED US TO EXPAND PROGRAMS IN NURSING, IN CYBERSECURITY, IN GREEN JOBS.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND THAT EXTRA $60 MILLION WOULD HELP US MOVE FORWARD, AND THEN WE'VE GOT CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.

YOU KNOW, AS SUNY ALUM, WE HAVE FANTASTIC CAMPUSES, BUT MANY OF THE 13 BUILDINGS ARE SOMEWHAT OLDER.

>> THEY ARE.

>> YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY NEED FUNDING TO DO MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP, BUT WE ALSO NEED FUNDING TO HAVE GREAT LAB SPACE.

SO THAT STUDENTS CAN GET THE BEST, MOST UP-TO-DATE LEARNING IN THE STEM FIELDS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH.

WE NEED CAPITAL SUPPORT FOR OUR HOSPITALS THAT ARE SOMEWHAT OUTDATED IN SOME OF THEIR FACILITIES AND COULD USE UPGRADES.

SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE WOULD MAKE SOME REAL CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN OUR CAMPUSES THIS YEAR.

>> I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOMETHING YOU BROUGHT UP EARLIER THAT I FOUND REALLY INTERESTING AND REALLY ON POINT IS THE DIVERSITY ISSUE IN THE SUNY SYSTEM IN TERMS OF, AS YOU SAID, THE STUDENT BODY, THE LEADERSHIP TEAMS, EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

HOW DO YOU GET TO A MORE DIVERSE SUNY SYSTEM?

THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE DEALT WITH FOR MANY YEARS?

>> UH-HUH.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A COUPLE PIECES.

ONE IS YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT CAMPUSES ARE A PLACE WHERE STUDENTS FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING.

>> YEAH.

14 >> A SENSE OF SAFETY, A SENSE OF BEING SEEN.

YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS KNOW ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES.

THERE ARE A LOT OF STUDENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN NEW YORK CITY, LONG ISLAND, WESTCHESTER IN DIVERSE COMMUNITIES, THEY MAY KNOW ABOUT STONEYBROOK OR BUFFALO, MAYBE BINGHAMTON IN ALBANY, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW ABOUT FREDONIA OR ROCKPORT.

>> OR THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES.

>> OR THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES ACTUALLY HAVE DORM SPACE.

>> YEAH.

>> SO STUDENTS WHO WANT TO GO AWAY TO SCHOOL COULD ACTUALLY DO THAT COMING TO ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES, VERY AFFORDABLY.

WE'VE GOT TO DO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS KNOW ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES AT SUNY.

WE'RE SEEING GOOD PROGRESS.

WE'VE SEEN A BIG INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR.

WE'RE HOPING THAT TURNS INTO ENROLLMENT GAINS ACROSS CAMPUSES.

WE ALSO ARE BUILDING WHAT WE CALL A CASCADING ADMISSIONS MODEL.

>> HMM.

>> WHERE BECAUSE YOU MIGHT ONLY KNOW ABOUT SUNY WORK IN 15 BUFFALO, YOU APPLY THERE.

IF YOU DON'T GET IN, WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU DIDN'T GET INTO THOSE INSTITUTIONS BUT TURNS OUT THERE'S A PROGRAM THAT MATCHES YOUR INTERESTS AT FREDONIA.

>> OH, INTERESTING.

>> AT ROCKPORT AND YOU COULD GO THERE INSTEAD.

SO THAT WE'RE REDUCING KIND OF THE FRICTION OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND MAKING IT EASIER FOR STUDENTS TO FIND THEIR PLACE AT SUNY.

>> THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

THERE IS A SENSE AMONG SOME PEOPLE THAT COLLEGE IS NOT FOR THEM.

AND COLLEGE IS NOT FOR EVERYBODY, BUT THERE'S ALSO THIS BARRIER AS WE KIND OF TALK ABOUT THIS WITH PEOPLE WHO JUST DON'T THINK THAT THEY CAN.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> I THINK A BIG PART OF THE SUNY SYSTEM IS SHOWING PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN DO THAT.

>> YEAH.

>> I THINK THAT'S A BIG BENEFIT TO THE SUNY SYSTEM.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A KID GROWING UP, BOTH MY PARENTS PASSED AWAY WHEN I WAS LITTLE.

MY MOM WHEN I WAS 8, MY DAD WHEN I WAS 12.

TEACHERS SAVED MY LIFE.

SCHOOL SAVED MY LIFE, BUT IN HIGH SCHOOL, I STRUGGLED THE WAY A LOT OF 16 KIDS WHO EXPERIENCE TRAUMA STRUGGLE.

I ACTUALLY GOT KICKED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

>> I ALWAYS POINT OUT TO PEOPLE I'M THE FIRST UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF EDUCATION WHO WAS KICKED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I WAS LUCKY THAT PEOPLE GAVE ME A SECOND CHANCE THAT THERE WERE TEACHERS AND MENTORS WHO SAW MORE POTENTIAL IN ME THAN I SAW IN MYSELF, WITH YOU WHEN I GOT TO COLLEGE, I STILL FELT OUT OF PLACE.

YOU KNOW, I WORRIED THAT SOMEBODY WAS GOING TO TAP ME ON THE SHOULDER AND SAY THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE MADE A MISTAKE.

YOU DON'T BELONG HERE, THAT SENSE OF IMPOSTER SYNDROME, AND SO THAT'S A REAL CHALLENGE, MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS KNOW COLLEGE CAN BE FOR THEM, AND THAT CAN BE FOR THE 18-YEAR-OLD WHO IS JUST COMING FROM HIGH SCHOOL BUT CAN ALSO BE FOR THE 35-YEAR-OLDS WHO WANTS TO GET MORE SKILLS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO MOVE UP AT THE WORKPLACE.

COLLEGE IS FOR THEM, TOO, AND WE'VE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB GETTING THAT MESSAGE OUT.

>> IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT WE'RE OUT OF TIME, SUNY CHANCELLOR JOHN KING, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

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