AND AMID BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS, IT WAS A BUSY TIME AT THE STATE CAPITOL AS ADVOCATES AND LAWMAKERS HELD RALLIES FOR ISSUES THEY WANT ADDRESSED IN THE BUDGET.

EDUCATION LEADERS RALLIED FOR FUNDING FOR PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES, AND TUITION ASSISTANCE WITH HIGHER EDUCATION CHAIRS TOBY STAVISKY AND PATRICIA FAHY.

WE KNOW WITH INCREASED INCREASES AND WITH MORE INCREASES THIS YEAR, YOU CAN CONTINUE TO TURN IT AROUND.

SO AS WE LOOK TO THESE FINAL DAYS OF THE BUDGET, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE INCREASE THAT FUNDING AGAIN, SUNY, CUNY, THE CAPITOL, THE HOSPITALS, AND OF COURSE, TURN ON THE TAP BECAUSE WE NEED TO TELL STUDENTS WE HAVE THEIR BACK.

AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THE STATE SHOULD APPROACH HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING THIS YEAR, WE CAUGHT UP WITH SUNY CHANCELLOR JOHN KING.

[ THEME MUSIC ] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY, CHANCELLOR.

EXCITED TO TALK WITH YOU.

NOW, OF COURSE, I WANTED TO START OFF WITH BUDGET.

WE ARE EXPECTING THE FINAL STATE BUDGET HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

SO I WANTED TO GET YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT YOU'RE HOPING IS SECURED IN THE FINAL STATE BUDGET.

I KNOW COMING OUT OF LAST YEAR, SUNY WAS ABLE TO SECURE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN OPERATING FUNDS THAT WERE RECURRING AS WELL AS MONEY FOR TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVES.

SO HOW WERE YOU HOPING THE STATE WILL BUILD ON THAT INVESTMENT FROM LAST YEAR HEADING INTO THE FINAL WEEKS OF STATE BUDGET THIS YEAR?

WELL, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR LAST YEAR'S INVESTMENT BY THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE IN OUR STUDENTS, AND WE HOPE THAT THIS YEAR WE'LL BE ABLE TO BUILD ON THAT INVESTMENT.

THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED $54 MILLION INCREASE IN OPERATING AID.

THAT'S A GOOD START, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONVERSATIONS IN THE WEEKS AHEAD ABOUT HOW WE BEST SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.

YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR'S AID INCREASE IS ALLOWING TO US INVEST IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, EXPANDED SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, EXPANDING INTERNSHIPS ACROSS OUR CAMPUSES WITH A GOAL AND ULTIMATELY WE WANT EVERY SUNY STUDENT TO HAVE AN INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE DURING THEIR UNDERGRADUATE YEARS.

IT'S ALLOWING TO US GROW OUR RESEARCH ACROSS OUR CAMPUSES.

SO REALLY LOOKING TO BUILD ON THAT AND THEN CAPITAL IS CRITICAL.

WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ACADEMIC BUILDINGS ARE UP TO DATE, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD THE LAB SPACE THAT WILL HELP OUR CAMPUSES COMPETE, WHETHER IT'S TRAINING FOLKS FOR THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY OR DOING THE RESEARCH AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED OR THE LAB SPACE FOR HEALTH SCIENCES, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A ROBUST CONVERSATION THE NEXT FEW WEEKS ABOUT HOW WE CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN SUNY TO BE THE BEST PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY.

AND FROM YOUR PURVIEW, WHAT DOES THE LONG-TERM CAPITAL INVESTMENT FROM THE STATE FOR SUNY CAMPUSES LOOK LIKE TO ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY?

WELL, LOOK, WE'VE GOT MORE THAN $7 BILLION CAPITAL BACKLOG, CRITICAL MAINTENANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON BUILDINGS ACROSS THE STATE, AND WE'VE GOT 40% OF THE STATE'S PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

SO IF WE'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE STATE'S GOAL TO GET TO NET ZERO, TO REALLY MOVE TO RENEWABLE ENERGY, SUNY'S GOING TO HAVE TO LEAD THE WAY.

SO THERE'S GOING TO NEED TO BE SUSTAINED, SIGNIFICANT, YEAR-OVER-YEAR INVESTMENT TO MAKE SURE OUR FACILITIES ARE UP TO DATE AND THAT THEY'RE USING RENEWABLE ENERGY.

I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT FAFSA BECAUSE I KNOW LAST WEEK, YOU WERE PART OF A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON THE UNIVERSAL FAFSA APPLICATION, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A BILL THAT WOULD MANDATE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THE FAFSA APPLICATION IN ADDITION TO THE TAP APPLICATION.

SO CAN YOU UNPACK WHY THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE SUPPORTING AND HOW IT MIGHT IMPACT STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING SUNY SCHOOLS BUT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE INTERESTED IN FILLING OUT A FAFSA APPLICATION FOR WHATEVER REASON?

ABSOLUTELY.

SO THE FAFSA IS THE FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID.

IT'S REALLY THE GATEWAY TO ACCESSING FEDERAL AND STATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO ATTEND COLLEGE.

WHEN PEOPLE GET FINANCIAL AID, IT MAKES COLLEGE MORE AFFORDABLE AND MORE ACCESSIBLE.

IN FACT, AT SUNY, MORE THAN 52% OF OUR STUDENTS GO TUITION FREE BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM AND THE STATE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE STATE'S EXCELSIOR PROGRAM.

WE WANT STUDENTS TO HAVE THAT ACCESS.

THAT MEANS THEY HAVE TO COMPLETE THE FORM.

THIS YEAR, IT'S A NEW FORM.

IT'S SIMPLER, SHORTER.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT FAMILIES THAT HAVE 12TH GRADERS OR FOLKS INTERESTED GOING TO COLLEGE, WORKING ADULTS, WILL TAKE THIS MOMENT TO GO ONLINE, COMPLETE THAT FAFSA AND FIND HOW MUCH AID IS AVAILABLE TO THEM.

THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL WOULD ENSURE THAT HIGH SCHOOLS HELP HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO COMPLETE EITHER THE FAFSA OR THE DREAM ACT APPLICATION IF STUDENTS ARE UNDOCUMENTED OR STUDENTS CAN SIGN A WAIVER THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S FREE MONEY OUT THERE TO GO TO COLLEGE, BUT I DON'T WANT ANY OF IT.

BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE KNOW ATTENDING COLLEGE CAN TRANSLATE INTO A MILLION DOLLARS MORE IN LIFETIME EARNINGS.

ATTENDING COLLEGE CAN BE THE LINCHPIN TO A SUCCESSFUL PATH TO THE MIDDLE CLASS.

ABSOLUTELY.

I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT TAP FUNDING.

SO IN ADDITION TO FAFSA, THE EDUCATION CHAIRS, PATRICIA FAHY AND TOBY STAVISKY, HAVE ALSO BEEN CALLING FOR INCREASED FUNDING FOR TAP.

SO IS THAT A MEASURE THAT YOU SUPPORT?

WHAT ARE YOUR CONVERSATIONS LIKE WITH THE EDUCATION CHAIR FORCE FUNDING FOR SUNY THIS YEAR?

YEAH.

LOOK, I SO APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP OF CHAIR FAHY AND CHAIR STAVISKY.

THEY'RE BOTH SO COMMITTED NOT ONLY TO SUNY BUT HIGHER EDUCATION MORE BROADLY.

THE CONVERSATION ABOUT TAP IS AN IMPORTANT ONE.

THE TAP INCOME LEVEL, THE MAXIMUM INCOME LEVEL, IS $80,000.

IT'S BEEN $80,000 SINCE 2000.

IF THAT HAD GONE UP WITH INFLATION, IT WOULD BE $145,000, AND SO YOU HAVE A PROGRAM THAT USED TO BE AVAILABLE TO A MUCH LARGER SWATH OF NEW YORKERS THAT HAS SHRUNK BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T MOVED UP THAT INCOME THRESHOLD.

THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.

THE INCOME THRESHOLD FOR INDEPENDENT STUDENTS IS $10,000.

THAT HASN'T CHANGED SINCE THE '80S.

WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THAT.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CHAIRS LEADING ON THIS CONVERSATION.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A COMPLICATED BUDGET YEAR.

RESOURCES ARE LIMITED.

THERE'S LOTS OF COMPETING DEMANDS, BUT AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STUDENTS, IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND OUR WORKING ADULTS WHO WANT TO MOVE AHEAD AT WORK, THAT'S AN INVESTMENT THAT WILL HELP THE STATE'S ECONOMY FOR THE LONG TERM.

AND ONE THING THAT I SAW THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY BIG NEWS IS THAT ENROLLMENT FOR SUNY WENT UP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A DECADE FROM FALL 2022 TO FALL 2023, THERE WAS A 1.1% INCREASE, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR INCREASING ENROLLMENT WHEN YOU WERE FIRST APPOINTED TO THE ROLE.

SO CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THIS AND YOU KNOW, THE EFFORTS THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE BEEN DOING?

I KNOW THERE WAS SOME LEVEL OF OUTREACH THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING TO HELP WITH ENROLLMENT.

LOOK, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE ENROLLMENT GROWTH.

FIRST TIME IN A DECADE, AS YOU SAID.

PARTICULARLY THAT OUR FIRST-TIME STUDENT ENROLLMENT IS UP OVER 4%.

THAT'S A VERY GOOD SIGN FOR SUNY'S LONG-TERM HEALTH ACROSS THE SYSTEM.

LOTS OF EFFORTS TO RECRUIT STUDENTS.

WE WANT EVERY NEW YORKER TO KNOW THERE'S A PLACE FOR THEM AT SUNY.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID LAST YEAR IS WE SENT LETTERS HOME TO EVERY NEW YORK STUDENT OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY, LETTING THEM KNOW THERE'S A PLACE FOR THEM AT THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE, A PERSONALIZED LETTER WHICH SAID, SCAN THIS QR CODE AND START PICKING YOUR PROGRAM AND YOUR CLASSES BECAUSE YOU'RE ALREADY ADMITTED TO YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

WE'RE ALSO DOING A LOT OF WORK TO PARTNER WITH HIGH SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE HELPING STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN SUNY.

YOU WANT A GREAT ENGINEERING PROGRAM, YOU'VE GOT UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO, BINGHAMTON, SUNY POLY.

IF YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES, WE'VE GOT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND FORESTRY COLLEGE IN SYRACUSE.

IF YOU WANT OPPORTUNITIES TO PREPARE FOR CAREER IN SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY, MAYBE YOU WANT A ONE-YEAR CERTIFICATE, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY COLLEGE WITH A GREAT PROGRAM FOR YOU THAT CAN LEAD TO A JOB AT MICRON.

WE WANT STUDENTS TO KNOW ALL THOSE POSSIBILITIES.

IF YOU LOVE THE ARTS, AMAZING PROGRAMS AT SUNY PURCHASE AND SUNY FREDONIA.

WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS KNOW THE GREAT VALUE PROPOSITION THAT SUNY OFFERS.

EXCELLENCE AT AFFORDABLE PRICES.

SO HOW WILL YOU BUILD ON THOSE EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT ENROLLMENT CONTINUES TO TREND UPWARD?

YEAH.

SO WE'RE VERY COMMITTED TO THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID THIS PAST FALL IS I WORKED WITH THE NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR TO SEND A LETTER HOME TO EVERY NEW YORK CITY STUDENT LETTING THEM KNOW THE RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO THEM AT SUNY.

WE ALSO HAVE AN INITIATIVE TO INCREASE TRANSFERS FROM OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO OUR FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTIONS, MAKE A SMOOTH PATH FOR STUDENTS.

I WAS JUST AT A RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT WHERE ALBANY AND HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARE PARTNERING IN A DUAL ADMISSION PROGRAM, WHERE STUDENTS, RIGHT WHEN THEY START AT HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WILL BE ABLE TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE SIMULTANEOUSLY ADMITTED TO U ALBANY.

THEY'LL GET A U ALBANY I.D.

THEY'LL GET TO PARTICIPATE IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT U ALBANY.

THAT'S THE KIND OF THING WE WANT TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CLEARING A PATH FOR STUDENT SUCCESS.

AND I WANTED TO, OF COURSE, TOUCH BASE ON SUNY DOWNSTATE.

WE KNOW THAT IS THE ONLY STATE-RUN FACILITY IN NEW YORK CITY AND IT HAS BEEN FACING A LOT OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT DIVERTING SERVICES TO HELP WITH THOSE ISSUES.

SO YOU KNOW, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO WORK WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT EVERYONE IS OKAY WITH AND THERE'S SOME LEVEL OF COMPROMISE SO EVERYONE IS HAPPY?

YEAH.

CERTAINLY CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING.

THERE'S BOTH A FINANCIAL CHALLENGE THAT THE HOSPITAL IS RUNNING ABOUT $100 MILLION A YEAR DEFICIT AND THE HOSPITAL HAS SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL NEEDS.

THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN INVESTMENT OVER DECADES IN THAT BUILDING SO IT'S REALLY APPROACHING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.

SO WE'VE GOT TO TAKE ACTION NOW.

THE GOVERNOR HAS PUT A HALF BILLION DOLLARS ON THE TABLE.

$200 MILLION TO COVER THE DEFICIT FOR THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR.

$300 MILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT TO BUILD A NEW OUTPATIENT FACILITY.

THAT'S A STARTING POINT FOR CONVERSATION.

WE CONTINUE TO TALK WITH LEGISLATORS, LOCAL LEADERS ABOUT THE PATH FORWARD.

THE KEY FOR US IS PROTECTING THE HEALTH SCIENCES UNIVERSITY, DOWN STATE MEDICAL PRODUCES A SUPPLY DIVERSE DOCTORS, NURSES, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WHO STAY IN NEW YORK.

SO WE'VE GOT TO PROTECT THAT AND WE WANT TO EXPAND HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY.

BOTH IN-PATIENT AND OUTPATIENT, BECAUSE THAT PREVENTATIVE CARE IS JUST SO IMPORTANT AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DELIVERING THAT.

WELL, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR TODAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, CHANCELLOR.

THANK YOU.

WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH SUNY CHANCELLOR JOHN B.KING, JR.

THANK YOU.