State budget recognizes UB mission
Numerous "earmarks" bolster institution's research and public service

By SUE WUETCHER
Reporter Editor

The university fares well in the recently approved state budget, including some "earmarks" for UB that recognize the institution's research and public-service mission.

The budget includes full funding for negotiated salary increases, funding for mission review and funding for enrollment and sponsored-program growth, although it includes no specific funding for inflationary costs, said Janet Penksa, associate vice president for university services responsible for state-relations programs.

Penksa stressed that specific budget allocations for UB are not yet available. Now that the legislature has approved the appropriations for SUNY, system administration will prepare its financial plan using the performance-based, budget allocation process (BAP), she said, adding that it is anticipated that system administration will act quickly to compete its mission-review funding.

The campus expects to have its financial plan in place by July 1, the start of the fiscal year.

Specific allocations to UB include $2 million for the UB-Roswell Center for Advanced Medical Technologies-$1 million in reappropriation from 1999-2000 and $1 million in new funding for 2000-2001.

Another $1 million has been awarded to establish the New York Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation (NYS-CEDII), with an additional $1.5 million being sought through a "post-budget" allocation process.

Other "earmarks" include $800,000 for the Division of Athletics' gender equity compliance, $500,000 for the New York State Center for Hazardous Waste Management, $500,000 for the Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics, $500,000 through the Health Care Reform Act for the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences to cover graduate medical-education costs and $475,000 for the Institute for Local Governance and Regional Growth.

While the final budget bills still are being analyzed, it is anticipated they will include $350,000 for the Barran Assessment and Counseling Program in the School of Social Work, $85,000 for the Western New York Family Violence Clinic and Regional Resource Center in the School of Law, and additional funds for the New York State Institute for Entrepreneurship to assist in the development of UB's online MBA program.

"This budget contains great news for UB, particularly in research and development funding for our centers of excellence, such as the Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics and the newly created New York State Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation," said President William R. Greiner. "We're very grateful to the members of the Western New York state legislative delegation, Gov. Pataki, Speaker Silver and Sen. Bruno for their outstanding support of UB.

"We'd also like to recognize the outstanding contribution of UB faculty members to these centers for excellence," Greiner said. "Clearly, the state is responding to their great work."

The budget also enhances the Tuition Assistance Program by increasing the maximum award to $5,000 from $4,125 for freshmen and sophomores, with all classes fully phased in next year; eliminating, over a two-year period, the provision that restricts the maximum award to 90 percent of tuition costs; increasing the minimum award to $500 from $250; reducing the "upper cut" reduction for juniors and seniors to $100 from $200, and raising the income eligibility ceiling from $50,500 to $80,000.

The final budget requires that a public hearing be held before SUNY Trustees can approve the campus allocations under the Performance Based Budget System.