Janet Penksa is associate vice president for university services responsible for UB's state-relations programs and initiatives. Prior to joining UB in December, she was secretary to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, serving as chief advisor and lead negotiator for assembly leadership on all fiscal and economic matters, as well as being responsible for final preparation of the state budget.

What exactly is government relations? Is it the same thing as lobbying?
Government relations means pretty much what is says: developing good relations on behalf of UB with the government sector-in the state, that includes the two houses of the legislature (the senate and the assembly), the governor's office and state agencies. The term "advocacy," rather than "lobbying," more appropriately describes the efforts of a public institution seeking government support. One tends to think of a lobbyist as a "hired gun" representing a number of private clients, in contrast to a government-relations office, which typically is part of a single institution.

What is the principal message or area of concern being carried to Albany today by public-research institutions? Does it differ from the concerns of other SUNY institutions? Of private colleges and universities?
The principal message of the public-research universities is that they are key to the economic growth and vitality of the state. Recently, the newspapers have been full of the latest economic statistics that show how upstate New York, particularly the Western New York region, lags the nation considerably in terms of job growth and economic growth, generally. The state has a tremendous economic resource and investment in the form of its research universities, many of which are public institutions. The national models of success are clear: Stanford University and Silicon Valley, MIT and Rt. 128 in Boston and, of course, North Carolina's Research Triangle. With the right investment, New York's public universities, and particularly UB, can be significant catalysts for high-tech economic development. This investment requires funding stability so that the universities can focus on pursuing an aggressive research agenda, rather than merely preserving the status quo-and putting a priority on expanding the pool of government funds available for university sponsored research.

Legislators listen to lobbyists all day long on many issues. How do you make this person care about your issue?
The first step in getting a legislator to care about your issue is to get them to care about your institution. Good relations between the university community and government officials are critical. Every individual associated with the University at Buffalo is key to this effort. For example, we have an active and energetic Alumni Association that has established a UB Government Relations Committee. This committee has successfully been advocating UB priorities in Albany each and every year. This past February, with tremendous effect, they organized the alumni committees from the other three university centers and sponsored a legislative breakfast and advocacy day in Albany that featured Erich Bloch, former director of the National Science Foundation, as the keynote speaker. In addition, the faculty and staff of this university and the important research and public service they conduct are extremely important to a strong government-relations program. Equally important is the role our students play through their collective participation in SUNY Day, the premier lobbying day in Albany for the public-university system, and through their individual advocacy efforts, as well as through their reputation for academic excellence. Government officials respond to all these efforts. Once strong partnerships are forged, it is up to the university's government advocate to present a clear and concise agenda on behalf of the university. The support of the members of the Western New York legislative delegation for UB has been tremendous over the years.

Why is TAP so often a budget target?
Many think TAP has been a target because there is a perception that New York's spending on tuition assistance is out of line with what other states spend. Whether one agrees or not, perceptions tend to take on a life of their own and must be addressed. UB and, thankfully, many of our legislative members believe the TAP program has enabled many New Yorkers, who might not have otherwise had the opportunity to do so, to get an outstanding education

How did you get into this line of work?
I began my career as a graduate scholar with the New York State Assembly. As an avid political science student, I was incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to experience the legislative process firsthand. Once I completed my scholarship in Albany and graduated with my master's degree from SUNY Binghamton, I accepted a position with the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, the budget and appropriations committee for the assembly. I stayed with the Ways and Means Committee for 14 years and worked my way up from analyst to staff director. After so many budget battles, it became time for me to leave and government relations seemed a natural fit for my experience and capabilities. UB presented me with a great opportunity to represent a well-respected institution.

What can the university community do to help your efforts to see some restoration of the budget?
The university community has already contributed greatly to our efforts to restore this year's budget reductions by providing the foundation for our good relationship with many government officials. We are optimistic that when the legislature passes its budget resolutions, there will be significant restorations for higher education. Much work still will need to be done to ensure that higher-education restorations are in the final negotiated budget bills, but we feel we have made a good start. The legislature has consistently valued the state's public-research universities, and UB in particular. As the individual and collective work of this institution continues to grow and gain recognition, it will only make our advocacy efforts easier.

What question do you wish I had asked, and how would you have answered it?
I wish you had asked me the question I hear most from people, which is "Do our local representatives have any influence in the budget deliberations, or is the process all leadership driven?" Over the years, the press has done a good job of convincing the public that the budget is negotiated by the so-called "three men in the room:" the governor, the senate majority leader and the speaker of the assembly. And, as a result, our local legislators play a minor role in the process. In my experience, nothing could be farther from the truth. The legislative leaders are elected by their conference members to represent their members and their interests. Oftentimes, the budget in Albany is so late because the leaders are representing the needs of their members and refuse to ask the members to vote on a budget that does not address these needs. A phrase you often hear in Albany after the budget deadline is missed is "I'd rather have a late budget than a bad budget."