ALBANY – Governor David A. Paterson has announced that his 2010-2011 Executive Budget will include the most significant reforms to New York State’s system of higher education in a generation, which would have a positive impact on Morrisville State College and the Norwich Campus, according to Morrisville State College President Dr. Raymond Cross.

“This announcement is significant, very significant,” said Dr. Cross. “It is something we have been seeking for a long time.”

The Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act would provide the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY) the flexibility needed to become centers of job creation, according to the governor’s press release. The proposed reforms would enable New York’s public higher education system to become the new model of excellence, preparing students for the jobs of the future, while also developing the jobs of today.

“Currently, Albany micro-manages everything from the chalk campuses purchase to the cost of tuition that students pay,” stated Paterson. “This burdensome over-regulation threatens the ability of our public higher education systems to promote economic development and successfully adapt to changing educational and fiscal circumstances. We must provide our institutions of public higher education with the freedom and flexibility they need to drive development both on campus and off, preparing our students for the New Economy jobs that will propel New York forward.”

Dr. Cross said he agrees with the governor that this proposal would take the politics out of tuition setting, instituting a rational policy that makes the cost of public higher education more equitable for students and families. The reforms would also provide SUNY with greater operational independence, consistent with their mission, allowing universities to thrive in an ever-changing innovation economy, according to the governor.

“As the State University becomes more responsible for its own finances, its spending on academic pursuits will not only benefit the students that it serves, but also create a larger union workforce, and better work environment, for our faculty, staff and graduate students,” said Dr. Cross. “Implementation of a tuition policy, under the auspices of the Board of Trustees, will provide the financial stability necessary to establish multi-year plans, addressing Morrisville’s goals, and investing in new faculty hires and quality initiatives.”

Currently, SUNY tuition rates are determined by the state budget process, which has created a system in which tuition increases occur almost exclusively to close state budget gaps and offset General Fund support during periods of economic distress, a time when Morrisville State College students and families are least able to afford additional costs, said Dr. Cross.