As part of the New York Budget Presentation, Governor Kathy Hochul presented a plan for improving the educational standard of New York's state schools, and specifically, its four university centers. The plan involves matching funds that are donated to the schools privately, funds that would be geared toward hiring faculty, developing new degrees, and much more.

We have the latest details on this proposal, and how students at The University at Albany may be able to benefit from it.

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Gov. Hochul Presents Financial Plan for Educational Improvement in SUNY Schools

A story done by ABC News 10 in Albany detailed Governor Kathy Hochul's recently-announced plan to introduce more money into the SUNY educational system, with the ultimate goal of improving the educational experience for students who choose to attend.

The plan is to create a state-matching fund that will match donations made to the endowments of New York's four university centers, one of which being UAlbany.

UAlbany campus / Google Maps
UAlbany campus / Google Maps
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Here's how it will all balance out: for every $2 donated privately to the endowments of the four university centers (Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Stony Brook), the state will "match" the contribution with $1 of state money.

The initiative would be capped at $500 million of state funds, the report says.

In theory, this would turn $1 billion in private contributions into $1.5 billion in total money for state institutions, a huge boon that would allow schools to improve in a number of different areas.

Google Maps
Google Maps
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News 10 names the following as areas that would directly benefit from state-matched funding:

  • Campus operations
  • Student scholarships for a diverse student body
  • Endowed professorships to attract world-class faculty
  • Innovative research
  • Development of new academic fields

This would be a huge opportunity for New York's state schools. It would accomplish two things at once, as not only would currently-enrolled students see a benefit, but potential future state school attendees would see those benefits, too. The guarantee of an improved educational experience would likely entice more students to choose a state school over a private institution, which would pour more money into the state's education system.

It's a spend-money-to-make-money proposal, and New Yorkers should be encouraged by the direction of its state's institutions of higher learning.

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