State Relations Update - July 6, 2009

Senate Session Update – The Senate leadership stalemate continues and the Governor continues to call for daily extraordinary sessions unless an agreement can be reached which will enable the Senate to complete work for the 2009 Session.  While the Democrats contend that they have disposed of over 100 bills previously approved by the Assembly, much controversy surrounds the status of these bills and their legality should they be transmitted to the Governor for final action.

Provost Palm – SUNY Provost Risa Palm will be stepping down in August to become the Senior Vice President and Provost at Georgia State University in Atlanta.   The Chancellor has indicated that she will appoint an interim after consulting with the Presidents and the Board of Trustees.

Interim Vice Chancellor Van Voorst - After serving for over one year as Interim Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Jim Van Voorst will be returning to the Binghamton campus.  The Chancellor is appointing Vice Chancellor Phil Wood to oversee the operations of the office in addition to his current responsibilities as General Manager of the State University Construction Fund and Vice Chancellor for Capital Facilities.

Legislative Staff – John Kraigenow, until recently the counsel to the Senate Higher Education Committee, has resigned to take a position with a private law firm in Saratoga County.  Brandy Murphy will assume the duties as counsel to the committee.

Trustee Pending – Governor Paterson has nominated Ron Ehrenberg to the SUNY Board of Trustees, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Randy Daniels.  Dr. Ehrenberg is a member of the faculty at Cornell University as well as a member of the Cornell University Board of Trustees.  This nomination must be acted upon by the Senate. 

Jim Campbell
Director of Legislative Relations
Office of University Relations
State University of New York