Chancellor Chastises New Paltz
Saying that "on our campuses, it is the ultimate responsibility of the president to insure that programs and conferences meet the University�s and the community�s standards of quality, relevance and civility," Chancellor John Ryan on Jan. 27 issued a public criticism of SUNY-New Paltz President Roger Bowen for "errors in judgment" in regard to the college�s Oct. 31 - Nov. 1 conference, "Revolting Behavior: The Challenge of Women�s Sexual Freedom."
Speaking at the Board of Trustees meeting in Syracuse, Ryan said the conference "included components that were needlessly offensive to many people, including people of faith . . . In my judgment, [it] failed in important aspects to meet the expectations of the State University for intellectual substance and quality . . .
"There is no place on a University campus for displays that are devoid of intellectual, social or academic merit. Moreover, there is no justification for sensationalism or other crudity which has no intellectual value and whose outcome is reduced respect for the University, the academy and the very freedom of expression.
"I believe that President Roger Bowen made errors in judgment in regard to the New Paltz conference which unfortunately have caused harm and embarrassment to the New Paltz campus and the State University . . . The planners of the conference should have known better and planned better. President Bowen should have insisted on substance and rejected the simply prurient and sensational."
Ryan further said that charges of a challenge to academic freedom represented by criticism to the conference but trustee members and the Governor were "unfounded."
"Expression is free and unthreatened within the State University . . . The Board of Trustees policy on freedom of speech and advocacy has been observed and has been revalidated as appropriate protection for academic freedom throughout the State University."
Ryan said that Bowen�s job is not immediately in jeopardy over the incident. "It is my view that our campus presidents should be judged on their overall record of academic and administrative leadership and not on a particular event," he said. "Over time, we shall have sufficient opportunity to judge the leadership quality demonstrated at New Paltz and our other campuses."
New University Counsel Appointee
George H. Buchanan has replaced Sanford H. Levine as University Counsel, Vice Chancellor Legal Affairs, for SUNY. Levine is currently an adjunct professor in Albany�s Department of Educational Administration and Policy Studies.
Chancellor Lauds Pataki Budget
Chancellor John Ryan on Feb. 4 called the Executive Budget submitted by Governor Pataki on Jan. 20 "the best we�ve had in a long time." Ryan said the proposal is a fine starting point, one which he could enthusiastically support. He called "visionary" Pataki�s $2 billion capital plan to modernize the University.
"This 5-year initiative will enable our campuses to provide faculty and students with a learning environment suitable to the challenges facing them in the 21st Century," he said. His remarks were made before a joint hearing on the State budget held by the Senate Finance and the Assembly Ways and Means Committees.