The New Paltz Oracle
Volume 74 Issue 6
Thursday, October 24, 2002
By Bruno Battistoli, Staff Writer
Carl McCall was the first African-American elected to statewide office of New York state. He was re-elected to his second term as comptroller of the state of New York in 1998.
McCall is one of six children raised by his mother, a single parent on welfare. He is a graduate of Dartmouth, and attended Newton Theological Seminary and the University of Edinburgh.
He was president of the New York City Board of Education, and a vice-president of Citicorp for eight years. He served as an ambassador to the United Nations. He also was a three-term New York state senator.
He is married to Dr. Joyce Brown, president of the SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology, and has one daughter, Marci.
1. What are your plans for SUNY?
In today's economy, education is a key to opportunity for individuals, and for economic growth of the state. By failing to invest in higher education, our state has lagged behind. By making higher education a top priority, our state can become an economic leader.
My higher education plan calls for rolling back tuition at our community colleges so that no student will pay more than $2,000 per year; restoring the Tuition Assistance Program, which Gov. Pataki has repeatedly tried to cut; developing and strengthening the ties between economic development and our universities through the creation of a Council on Higher Education; and removing political operatives from the boards of public universities.
My Web site offers a detailed higher education plan. To see it, please visit www.mccall02.com/html/issues/highered.html.
2. Gov. Pataki has proposed modifications and cuts in the Tuition Assistance Program. Last year his proposed cuts were restored by the legislature. Pataki has proposed that 70 percent of the TAP award be paid over four years, and the remaining 30 percent be paid only if graduation took place in four years. What is your opinion of Pataki's approach to TAP? As governor, how would you handle the program?
The Governor's TAP proposal is an insult to students, parents and educators. His proposal will make it harder for students to get the higher education that our economy demands, and will push students further into debt. Student borrowing skyrocketed in the 1990s. George Pataki wants to send that debt even further into the stratosphere.
The Governor's proposal to withhold a portion of students' TAP awards until after graduation is completely out of touch with the needs of students. While the Pataki administration describes withholding one-third of a student's TAP aid until after graduation as a graduation incentive, it will really cheat the lowest income students out of an education entirely because they will be fearful of taking on debt.
Students need TAP to attend school, not after they graduate. Paying for college is already a struggle for too many students. We need a Governor who will remove barriers and make it easier for people to get an education, not one who tries to make it as hard as possible.
A strong economy demands a strong educational system. The Governor should not place barriers in front of students who struggle economically but who are committed to improve their economic opportunities through higher education. As Governor, I will invest in education and make sure that all students have the opportunity to get the education they need to participate in the economy of the future.
3. New York state is facing a large budget shortfall in 2003, with recent estimates in the $2 billion - $8 billion range. The SUNY budget for 2002-03 is essentially flat as compared to 2001-02. As governor, faced with this shortfall, would you cut the SUNY budget? Would you raise tuition?
George Pataki asked for and received the highest SUNY tuition increase in the system's history, raising it by $750 in 1995. At the same time, tuition and fees at New York's community colleges are up 23 percent under Pataki and are nearly twice the national average. I will restore funding to SUNY while curtailing fees, holding down class size, and helping make higher education affordable for students to get the education they need.
Pataki has also refused to support community colleges, forcing tuition and fees to spiral out of control, now averaging more than $2,500 twice the national average. CUNY community college tuition has increased $400 under Pataki, and tuition at all community colleges across the state has increased by nearly 25 percent. I will cut tuition and fees at both CUNY and SUNY community colleges by about 25 percent, insuring that no student pay more than $2,000 per year to attend these schools.
4. Many people in the SUNY community are concerned about the politicization of the board of trustees of the university, as typified by the appointment of Robert L. King as chancellor, a person without a background in education. What is your position on this issue, and what would be your approach as governor?
Governor Pataki has based his trustee appointments solely on political loyalty and the SUNY and CUNY boards no longer provide independent stewardship, as they should; administrative positions are also being used for patronage, with unqualified or minimally qualified appointees. A McCall administration will restore a merit-based appointment process for administrators and trustees and require a nominating/screening process.
5. Much has been made of your letters to private sector companies in which you sought employment for relatives. A fundamental question that has arisen is not the letters themselves, but rather that in writing them you showed poor judgment. What is your response?
As I said previously, like every officeholder, it is not unusual to have forwarded resumes.
There was never any pressure or influence, nor has there been anyone who says there was. However, I regret the appearance that some of these letters cause.
While I never sought to leverage my public position nor mix my government role with my personal and professional relationships in these or any letter, my use of government stationery has unfortunately given this impression and I sincerely apologize for this.
I am proud of my service as a public official and my record of integrity. I want to assure the people of New York that I will work to set the highest standard for the highest office in our state.
6. What is your position on a woman's right to choose (abortion rights)?
I have always been an outspoken supporter of a woman's right to choose.