By the numbers

(UUP poll of 602 registered New York state voters; conducted Jan. 9-11, 2002. Margin of error: 4%)

What is your overall impression of SUNY?

very positive - 36.9

positive - 42.2

neither positive nor negative - 12.6

negative - 3.2

very negative - 0.8

Should the SUNY budget remain flat, or should the governor and the state Legislature increase funding for SUNY?

remain flat - 24.9

increase funding - 67.6

don’t know - 7.5

In your opinion, which of the following is the more important item in the state budget?

higher education and job training - 67.4

anti-terrorism efforts - 26.4

Are you optimistic or pessimistic about New York state’s future?

optimistic - 76.7

pessimistic - 14.0

don’t know - 9.3

In your opinion, which of the following two suggestions is the best way to improve the New York state economy?

Invest in higher education and job training that improves our workforce and encourages companies to locate in New York? - 55.6

Cut the state budget and provide tax breaks to businesses, so they can afford to keep more people on staff or hire more workers? - 33.9

Since 1995, 1,000 full-time faculty positions have been cut from SUNY. Without enough full-time professors, there are fewer, larger classes offered, so students may be forced to graduate later and they get less individual attention. SUNY needs more money to hire more full-time faculty. How convincing is this for increasing funding for SUNY?

very convincing - 43.4

convincing - 38.9

not very convincing - 6.6

not convincing - 7.0

not sure - 4.2

SUNY health science centers provide high-quality medical education and health care for our citizens. How convincing is this for increasing funding for SUNY?

very convincing - 53.2

convincing - 34.1

not very convincing - 4.3

not convincing - 5.5

not sure - 3.0

For every $1 the state puts into SUNY, $2 are returned to New York’s economy. Improving our workforce also encourages high-tech companies with high-wage jobs to locate here. Now more than ever, SUNY can help New York recover. How convincing is this for increasing funding for SUNY?

very convincing - 46.0

convincing - 38.4

not very convincing - 6.5

not convincing - 5.6

not sure - 3.5

One out of three New York state high school graduates attends a SUNY school. And when they graduate, the majority will pursue careers in New York state. How convincing is this for increasing funding for SUNY?

very convincing - 40.0

convincing - 38.5

not very convincing - 9.1

not convincing - 9.5

not sure - 2.8

Research conducted at SUNY schools pioneered great inventions, like the first implantable heart pacemaker, the bar-code scanner and the MRI. Cutting-edge research at SUNY is a good investment. How convincing is this for increasing funding for SUNY?

very convincing - 52.7

convincing - 32.1

not very convincing - 6.1

not convincing - 5.8

not sure - 3.3

Over the last 10 years, New York ranks 49 out of 50 states in increasing its funding for higher education. As a result, the average cost of tuition and fees at SUNY colleges has increased by 31 percent. SUNY needs additional funding to reverse this trend. How convincing is this for increasing funding for SUNY?

very convincing - 52.0

convincing - 29.2

not very convincing - 7.0

not convincing - 8.5

not sure - 3.3

After hearing all of these reasons, do you believe that SUNY has a good case for increased funding or should the SUNY budget remain the same as last year?

good case for increased funding - 75.1

budget should remain the same - 19.4

not sure - 5.5