What it takes: Education is couple's life work

Ronald Ehrenberg '66 and Randy Ann Birch Ehrenberg '67

Ronald Ehrenberg knows the inner workings of universities better than most people. As the Irving M. Ives Professor of Industrial and Labor Relations and Economics at Cornell University and director of the Cornell Higher Education Research Institute (CHERI), Ehrenberg has tracked the steady decline in public funding for universities and its impact on students, faculty and the quality of education.

"I understand the financial crisis that public higher education in general and SUNY in particular face," said Ehrenberg, author of Tuition Rising: Why College Costs so Much. CHERI recently sponsored a national conference of educators who studied the impact of projected enrollment growth of up to 30 percent over the next decade, coupled with unprecedented funding challenges. Those challenges include the stock market downturn and its effect on college endowments and giving rates, the precarious financial position of state governments and the resulting cutbacks in support for public higher education.

"The key thing that distinguishes Binghamton from the other SUNY university centers is that graduate education and research have not diminished the commitment to high-quality undergraduate education." -- Ronald Ehrenberg

"College tuition costs are so high, and those of us who are able need to support the education of students in need," said Ehrenberg's wife, Randy Ehrenberg. "Our future depends on the next generation and informed, bright citizens will make better decisions that will have impact on young and old alike."

Randy Ehrenberg is superintendent of schools for the North Colonie Central School District, located near Albany. It's consistently ranked among the top three districts out of 79 in the capitol area based on Regents exam results, graduation rates and other factors. During her 33-year career, Randy became a founding member and former chair of the New York State Association for Women in Education Leadership and was named Outstanding Educator by her peers in the School Administrators Association of New York.

RonaldÕs book, Tuition Rising: Why College Costs so Much

Providing the means for ongoing success

The Ehrenbergs both attended Harpur College on Regents scholarships. They are staunch advocates of public education and have endowed a scholarship in Harpur for students of limited financial means. The scholarship is named for Ron's parents, Seymour and Judith Ehrenberg, former teachers in New York City public schools.

"The scholarship is one more way to give back something to students trying to get ahead through education," Randy said.

"The key thing that distinguishes Binghamton from the other SUNY university centers is that graduate education and research have not diminished the commitment to high-quality undergraduate education," said Ron. For him, SUNY is a family affair -- his two sisters are also SUNY grads.

"Harpur College gave me everything a person could ask for -- a great education, admission to wonderful PhD programs and a wife of 36-plus years," he said.

"We met on campus, started dating and got on the Ômeal plan,'" Randy joked. "That meant we would arrange to meet in the dining hall and see each other at mealtimes. We also had many study dates. Harpur prepared us both well for the rigors of graduate school and the workplace. "The attraction of Binghamton for me was getting a strong liberal-arts education at a state-tuition price," Randy continued. "Harpur College truly helped me to begin on a path of becoming all I was capable of being. I enjoyed the social and academic experience. While at Harpur, I worked as a campus tour guide and as a residence hall adviser. I loved both of these work experiences. I received a wonderful undergraduate liberal-arts education. I enjoyed the opportunity to take leadership roles in a variety of extracurricular activities. The school was just the right size for me. I grew both in self-confidence and intellectually."

Randy also obtained a master's degree at Northwestern University and has completed additional graduate studies at Cornell University, SUNY Cortland and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Ron obtained his doctoral degree at Northwestern University. He is a former vice president for academic programs, planning and budgeting at Cornell. He was elected in June 2003 to the prestigious 150-member National Academy of Education, which recognizes outstanding scholarship and contributions to education. He is the only current Cornell faculty member in the academy.

Avenues for alumni support

"Giving from alumni is absolutely important if we want future generations of students to have access to the same quality of education that we have had," Ron said. "Alumni support, however, is not confined to giving money."

Ron has been an active volunteer for the University. He serves on the advisory committee of Harpur College's Department of Economics and periodically lectures to undergraduate and graduate students and faculty. He recently gave a talk on "Who Bears the Growing Cost of Science at Universities?" based on a paper he wrote for a CHERI educational conference. Last year, via two-way compressed video over the Internet, he taught a semester-long course on "Economic Analysis of the University" simultaneously to 55 Cornell and 25 Binghamton students. "I wanted Binghamton students to have access to a Cornell University elective," he said.

He added, "Alumni can help the University in many ways. Both of our sons, who are Cornell alumni, received help in obtaining their first jobs from other Cornell alumni, and Binghamton alumni should play the same role for Binghamton students."

-- Susanne Thiel