Senate confirms two Board of Regents nominees after brief debate over vetting

The New York State Senate on Feb. 24 adopted concurrent resolution 16-37 appointing two members to the Board of Regents.

Senator Mayer (recorded in the transcript as "Senator mayor") introduced the measure and described the roles and qualifications of Patrick Mannion (5th Judicial District reappointment) and Janice Weinman Shorenstein (at-large appointment), praising their experience and public service. Mayer urged senators to support the appointments.

Several senators raised procedural objections. Senator Riello said that, as an employer and former county executive, he could not in good conscience vote to confirm nominees after receiving only a resume and limited time to vet the candidates: "we got this resume, and that's all we have ... I can in good conscience do that with such little time." Senator Barello and Senator Murray also expressed concerns about the speed and bundling of confirmations, with Murray objecting to combining multiple nominations in a single up-or-down vote.

The Senate proceeded to substitute the assembly resolution and called the roll; the clerk announced the resolution was adopted. The transcript records a roll-call announcement listing a set of senators who voted in the negative. The resolution was recorded as adopted.

What happens next: The appointees will take their seats on the Board of Regents according to the terms and processes set by the concurrent resolution and the Board's administrative procedures.