By ALLISSA KLINE
akline@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1612

A summit proposed last month by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to discuss the University at Buffalo's long-range educational and economic power plan is likely to take place in Albany in early May, state Sen. Mark Grisanti said last week.

The freshman senator said Cuomo called him to request that Grisanti compile a list of Western New York stakeholders - including university and union officials - who should attend the UB 2020 summit. A date has not been set, but it could take place sometime during the first week of May, he said.

Cuomo mentioned the idea of a UB 2020 summit late last month when he announced that a 2011-12 state budget deal was imminent. He indicated his support and said he hopes the stalled would be resolved before the end of the current legislative session.

The proposed UB 2020 Flexibility and Economic Growth Act was passed by state senators in early March. It calls for giving UB the ability to raise undergraduate and graduate tuition annually, within certain limits, upon approval of the State University of New York board of trustees.

It also seeks to give UB more freedom in procurement and the ability to establish public-private partnerships. The tuition proposal, in particular, has become controversial. Critics are wary of the idea of UB raising undergraduate tuition as much as $750 per year.

The bill has not been formally addressed by the state Assembly.

Grisanti said he hopes the summit "addresses everybody's concerns (and) gets everybody onboard" so that the bill wins approval from both Cuomo and Assembly members.