“The members of the Board of Regents play a critical role in framing the future of our state education system. Our students and educators deserve advocates who are open minded and willing to represent the unique needs of districts throughout the state. I extend my sincere congratulations to the new members who were confirmed by the Legislature today, and as they take on this important role, I hope they provide the voice and guidance that our children so desperately need.

“While I remain optimistic that the newly-elected members will bring a fresh perspective to their positions, I am disappointed that we are adding yet another New York City member to the at-large seat. My colleagues and I advocated returning the seat to someone from the suburbs who is familiar with the needs of districts in areas outside of New York City.

“The Board of Regents should consist of equally-balanced ideas and backgrounds from both sides of the aisle. Moving forward, I believe the selection and confirmation processes are in dire need of fine tuning. While there have been slight changes made over the years, it is unacceptable for the Assembly Majority to continue to dominate this extremely partisan process.”