ALBANY – Citing a range of concerns yesterday from board members’ accountability to the length of school days, a committee of the State University of New York’s trustees effectively tabled a vote that was expected today on whether to approve a unionized charter school in Brooklyn.

The delay could mean a proposal that grew out of the unexpected decision last year by the New York City teachers union to apply for two of its own charter schools, or independent public schools, will be delayed for another year. A member of the administrative body charged with evaluating applications before the state university said, however, that a vote could still be held in time for the school to open this fall, as the applicants hoped.

Four members of the seven-person committee on charter schools, including two potential candidates for statewide office next year, said the application submitted March 1 by the president of the United Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, should not be voted on at a full meeting of the university’s board of trustees today, because of questions relating not only to its organization but also to the very principle of unionized charter schools.

The decision to table the vote came during an informal conference call at state university headquarters here between the charter-school committee and members of a state administrative body, the Charter Schools Institute. Members of the institute recommended that the trustees approve the union’s application.

That recommendation was quickly passed over, however, when committee members began to raise questions about the contents and the nature of the application.

One trustee, Candace de Russy, went so far as to question whether the board should even consider an application by the teachers union. She said one of the reasons that charter schools were established was to provide an alternative to unionized schools.

“The UFT already has a great deal of control over the management and operation of so many schools and – I believe, 1,100 or so – and, as we know, many of these schools are not high-performing,” Ms. de Russy said. “They are not living up to the standards that we who are responsible for these charter schools are aspiring to. … Why are we expending our few remaining openings on this group?”

Other committee members who participated in the session included New York’s secretary of state, Randy Daniels; a Manhattan lawyer and son-in-law of Richard Nixon, Edward Cox, and a vice president of the upstate furniture maker Stickley Audi & Co, Aminy Audi.

Mr. Daniels, a Republican, has said he would consider a run for governor next year if Governor Pataki decides not to seek a fourth term. Mr. Cox, also a Republican, is expected to establish an exploratory committee soon for a possible run against Senator Clinton next year.

Ms. Weingarten, the union president, said she was surprised that a vote on her application was being delayed. She said union officials met with Mr. Cox and Ms. de Russy last week to address questions they had about the charter school application.

“We’re surprised the SUNY subcommittee chose to wait a month before having the SUNY board consider the UFT charter application, given the very strong staff recommendation that our application be approved,” Ms. Weingarten said. “The state made its finding after consultation with national experts and extensive interviews with the UFT and the trustees, during which we answered their every question.”

A spokesman for the Charter Schools Institute, Jeff Perez, said the delay does not imperil approval of the union-run charter school before the coming school year.

He said he expects the questions raised by committee members would be addressed in some manner before the next meeting of the full board of trustees in June.

“The SUNY trustees take the approval of charter applications very seriously, and they are thorough in their review of them,” Mr. Perez said. “The charter-schools committee raised a number of questions regarding the UFT elementary charter school application, and we will provide answers in anticipation of the committee meeting next month.”

Among the questions raised by committee members were several relating to how the school would be governed. After Mr. Cox noted that Ms. Weingarten plans to play an oversight role at the proposed school, Mr. Daniels suggested she formalize that role by joining its board of directors.

“I’m more concerned about Randi’s role, quite frankly,” Mr. Daniels said. “If she is calling the shots, she ought to be on the board and be accountable.”

Ms. De Russy added: “I think you’re absolutely right, Randy. And yet, if she were on the board, the question arises whether that affects the freedom of this charter school board. There really is a potential for serious conflict there.”

When Mr. Cox attempted to mediate concerns about governance, Mr. Daniels stepped up his critique.

“I really believe that the structure she is offering is having it both ways,” the secretary of state said. “On the one hand, you’re in charge, but on the other hand, you have sufficient distance to not be in charge when it’s convenient. I think we should hold her feet to the fire and hold her accountable to the education of these children that we are putting in her charge. She’s calling the shots on the principal, who gets hired, what the structure is – why doesn’t she chair this board and step up and be accountable like everybody else?”

Asked later whether she would consider sitting on the board of directors at the charter school, Ms. Weingarten told The New York Sun, through a spokesman, “Of course.”

To the question about whether a union should be chartering schools, Ms. Weingarten responded that the unions do not control the school system. She also said yesterday’s decision to delay a vote does not amount to a setback, but could possibly delay the opening of the charter school for a year.

“The timeline on this was very tight, but we were willing to try to make it work for September 2005,” Ms. Weingarten said. “I am concerned that this action may delay the opening of our school by a year and deprive children of what we feel would have been an excellent environment for learning.”