Last Friday, the SUNY Board of Trustees approved a budget proposal for the 2003-04 school year that includes a 41 percent tuition increase, which would bring SUNY tuition up from $3,400 to $4,800 annually. If passed by the state government, the increase would be the first since a $750 tuition hike in 1995.
Accompanying the proposed tuition increase is a $1.8 billion request for state funding to the SUNY budget, which SUNY Student Assembly President George Pape characterized as "bare bones."
Pape - who was one of two members on the Board of Trustees who opposed the budget proposal - said it was irresponsible of the board to adopt such a budget.
"In good conscience, I don't see how any of the trustees could have voted in the affirmative for this resolution, simply because you're not being responsible as a state agency if you're asking the governor ... for a flat-line budget," Pape said. "In actuality, what you're asking for is a decrease in your funding."
According to SUNY spokesman David Henahan, in order to financially maintain all of the programs within the university system, a tuition increase is needed.
Henahan said the board proposed the overall budget based on the fact that the state and the nation are facing economic declines, which restrain the amount of funding available for SUNY from the state.
"In light of the national economic downturn ... we needed to look at all options to ensure that we're going to maintain the level of quality that UB students have come to expect," said Henahan.
He also said the tuition increase is in line with similar increases implemented at various educational institutions across the nation.
According to statistics provided in a report from the SUNY Student Assembly, such an increase in tuition may lead to a decline in the number of students enrolled in New York's public university system.
The report states that following the tuition increase in 1995 - which increased approximately 28 percent from $2,650 to $3,400 - SUNY's overall undergraduate enrollment decreased by 29,276 students.
While at this point there is no way to project the impact the proposed increase would have on next year's enrollment figures, SUNY SA Delegate Anthony Burgio said he is concerned over how a $1,400 increase will impact students.
"Forty-one percent obviously is disgusting to students," Burgio said. "I mean, $1,400 is going to hurt a lot of people.
Jean Petit, a sophomore exercise science major, said if a 28 percent increase reduced the enrollment by nearly 30,000 students statewide, he could not imagine what a 41 percent increase would do.
"There are some students going to UB now that can't afford the tuition," Petit said. "To increase it $1,400 (or) $1,500 more is ridiculous."
Wen Li, a sophomore pharmacy major, agreed that a 41 percent increase in one year is excessive.
"If you did it gradually, maybe a couple percent from year to year, it would be fine, maybe," Li said. "But such a big hike (in one semester) is not really fair."
According to Henahan, programs such as the Tuition Assistance Program and the Education Assistance Program will continue to provide funding to students so that those in need of financial aid will continue to receive it.
"TAP, as it is currently structured, will help low-income families cover or protect them from any tuition increase," Henahan said.
Henahan said the state has yet to receive information from the national government regarding the amount of funding SUNY should expect in form of federal financial aid programs.
Pape is not optimistic that TAP and similar programs would not be adversely affected.
"You cannot tell me that we are going to have the same TAP plan," he said. "I'm sure there are going to be many cuts to financial aid and the different TAP programs."
According to Pape, while SUNY is correct in saying that tuition has not been raised in seven years, the word "tuition" means something different to students than it does to politicians.
Because students see an increase in student fees every year - fees that cannot be offset by TAP - Pape said most students would argue that tuition has, in fact, increased every year.
"There has been a tuition increase every year," Pape said. "Last time I checked, my fees went up. Tuition to me is the full amount of money that I spend to go to college."
Pape said he would have voted in favor of an increase in tuition only if a cap on student fees had been implemented. This would enable state financial assistance to greater offset the costs of attending a SUNY school.
Because the budget has yet to be signed by either branch of the state legislature, Pape said there is still time for students to dispute the proposed tuition increase.
According to Pape, until the budget is signed into effect - which is supposed to occur on April 1 but is often delayed - SUNY SA will be working alongside the New York Public Interest Research Group to schedule a rally against the proposal in which students will be able to participate.
Although Li said he would be interested in attending the rally, he said students should do more to protest the increase in terms of pressuring their senators.
"Rallying would help, but you need more than just rallying," Li said. "You've got to get your legislators involved."
