Following a tuition jump of $950 last year and a proposal to increase tuition annually to avoid such large jumps, SUNY students began to worry that the days of a steady tuition would become a thing of the past.
But now, if Gov. George E. Pataki has his way, SUNY students will be able to breathe easy - at least for one more year.
In the presentation of his 2004-05 budget last Tuesday, Pataki proposed that tuition remain unchanged for the coming school year.
"To continue to provide a quality public higher education, my budget will maintain ongoing support for our four-year campuses across the state," he said. "I am pleased to announce today that our budget will provide that full support without requiring any increase in tuition for in-state undergraduate students."
In addition, Pataki proposed a 5 percent increase in spending for the entire SUNY system that would raise state spending on SUNY by $75.4 million to $1.58 billion.
Pataki's budget also contained a proposal that would withhold one-third of students' Tuition Assistance Program allocations until they graduate.
The TAP proposal met with criticism from Miriam Kramer, the New York Public Interest Research Group's higher education coordinator.
"Students should be angry and urge the legislature to restore this proposal, to do whatever it takes to put that money back for TAP and Educational Opportunities Programs," she said.
Cuts in financial aid may cause more harm than tuition increases, Kramer said, because in years of tuition increases state officials always promise to raise financial aid accordingly.
While Kramer praised the state for holding the line on tuition, she said the state's financial aid cut amounts to a tuition increase.
"Their whole argument (with each increase) is, 'Don't worry, there's financial aid,'" Kramer said. "But (this time) it's being proposed to take financial aid away from them."
Both Kramer and SA President George Pape said the benefits of a state proposal could be countered by inflation or a fee increase.
"It's basically a flat-line budget," Pape said. "And it doesn't compensate for inflation."
During his proposal Pataki said he was optimistic that New York is slowly improving economically and that New Yorkers must make the most of new opportunities.
"Our SUNY and CUNY systems are crucial to New York's future," Pataki said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
