Students at UB and across the SUNY system may see a $600 tuition increase next fall, but would be almost guaranteed a freeze on tuition over the next four years under a proposal by SUNY aimed at giving students predictable increases.
SUNY Chancellor Robert King recently proposed a plan to raise SUNY tuition to $4,950 for the next academic year. For each class, tuition would be frozen at the freshman year rate for four years. Each new freshman class, however, would see a higher tuition based on inflation.
The plan has one very important loophole - if SUNY does not receive enough operating aid from the state government, it may tack on additional and unplanned tuition increases.
"That's really the worst-case scenario," said Student Association President Anthony Burgio, who said he favors predictable increases but is wary of the possibility of additional hikes. "That's our biggest fear. Who holds the state accountable (to fund SUNY)?"
King said regular increases would end "unfair" tuition increases, according to The Buffalo News, which come randomly and leave students unprepared for higher costs.
Student lobbying groups at UB, from past SA presidents to SUNY SA delegates, have pushed for planned increases for many years, under the assumption that increases are necessary and should at least be anticipated.
Burgio called the proposal a "partial victory" for students, who would be able to plan for increases. He added that for the plan to be successful in the eyes of students, the state must fully fund SUNY and that comprehensive fee increases must be minimized.
The proposal has also been criticized for its potential impact on five-year students, who would be hit with two increases.
King attributed the proposed hikes to rising energy costs and staff salaries. If passed, this would be a 12 percent increase. SUNY raised tuition 22 percent last year.
UB President John Simpson was unavailable for comment Thursday, but told The Buffalo News he supported the plan and traveled to Albany when the plan was proposed to offer his support.
Simpson said he also favored a component of the plan that would raise tuition costs even higher for SUNY schools that offer doctoral degrees, such as UB. Simpson said it simply costs more to operate such programs, and the increased tuitions would help recruit professors and increase faculty-student ratios.
The plan did meet with some resistance in Albany. Ronald Canestrari, the chairman of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, called the plan "outrageous," according to the Buffalo News. Thomas Egan, the chairman of the Board of Trustees, told The Buffalo News he favored regular increases but urged King to freeze SUNY administrative costs to lessen the impact of the tuition hikes.
