On Jan. 15, Governor David Paterson announced that he plans to give SUNY schools authority to raise and lower tuition at their discretion. This plan, referred to as the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act, grants SUNY more autonomy from the state.
Governor Paterson calls these reforms 'the most significant reforms to the state's system of public higher education in a generation' and said under this proposal, the tuition process would be taken out of the state budget process and turned over to SUNY.
As of now, SUNY tuition for in-state students is $4,970, a 2 percent increase from last year to this year. In the past, tuition had been state-controlled, leaving tuition hikes up to Albany. They could occur with little to no notice, making paying for college an ongoing struggle for students and parents. This new plan, many believe, will help regulate tuition and keep it affordable.
'The innovation proposal provides students and their families with the ability to budget and plan for their investment,' said John Della Contrada, senior director of Media Relations, 'all while increasing excellence and maintaining access and diversity.'
President John B. Simpson, who has been working toward this in the form of his UB2020 project, is excited for this development and considers it a big leap forward.
'This is a manifestation of what UB has been talking about for three years – tuition is not an educational device but a political one controlled by the legislature,' said Simpson. 'I think the act, if it should become law, will allow SUNY institutions to increase their quality and do business in the community.'
The plan addresses the problem of university autonomy and allows the individual college to dictate where money is invested and needed and where it isn't. Under current regulation, money is distributed based on a governmental process and isn't necessarily being distributed based on the individual needs of the university inside the SUNY system.
Those against the plan cite that this is simply the first step toward privatization of public colleges. A statement addressing these issues, released by John Della Contrada, states that this plan is a reform of the old, out-of-date process. Its goal is to provide SUNY schools with the tools they need and should not be viewed as privatization, but as a realistic response to unprecedented economic times.
This statement provides evidence that this new legislation will create over 10,000 new direct jobs and over 30,000 construction jobs at SUNY's public research universities over the next ten years. Supporters believe it will jumpstart jobs in New York and help aid in the end of the recession.
'Our current system is not as effective as it could be,' said Della Contrada. 'These reforms will enable SUNY to realize its full potential to serve the state and avoid being hampered by unnecessary pre-approval processes that add time, complexity and cost to the taxpayer.'
E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
