On Monday the issue of SUNY tuition increases were addressed by the budget subcommittee on higher education, which basically agreed to continue behind doors negotiations.
One positive sign for SUNY was the emergence of a consensus that the state should not continue the practice of sweeping money away from higher education into other areas, as the state has recently done to cover insufficient areas. There was a certain level of disagreement about the tuition increases, though, as Republican Chair Ken LaValle endorsed a rational progressive tuition hike, while Democratic Chair Deborah Glick was more hesitant about proceeding with increases. She said that it would be important to get an idea of what SUNY officials consider a "rational" increase.
SUNY Chair Nancy Zimpher previously addressed the need to reconsider tuition rates at a previous budget hearing, when she expressed the need for a five-year tuition plan.
Additionally, she noted that over the last 48 years SUNY has only raised its tuition 13 times, to the point where it is $4,970 now.
Zimpher has never really addressed what kind of plan she would want to see, but at Monday's meeting, Glick said she heard that SUNY officials want a 75% increase over the next five year. Glick supported increases to ensure a premier education system and though that a tuition plan needs to be addressed in the future.
(Editor's Note: Reporting by Sean Ewart of StateWatch)
President Dahl said that we'd need at least a $200 increase per semester to offset Gov. Cuomo's projected cuts. This doesn't even begin to cover the previous three years of devastating cuts.
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