The board of trustees of the State University of New York met Tuesday and approved a 2 percent tuition increase for the 2010-11 school year.
The hike, which still needs to be approved by New York State Gov. David Paterson and the state legislature before going into effect, would raise tuition from $4,970 a year for state residents at most of the 64 SUNY campuses to $5,070. SUNY campuses would retain 100 percent of the revenue that is created.
If the tuition hike is approved, this would be the second consecutive year of increases in the SUNY system.
The 2010-11 budget request consists of five parts, including more management and operation flexibility for all SUNY campuses, which would generate additional savings and new revenue; additional funding in order to maintain state-mandated costs and inflation and acknowledgment from the state regarding its commitment to return a portion of last year’s tuition increase to the SUNY system.
According to the press release, the budget also requests constant monitoring of the Rational Tuition Policy, which states that SUNY must increase tuition levels by an amount equal to the Higher-Education Price Index.
Since the tuition hike would cause costs to exceed the Tuition Assistance Program’s (TAP) limit for state tuition, the SUNY press release stated that SUNY will self-fund the coverage of TAP at a cost of $5 million.
Based on a report from the College Board, SUNY 2010 in-state undergraduate tuition and fees would still be below the 2009 national average.
The board’s approval of the increase “comes as applications and enrollments surge to record levels, as SUNY approves a groundbreaking policy that improves student mobility and the University attracts $95 million in stimulus research funding,” a SUNY press release issued Wednesday stated.
Last year, the board approved a tuition increase of $310 for each semester, of which 90 percent in the fall and 80 percent in the spring went toward the New York state budget.
“This year’s budget request protects our students while providing regulatory relief for our campuses,” SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher said. “The flexibility legislation we’ve submitted would generate additional revenue, giving us stability and opportunity for the future. SUNY will continue to work with the governor and the legislature to get through this fiscal crisis as we develop our long-term strategic plan.”
Binghamton University spokeswoman Gail Glover said the board’s decision was in line with the University’s need.
“The demand for high-quality public higher education continues to grow and the budget that the SUNY trustees have approved would help the University continue to provide classes and other services to students,” Glover said.
BU President Lois DeFleur said the initiatives will help the University continue “its high-quality academic programs.”
Due to the continual fiscal crisis, Zimpher created a budget task force to help develop the 2010-11 budget proposal, as well as discuss the $90 million 2009-10 mid-year budget reduction.
This task force included campus presidents from all SUNY sectors as well as provosts, business officers, SUNY system administration staff and more, according to the press release.
“[The force] develop[ed] solutions that will enable SUNY to deal with our short-term challenges while laying the groundwork for long-term structural reforms,” Zimpher said.