A budget request introduced last Tuesday, Nov. 28, could bring about a 4 percent increase in the State University of New York tuition in upcoming years. The proposal, presented by SUNY Chancellor John R. Ryan and approved by the SUNY Board of Trustees, also asked for an increase of 12 percent in state spending — equal to $239.8 million.

SUNY spokesman David Henahan explained that “the chancellor has been advocating for a rational tuition plan,” which would include a “frozen” tuition plan for current rates.

While students already enrolled in SUNY schools would continue to pay the same tuition, the rates would increase for incoming students. Henahan added that the chancellor believes a frozen tuition rate will allow SUNY students to more effectively plan for financing their tuition.

The request ultimately depends on the actions of Governor-Elect Eliot Spitzer. In January he must create an executive budget that will include a plan for how the state will fund SUNY schools. This legislation must pass before an official tuition plan may be adopted. The soonest students could see a change in tuition would be fall of 2008, Henahan said.

The revenue gained from this would be used to improve education and hire more faculty. There are also plans to upgrade technology on college campuses, such as the implementation of an online degree-tracking program. This program, modeled after a successful concept at the University of Florida, would allow students to see the impact of each course they take, as well as provide an estimate of how long it will take to complete their degree. According to a press release on SUNY’s Web site, the Board of Trustees believes that six-year graduation rates could significantly improve with this tool.

Student enrollment has steadily increased for the past 10 years, with approximately 208,073 students attending SUNY colleges and universities in the fall 2006 semester. Chancellor Ryan is asking for $2,218.7 million in state tax dollars to support the influx of new students.

The New York Public Interest Research Group, or NYPIRG, has a conflicting stance on the budget proposal. “Indexing tuition has never worked in the past,” said Yoni Levin, Binghamton University’s NYPIRG representative. He cited instances at public schools, such as South Dakota State University and Clemson University, in which indexed tuition disproportionately increased each year, with the percentage of increases more than quadrupling from one year to the next.

NYPIRG also called attention to the limits of the Tuition Assistance Program. TAP, a financial assistance program, provides academic grants of up to $5,000 to cover the cost of tuition at a public college or university. The current tuition at Binghamton University is $4,350 a year for in-state students. If the cost of attendance steadily increases, it will soon surpass the amount of aid available through TAP, leaving financially needy students to find a different resource to fund their tuition.

Levin also notes that, according to the New York State Court of Appeals, current legislation cannot affect future policies. This means that it is impossible to guarantee any sort of long-term fixed tuition plan.