Administrators at SUNY have been asking New York lawmakers to approve their proposed tuition rate increases for months, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo stood his ground. Citing the state of the economy as reason for keep tuition level stable, Cuomo said that he would not allow state universities to put a burden on students. After talking in depth with officials, Gov. Cuomo has changed his mind. The hikes, which are higher than first thought, will take place over the course of several years.
There are more than 60 SUNY colleges in the state of New York, which means that millions of students will be impacted. Students that rely on in-state tuition will need to fork up an extra $1,000 a year in order to stay enrolled. Out of state students will be expected to pay an extra $3,000 a year. In addition, student housing prices are expected to rise as well. The tuition increases are to be spread out over the course of the next five years.
Both administrators at SUNY and Gov. Andrew Cuomo are reportedly happy with their proposed agreement. Students who are planning on enrolling at New York SUNY colleges will need to make sure that they are able to get enough federal financial aid, or get more funding by way of private student loans. Teachers are not expected to get salary increases, but officials say that they will have to wait and see how much students continue to enroll over the next five years before they are able to make any long-term plans.
