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Elected, school officials tout free tuition despite fiscal uncertainty

With the passing of a proposal to provide free tuition for income-eligible residents statewide at SUNY and CUNY colleges and universities, several elected and school administration officials are weighing the forthcoming fiscal impact of the plan.

On April 8, state leaders approved the plan known as the Excelsior Scholarship, which will cost more than $160 million a year once the program is fully phased in. The proposal’s approval is part of the $153.1 billion 2017-2018 state budget that was passed on the same day, a week after its deadline.

The plan, proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, will be carried out over a three-year period. Families and individuals earning up to $125,000 a year would qualify for the free tuition at public universities and colleges across the state.

Even with its uncertain economic impact, several elected and school administrative officials in the Hudson Valley region support Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recently approved plan to provide free tuition at public universities and colleges. File photo
Even with its uncertain economic impact, several elected and school administrative officials in the Hudson Valley region support Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recently approved plan to provide free tuition at public universities and colleges. File photo

Despite support from several elected and school administrative officials in the Hudson Valley region for the plan that’s a first of its kind in the country, it’s currently uncertain just how it will impact the state economically.

While the state estimates spending $163 million a year on the program, based on the number of students enrolled in public universities and colleges, the allure of the program could potentially draw interest from more students.

“We’re supportive and excited about the governor’s initiative, which will increase access to higher education, help with retention and graduation, and will relieve the burden of student debt,” said Thomas Schwarz, the president of Purchase College, one of two New York state schools located in Westchester County. “We believe the Excelsior Scholarship will have an impact on a very large segment of our student population, but the extent of the impact depends on how the program will be implemented.”

The plan is expected to be implemented by borrowing capital from a number of tuition assistance programs the state already offers to low-income families, such as TAP, which provides nearly $1 billion in grants to college students statewide, according to Cuomo’s office.

In the 2015-2016 fiscal year, more than 355,000 students were awarded more than $956 million in TAP funds with an average annual award of $3,302 per recipient.

State Assemblyman David Buchwald, a White Plains Democrat, said the plan will work hand-in-hand with TAP, which saw a $19 million increase in the program. He added that TAP will now have an incentive for private colleges to provide additional aid to students.

TAP will provide students with $3,000 in additional assistance with a match from private colleges. It would also require a freeze in student tuition for the duration of the award.

The idea for the proposal came just after being championed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, of Vermont, during his presidential primary for the Democratic nomination last year.

State Sen. George Latimer, a Rye Democrat running for county executive, said he also supports the plan but is also unsure of just how it will impact state taxpayers. “My approach is that it’s an effort to deal with the changing reality and is in some ways an experiment,” he said. “If it does provide people the opportunity it’s supposed to, then it’s a good thing. I think it’s an experiment worth trying.”

Latimer explained that the program won’t work as a “handout,” as some might expect. Rather, there will be stringent requirements for students to perform at a high level in order to keep the scholarship. “We want to give everyone the opportunity to succeed, but we’re also not going to pay for you if you fail,” he said.

The scholarship would also mandate participating students to be enrolled at a SUNY or CUNY, two- or four-year college full time. It will however not cover the cost for room and board.

Tuition, which does not include room and board, costs $6,470 at four-year SUNY schools and $6,330 at four-year CUNY schools.