Gov. Andrew Cuomo, alongside U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, of Vermont, unveiled a proposal on Jan. 3 to provide free tuition for income-eligible residents statewide at SUNY colleges and universities.
The plan, to be known as the Excelsior Scholarship, will cost approximately $163 million a year once the program is fully carried out over a three-year period, according to Cuomo’s office. Families and individuals earning up to $125,000 a year would qualify for free tuition at public universities in New York state.
“A college education is not a luxury,” said Cuomo, a Democrat. “It is an absolute necessity for any chance at economic mobility. New York is making a major investment in our greatest asset—our people.”
The scholarship would mandate participating students to be enrolled at a SUNY or CUNY, two- or four-year college full time. The plan will not cover the cost of room and board.
As of press time, tuition costs $6,470 at four-year SUNY schools; it was increased by the SUNY board of trustees by $300 a year through 2011 and 2015. Likewise, tuition costs $6,330 at four-year CUNY schools.
According to Cuomo’s office, the plan will work hand-in-hand 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.
The proposal comes in wake of Sanders championing free college tuition during his presidential campaign for the Democratic nomination last year. “Cuomo is proposing a revolutionary idea for higher education,” he said. “It’s an idea that’s going to reverberate not only throughout the state of New York, but throughout this country.”
SUNY Purchase, located in the town/village of Harrison, and SUNY Westchester Community College, in the hamlet of Valhalla, are the only two New York state schools located in Westchester County.
State Sen. George Latimer, a Rye Democrat, said while the initiative is a really interesting concept, how it will fit into the budget is questionable.
Cuomo’s plan would require state legislative approval as part of the budget for the fiscal year that starts April 1. The deadline to submit his proposal is Jan. 17, as of press time.
“Right now, my initial reaction is that it’s a great concept, and I can see the general value in it because it will make higher education available to those who can’t afford it,” Latimer said. “But first, we’ll have to see how much money is being allocated for it.”
Latimer added that the policy could cause an issue for those lingering around the borderline of a $125,000 yearly household income. “Drawing the line is a hard thing to worry about,” he said. “Some people might be above that threshold, and their income may seem high, but because of the cost of everyday living, they’re less able to afford college.”
