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President Stanley is calling for tuition increases and he is
right, we need them. The State was cutting its share to SUNY
when times were good. Don't expect it to do better now when
times are bad. It is foolish to hope that the dream of
Alive, Open and Free, the rallying call of the '60's and
70's, will ever come to pass. All that has happened over the
years is that tuition remains level for x years, then takes
a major jump. Students in the jump years take the hit.
Everyone following them has a chance to plan IF they don't
get hit too.
We need a solution that will work for everyone in good times
and bad. A solution that will not screw students in the
middle of their academic years. A solution that will allow
parents to plan for what they will have to shell out for
their children's tuition. A solution that will allow SUNY to
budget each year knowing what will be coming in and to plan
for what will be needed. A solution that will not allow the
State to keep tuition revenue for other things besides SUNY.
We need a rational plan instead of the idiocy that has gone
on in the past or the nightmare that will be the future if
PHEEIA passes. PHEEIA is the absurdly named Public Higher Ed
Empowerment and Innovation Act; absurd since it only
empowers bureaucrats.
We do NOT need a solution that will allow extremely well
paid bureaucrats to determine
tuition. While it will not be a SUNY President, they will do
the asking. If a SUNY President's salary is $650,000 per year,
a free
University owned mansion, and a free University
owned car, does the SUNY Chancellor get less? We sit in the E-Zine office with one Editor whose
COMBINED family income with both parents working is $20,000
while they live in a rental apartment. This Editor goes to
all campus events that serve free food and sleeps on a couch
in one of the 24 hour buildings to save the cost of the bus
ride home each day.
Here are some ideas. Others may have better ones. But at
least this is a start. Then go to the end to find out who
your elected officials are and how to contact them to demand
that they do not screw you and your parents and all future
students and their families. And remember to end the
conversation or letter by telling them that if they vote to
allow SUNY bureaucrats to decide on tuition hikes, you will
NOT vote for them!
1) The NYS Senate and Assembly will NOT turn over the right
to make tuition increases to SUNY bureaucrats. Rather, the
NYS Senate and Assembly will agree to automatically pass
annual tuition increases equal to COLA using the same
formula used by the US government to determine Social
Security increases. Increases above COLA will be determined
as needed.
2) After this year, no tuition increase will go into effect
for currently accepted or enrolled students. It will ONLY
effect students who have not yet been accepted to SUNY. All
students accepted to SUNY will be told what their tuition
will be before they make their decision to attend. Once they
accept, that will be their tuition for FIVE years. After
FIVE years, they pay whatever current freshmen are being
charged.
And do not allow it be four years instead of five. Most
students need to double major to find jobs. For engineering
students, graduating in four years is close to miraculous.
For low income students who need to have part time jobs,
taking 18 credits or more is impossible. The current average
is now closer to 5.5 years to graduate.
3) For this year only, all accepted and current students
will take a one time COLA increase and then their tuition
will be frozen for FIVE years.
4) All tuition revenue will go to SUNY. It will not go to
any other parts of the NYS budget.
5) Differential tuition? Between SUNY schools does it make
sense, maybe. Does it cost more to run a downstate school
than an upstate one? Yes. More for one of the four
University Centers that offer everything than a college?
Yes. But again, Asian Americans will take the hit. Catch the
4:17 LIRR into the city every day and look at the color of
those on it. Stony Brook is the only Center within commuting
distance for the huge Asian immigrant population in NYC.
Differential tuition between departments on campus will hurt
Asian Americans even more. The College of Engineering and
Applied Sciences is more than 50% Asian and Asian American.
How many Asian parents do you know who willingly let their
children become lit majors?
6) Separately, should the legislature turn over to SUNY the
non-tuition aspects of PHEEIA? Yes. Then we could have the
planned hotel built over by CEWIT where there is space to
construct a decent conference center instead of staying with
the ridiculous plan we now have for a half-assed sized one
at the main entrance. The aspects of PHEEIA that do not have
to do with tuition make sense. Pass them separately,
exclusive of tuition.
Here is how to find your legislators:
Call or write your Assemblyperson FIRST. They are more
responsive to constituents.
NYS Assembly
http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/
NYS Senate
http://www.nysenate.gov/contact_form
Please send your ideas and suggestions to
aaezine@yahoo.com
And when President Stanley makes absurd comments like PHEEIA
is endorsed by USG, the Undergraduate Student Government,
please bear in mind that USG elected officials often get
into office with about 400 votes, hardly representative of
the student body. The current President is known as "the
rugby Prez". This is not to disparage all members of USG.
Some are excellent, competent and well meaning. They do not
support PHEEIA. The USG's decision was not unanimous.
UPDATE 1: QUESTION. Approximately ten years ago, Stony Brook
had the lowest family incomes of all SUNY centers (Albany,
Buffalo, Binghamton, SB). Has that changed? (Excluding
international students.)
More to come. JY
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