The SUNY Board of Trustees is the governing body of the State University. The 18 members carry on many responsibilities for SUNY, from presidential appointments to degree granting to operational decisions across New York State. With all of these responsibilities needing to be met, the members of the Board understand the value and need of the NYSUNY2020 program.
To offer insight, today, the board published an op-ed in the Poughkeepsie Journal calling for the renewal of NYSUNY 2020, which is below:
As The State University of New York Trustees, we agree with Governor Cuomo that SUNY can and should be “the envy of our country.” Together with New York State, SUNY has begun to repair the leaks in the education pipeline and created a system of education where all New Yorkers have an opportunity to come to college ready and to complete a degree that positions them for success in high-demand jobs throughout the state.
Doing this while also serving as an economic engine for the state has been no easy lift. It has taken vision, innovation, and above all, a commitment across sectors – from New York’s students, schools, communities, businesses, and elected leaders. We are nearly there, and we can’t stop now.
It is imperative to the future of public higher education in our great state that the Legislature join Governor Cuomo and renew NYSUNY 2020.
A renewal of NYSUNY 2020 will keep the authority to set tuition with our Board of Trustees, ensuring that New York will not return to a time when tuition hikes were not only unexpected but sometimes exorbitant. A renewal will protect SUNY students and their families by assuring predictable college costs for five more years; continuing to hold TAP-eligible students harmless from any increases in tuition dating back to 2010; and extending the state’s promise to maintain funding for SUNY.
State investment in SUNY has a direct effect on our tuition needs. With a renewal of NYSUNY 2020 and the necessary state investment in our university system – including added funds for our community colleges – we are confident that our Board will not have to raise tuition at the maximum level. We are 100 percent committed to upholding the level of affordability that has become synonymous with a SUNY degree and made us the envy not only of our country but our world.
Governor Cuomo has included a renewal of this important legislation in his executive budget. It also has the support of shared governance leaders throughout SUNY – our elected student and faculty leaders in the Student Assembly, University Faculty Senate, and Faculty Council of Community Colleges.
Now, it’s up to the Senate and Assembly to Stand With SUNY and extend this impactful legislation to better serve our students, faculty, staff, and communities across New York.
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This op-ed is authored by the SUNY Board of Trustees, which is comprised of 18 members, including the president of the Student Assembly and the presidents of the University Faculty Senate and Faculty Council of Community Colleges.
A vital imperative for SUNY and New York State.