Albany –
State University of New York Acting Chancellor John R. Ryan made the
following statement regarding the College Board’s annual report, Trends in
College Pricing.
“I am pleased to see that based
on the College Board's reporting of tuition and fees at four-year public
institutions, SUNY's tuition and fees are below the national average,” said
Ryan. “SUNY also has the lowest average resident tuition and required
fees for four-year public colleges and universities of all the New England and Mid-Atlantic
states. New Yorkers can take pride in knowing that a superb SUNY
education remains accessible and affordable.”
According to the College Board,
2005-06 in-state tuition and fees at four-year public institutions of higher
education averages $5,491 – $136 dollars more than the average tuition and fees
at SUNY four-year institutions.
Ryan indicated that while the
College Board report demonstrates SUNY’s current competitive position in the
higher education market place, SUNY needs a tuition policy.
Ryan said, “Keeping SUNY
affordable and enhancing academic excellence are two of the main reasons we
introduced the idea of a rational tuition policy last year. Financial
planning for students and parents is another important consideration and a
tuition policy would allow students and parents to plan college expenses
without having to worry about large, unforeseen tuition hikes while the student
is enrolled in college.”
“A rational tuition policy would
ensure affordability, predictability and investment in academic quality.
Such a policy would institute an incremental tuition increase for each incoming
class and then lock in the student’s tuition rate for the length of their
degree program.
“Each incoming class’s tuition
would increase slightly year to year according to an index and then also be
locked in. This set tuition rate would allow students and parents to plan
college expenses without having to worry about large, unforeseen tuition hikes
while the student is enrolled in college.”
Ryan indicated the tuition
adjustment for the incoming class would be no higher than inflation.
Additional information about the
College Board annual report.
The State University of New York
is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating
more than 412,000 students in 6,688 degree and certificate programs on 64
campuses.
