The Myth About "Free College"
New York's Excelsior Law: Not Quite "Free College"
During the presidential campaign, Bernie Sanders captivated
students by raising the possibilities of 'free" state-funded
universities. In her quest for the White House Mrs. Clinton
continued to support this idea. However, to many the idea of free
college was another example of socialism or something that would bankrupt the
states or federal government.
Recently, Andrew Cuomo signed legislation into law that could
revolutionize state financed colleges and universities. The
Excelsior Law was hailed as “first in the nation tuition free college for the
middle class.” In reality, we all know it is not about creating “free college,”
rather it is about cutting the exponentially rising costs of college tuition.
The law does not make college free but provides additional assistance to
students who might otherwise not be able to attend any institution of higher
learning. And, while the poorest families will be able to secure other
sources of aid, the greatest beneficiaries of this plan are the students whose
family incomes range from $50,000 to $125,000 as well as families that have
multiple students in college at the same time.
In reality such a plan nor law should be needed, but most states
have forced the rapid growth of tuition by not supporting their state financed
institutions. States like neighboring New Jersey give less than 20% of the
entire operating costs to their state schools. In response, not only do the
schools raise tuitions but they also charge nonsense fees to help plug budget
gaps. This problem-the lack of state support-is causing the Pennsylvania State Colleges
to consider merging.
The Cuomo plan has been widely criticized as not well developed
and a rushed achievement by a governor who has aspirations for the 2020
presidential campaign. Those who are over 50 can probably remember the times
when this idea was not novel. Numerous county colleges and state colleges in
California, for example, were created as tuition-free institutions as was the
City College of New York, the forerunner to the CUNY system. However, hard
economic times witnessed an increase of student fees followed by tuition
leading us to the current state of charging substantial sums for public
education. In essence, plan this is a modest attempt to roll back the clock.
However, in contrast to points raised by critics, this law will
not weaken student resolve to work hard to graduate, nor will it deter students
from applying to and/or attending more prestigious or small private
institutions. New York’s colleges including: St. Joseph's. Vassar, Pace,
Adelphi, LIU, Cornell, Columbia, Colgate, Syracuse, and NYU will continue to
receive applications from all groups. However, the plan may help reduce
the number of hours that students need to work to afford college, lower
graduation rates from six years back to the old four-year cycle, help to
decrease average student levels of indebtedness, and influence some students
who would like to have a residential experience the opportunity to live on
campus.
And yes, there are short falls in the plan. Indirectly, the
wealthier students are subsidizing poorer ones. This aspect of the law is
modeled after other state institutions that charge higher tuition and then use
the extra resources to provide scholarships to the less fortunate. Financial
assistance, in this plan, is geared solely to full-time students (as they are
the only ones who can receive federal aid). Working adults may not be able to
benefit from the scholarship, and if students do not graduate they will have to
pay back all of the subsidized tuition. However, considering the fact
that CUNY and SUNY students have been protesting rising costs for over three
decades, this plan attempts to address some of their complaints.
Indeed, every student will still have to pay for some aspect of
his or her college educations. College in the 21st century
is both a commuter and residential experience and the plan attempts to address
each scenario. Free tuition to students attending the CUNY colleges does
not minimize the expenses of commuting, meals or books. Similarly,
students at SUNY colleges will have to pay for room and board, transportation
home, and books.
Governor Cuomo may be thinking about 2020, but he has also heard
the voices of Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton and other politicians who have
pushed this idea to the forefront. State education was designed to
assist the deserving and talented masses achieve aspects of the American dream
by securing a college education. For so many this aspiration has been placed on
hold, and for many recent graduates they have suffered under crushing debt. New
York has now done something that many states have chosen not to do-they are
supporting their state institutions. And, in turn New York has set an example
for other states to model or even perfect.
Overall, there are far more benefits in this plan than negatives, and Governor
Cuomo should be applauded for potentially increasing the educational level of the
New York work force, and keeping more of the talented New Yorker high schoolers
in their home state.
We need to see this law as a giant step to making college more
accessible and affordable, and advocate for improvements to the law to increase
opportunities for all students.
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