President Dr. Virginia Horvath reacted to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement of his proposed tuition-free college program, the Excelsior Scholarship, for New York residents.
“I’m glad to see New York recognizing the need to make college more affordable for middle-class families,” said Dr. Horvath. “Public education should be affordable for everyone, and this proposed legislation addresses the fact that ‘need’ is for the middle class as well. I am supportive of Governor Cuomo’s commitment to encouraging and supporting student enrollment and success at public universities in the state. This investment in closing the gap between tuition cost and family need is an investment in families and in workforce development for New York.”
The initiative will cover middle-class families and individuals earning up to $125,000 annually through a supplemental aid program. Currently 80 percent of New York households statewide make $125,000 or less and more than 940,000 families and individuals have college-aged children between the ages of 16 and 25.
“In addition to my supporting the first proposal of Governor Cuomo's 2017 agenda, I am hoping that there will also be support for the infrastructure of New York's excellent public universities,” added Dr. Horvath. “We also need investment in the physical facilities, support services, and faculty and staff at the center of the excellent education public universities provide in our state.”
Fredonia is at the forefront of SUNY in discussing the issue of college affordability. Its Fredonia in Four program was the first program that guaranteed students they would have the courses they needed to complete their degrees on time. Last semester, author Sara Goldrick-Rab came to campus to engage faculty, staff and students in discussing her book “Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream.”
Fredonia students are fortunate the college has one of the most innovative and proactive offices of Financial Aid in SUNY. “Fredonia's Financial Aid Office was the first 4-year in SUNY to pilot the web-based SmartTrack Financial Literacy platform, along with the communication and engagement plan that targets first-year student loan borrowers,” said Daniel M. Tramuta, associate vice president for Enrollment Services. As a result of the efforts of the financial aid staff, Fredonia’s student loan repayment rate is above the SUNY average.
The campus looks forward to hearing further details about the proposed Excelsior Scholarship program as it is considered by the legislature in the months ahead. “Such a program could have considerable impact on enrollment as those considering college but unable to afford tuition would have new support and new incentives for completing degrees,” Horvath said. “This program may also be useful in encouraging more New York residents -- of all ages -- to continue their education and stay in the state.”
