Prohibits community colleges from charging the county of residence of a non-resident student for local sponsor costs for more than the costs associated with obtaining an associate degree or certificate

3 Co-sponsors

• John J. Flanagan
• Kenneth P. LaValle
• Lee M. Zeldin

BILL NUMBER:S4741A

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to providing that a community college may only charge the county of a non-resident student for the local sponsor's costs for not more than two academic years while such student is in attendance

Purpose

To prohibit community colleges from charging the county of residence of a non-resident student for local sponsor costs for more than the costs associated with obtaining an associate degree or certificate.

Summary of provisions

Section one of the bill amends subdivision 2 of section 6305 of the education law to limit the ability of community colleges to charge the county of residence of a non-resident student for local sponsor costs to no more than the costs associated with obtaining an associate degree or certificate. Section two of the bill provides the effective date.

Justification

State law requires counties to reimburse each other for the tuition differential between in-county and out-of-county tuition for students who attend a community college outside of their home county. This allows New York State residents to take advantage of resident tuitions at all of the State's community colleges, regardless of where in the State they reside.

For the purposes of this law, Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) is considered as if it is a community college. It is, however, a four-year school which also offers a Masters program. What's more, the unique program opportunities offered at FIT take it out of the realm of traditional community college missions and into that of providing specific career paths and education to its students. The specific inclusion of a specialized, 4-year school in a program that was specifically designed as a two-year community college tuition program is a state mandate which places a considerable financial burden on a student's home county.

In Suffolk County, for example, the total out-of-County tuition cost is approximately $12 million, with FIT representing over $6.4 million of that total. On a per-student basis, Suffolk County's average per-student out-of-county tuition cost for all schools exclusive of FIT is $1,710, as compared to $8,681 for FIT exclusively. In summary, FIT accounts for more than 50% of Suffolk's total out-of-county tuition cost, while only 18% of out-of-county students attend.

The inclusion of a specialized, four-year school in a program specifically designed as a two year community college tuition program is an aberration that unduly burdens county taxpayers across the state. Prohibiting community colleges from charging the county of residence of non-resident students for local sponsor costs for more than two years will provide meaningful mandate relief to county taxpayers.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.