What's happening
This bill allows SUNY Potsdam to offer special tuition rates to certain non-resident undergraduates living within 200 miles, until 2025.
Why it matters
Targets regional recruitment and competition. By allowing SUNY Potsdam to offer a special tuition rate to non-resident undergraduates within 200 miles, the bill aims to attract students from nearby out-of-state areas who might otherwise choose competing institutions, potentially increasing enrollment and tuition revenue.
Limits on eligibility and scope. The program is capped so that no more than 10% of total enrollment can be non-resident students receiving the special rate, maintaining a focus on serving New York residents while still diversifying the student population.
Tuition floor and institutional discretion. The special tuition rate cannot be lower than 1.5 times the in-state rate, ensuring that the institution still receives a financial premium for non-resident students. SUNY Potsdam must also consider factors such as regional high school graduate numbers, physical capacity, and competition before participating.
Accountability and temporary nature. The legislation requires annual reporting on the program’s impact and includes a sunset clause, automatically repealing the provision in 2025 unless further legislative action is taken—allowing for assessment of the program’s effectiveness before any continuation.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Lower Tuition for Nearby Out-of-Staters
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to higher education
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to higher education
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–2
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.474
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Let Some Out-of-Staters Pay Less
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Mark Walczyk
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2908
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 30, 2019
Introduced by Sens. GRIFFO, RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to allowing eligible non-resident undergraduate students to pay separate tuition rates for attendance at the state university college of arts and sciences at Potsdam; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section 355 of the education law is amended by adding a new subparagraph 4-a to read as follows:
(4-a) Commencing with the two thousand twenty--two thousand twenty-one academic year and ending in the two thousand twenty-four--two thousand twenty-five academic year, the board of trustees of the state university may designate the state university college of arts and sciences at Potsdam for participation in a program allowing eligible non-resident undergraduate students that reside within two hundred miles of the institution to pay separate tuition rates for attendance at such institution. Such institution shall consider out-of-state competition, current or projected levels of high school graduates within the institution's recruitment region, and enrollment capacity and physical location of the institution, if such institution participates in the program. The board of trustees of the state university is further authorized to set such separate tuition rates, which shall not be set below an amount equal to one and one-half times the in-state tuition rate at the designated institution. Such separate tuition rates may be offered only to eligible non-resident students, the total of which shall not exceed ten percent of enrollment at the designated institution. The institution shall report annually to the board of trustees of the state university on the impact of this program.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; and shall expire and be deemed repealed June 1, 2025.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06989-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to allowing eligible non-resident undergraduate students to pay separate tuition rates for attendance at the state university college of arts and sciences at Pots- dam; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
Purpose
Allows eligible non-resident undergraduate students to pay separate tuition rates for attendance at the state university college of arts and sciences at Potsdam.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends education law section 355(2)(h) to add a new subpara- graph (4-a) which provides that in the 2018-2019 academic year and ending in the 2022-2023 academic year, the SUNY Board of Trustees may designate the Potsdam State campus to participate in a program allowing non-resident undergraduate students to pay separate tuition rates. When choosing to participate, SUNY Potsdam must consider factors such as out-of-state competition, current or projected levels of high school graduates within the institution's recruitment region and enrollment capacity and physical location of the institution. The SUNY Board of Trustees would be authorized to set the separate tuition rate for eligi- ble non-resident students, which shall not exceed 10 percent of enroll- ment at the institution and the rate itself cannot be set below an amount equal to one and one-half times the in-state tuition rate at such institution.
Section 2. Sets forth the effective date.
Justification
This program intends to make SUNY Potsdam more competitive in the market for out-of-state students by providing SUNY Potsdam more flexibility in setting their tuition rates.
Competitive pricing will allow SUNY Potsdam to attract more students and retain the best possible student body, including out-of-state students.
Legislative history
2017-18 - S. 4616 - Passed Senate.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
Immediately, and this act shall expire and be deemed repealed on June 1, 2025.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.