What's happening
This bill allows Fredonia and Alfred state universities to offer special tuition rates to eligible non-resident undergraduates living within 200 miles for a limited time.
Why it matters
Targets regional student recruitment and competition. By allowing special tuition rates for non-resident undergraduates within 200 miles, Fredonia and Alfred State Universities can attract students who might otherwise attend out-of-state institutions, helping them remain competitive and maintain enrollment numbers in a challenging demographic environment.
Protects in-state tuition integrity while offering flexibility. The bill requires that the special tuition rate for eligible non-residents cannot be less than 1.5 times the in-state rate, ensuring that New York residents continue to receive the most favorable rates while still providing a discount to nearby out-of-state students.
Limits scope and ensures institutional oversight. Only up to 10% of each participating institution’s enrollment can be filled under this program, and each school must report annually on the program’s impact, which can help policymakers monitor effectiveness and prevent unintended consequences like displacement of New York residents.
Temporary, data-driven pilot. The program is set to run for only three academic years (2020-2025), with a built-in expiration date and annual reporting, allowing lawmakers to assess its success and decide whether to continue, expand, or end the initiative based on actual results.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Lower Tuition for Nearby Students
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to higher education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
905
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sens. YOUNG, 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 certain institutions; 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 Fredonia and Alfred state universities for participation in a program allowing eligible non-resident undergraduate students that reside within two hundred miles of a selected institution to pay separate tuition rates for attendance at those selected institutions. Such institutions in this program shall consider out-of-state competition, current or projected levels of high school graduates within an institution's recruitment region, and enrollment capacity and physical location of these institutions, 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 each designated institution. Each state-operated institution that is selected for participation in this program 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.
LBD03647-01-9
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 certain institutions; 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 certain institutions.
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 2020-2021 academic year and ending in the 2024-2025 academic year, the SUNY Board of Trustees may designate the Fredonia and Alfred State campuses to participate in a program allowing nonresident undergraduate students to participate in a program allowing nonresident undergraduate students to pay separate tuition rates at those institutions if the campuses agree they want to participate in the program. The institutions that participate in this program 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 eligible non-resident students, which shall not exceed 10 percent of enrollment at each 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 that has decided to partic- ipate in the program. Residents within 200 miles of each institution would be eligible to participate in the reduced tuition rate.
Section 2. Sets forth the effective date.
Justification
This program is intended to make the SUNY Fredonia and Alfred State campuses more competitive in the market for students from out-of-state by providing these campuses the ability to be more flexible in setting their out of state tuition rates.
Because higher education systems in other states are matching the New York rate, these schools need to have the ability to do the same to attract and retain the best crop of students possible, including out-of- state students. This legislation would be helpful toward keeping SUNY enrollment at high levels.
Legislative history
2018: S.549-A/A.2778-A Passed Senate 2017: S.549/A.2778 Passed Senate 2015: S.4089/A.4181 Referred to Higher Education 2016: S.4089-C/A.4181-C 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.