Just a few weeks ago, Governor Pataki presented his eighth and final New York state budget. In it, he proposed a $100/FTE increase in state aid for community colleges – the first time he has proposed increasing community college operating aid. While I appreciate the Governor’s investment in community colleges, his proposed increase does not begin to meet our operating needs. Rising utility and health care expenses are a significant burden on our labor-intensive, facility-dependent enterprise. We need even more state support to maintain our commitment to quality and access.
This week I am outlining our funding priorities in a letter to our state senators and assembly members. We will reinforce our message in person when we visit with many of them in Albany on SUNY Day, March 7. I would like to share our priorities with you as well:
Community College Base Aid. SUNY and CUNY community college presidents are united in seeking an additional $150/FTE for a total of $2,600/FTE. Doing so will bring the state’s share of community college funding to 33.1%, meeting its original legal obligation (i.e. before community colleges adopted Full Opportunity Programs and the state pledged support of up to 40% system-wide).
Supplemental Aid for High-Need Programs. New York’s community colleges prepare students for careers that are critically important to our communities – nursing, radiologic technology, optical technicians, bio-technicians, CNC machinists and more. These programs cost more to offer than liberal arts programs, due to the high cost of equipment, and required smaller class sizes. New York’s community colleges are requesting an additional $200/FTE in supplemental aid for enrollments in high cost technical and allied health programs.
Technology Funding. The cost of maintaining currency equipment is an unsustainable burden but so important to our state’s ability to be economically competitive. We are asking the legislature to add $25 million so that SUNY and CUNY community colleges may update technology to “state-of-the-practice” levels.
Tuition Assistance Program. It goes without saying that we are asking legislators to reject the Governor’s proposed changes in the Tuition Assistance Program. While I appreciate the goal of fighting alleged financial aid abuses at for-profit colleges, these proposals disproportionately hurt community college students. About 45% of MCC students (over 3,000 students) would see their TAP awards reduced or cancelled to the collective tune of about $2.5 million.
If you would like more information on the state budget and its impact on MCC, please contact me or Director of College and Community Relations Cynthia Cooper. Cynthia will have information to share in the very near future on an advocacy effort launched by SUNY System Administration.
Thank you.
R. Thomas Flynn
President
02/13/2006 |