Many have lauded the new initiative of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to eliminate tuition payments for over 940,000 students and families in the State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) public university system. He unveiled the scholarship earlier this month alongside Senator Bernie Sanders, drawing praise from Sanders’ progressive following as well as many young people who rightly believe that the current financial burden of public education is too high for many to bear. Cuomo’s Excelsior Scholarshipsare designed for students whose families make $125,000 or less, qualifying these students to attend public college tuition-free.
Unfortunately, despite the positive attention, this initiative falls short of the lofty goals harbored by many progressives. It will ultimately assist middle-class families while neglecting low-income families. As the Washington Post notes, “Students from low-income families already get aid packages from the federal and state governments that cover tuition costs, so the benefit would not go to them — even though they still need help.” A report by the Office of the New York Comptroller on student loan debt in New York state further explains that tuition itself comprises a mere third of the costs students must shoulder. This means that the initiative is directing dollars to covering tuition for middle-class families when it could be assisting the lowest-income students with costs such as housing, textbooks and living expenses. The initiative itself is also regressive, meaning the students who are paying the most tuition will receive the largest scholarships. This model does little to aid those at the very bottom of the income spectrum.
Initiatives like Cuomo’s are indubitably critical in reframing the national discourse about rising tuition costs. And Cuomo’s plan will certainly help many families alleviate the burden of higher education. When it comes to real, systemic change, however, this scholarship is just not good enough, especially for those who struggle the most to meet the costs associated with higher education. Progressives and students alike should stay strong and demand a higher standard when it comes to tuition reform, rather than giving in at the first sign of hope.
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