Student Assembly

Whereas, the students of the land-grant colleges (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, ILR School, and College of Human Ecology) at Cornell are aware of the tremendous fiscal deficit facing the State of New York,

Whereas, on January 19th, 2010, Governor David A. Paterson announced the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act (hereafter referred to as PHEEIA) as a part of the 2010–2011 Executive Budget proposal

Whereas, the PHEEIA will significantly reform the state’s higher education system

Whereas, PHEEIA removes SUNY tuition from the state budget process

Whereas, students of Cornell’s land-grant colleges deserve a fair, equitable and responsible tuition policy as mandated by PHEEIA

Whereas, with the implementation of the Empowerment and Innovation Act, the State University of New York estimates that over the next 10 years, its campuses will be able to help create more than 10,000 new jobs and invest more than $8.5 billion in capital construction which will support more than 43,700 direct and 21,800 indirect construction jobs

Whereas, PHEEIA presents a rational tuition policy, such as the one endorsed at the Student Assembly Fall Conference on October 18, 2008 by a vote of fifty to ten with four abstentions,

Whereas, The State University of New York Administration has clear intentions to work with the SUNY Student Assembly in creating a fair tuition policy to be passed by the SUNY Board of Trustees

Whereas, PHEEIA provides the opportunity for increased student involvement in the setting of tuition policy and provides an unprecedented level of transparency.

Whereas, PHEEIA removes the restrictions of student tuition seen over the past two years in the form of the “90/10” and “80/20” tuition splits between The State University of New York and the state general fund,

Whereas, according to the PHEEIA, “Until the academic year commencing two thousand ten-two thousand eleven, all students enrolled in programs leading to like degrees at state-operated institutions of the state university shall be charged a uniform rate of tuition except for differential tuition rates based on state residency”

Be it therefore resolved, that the Student Assembly endorses the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act with the following provision: A legislative limit on increasing tuition 1.5 times the 5 year rolling Higher Education Pricing Index average or 6 percent of the current tuition, whichever is less.

Be it further resolved, that the Student Assembly will advocate strongly for the support and passage of Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act if this provision is included

Be it finally resolved, that the Student Assembly encourages that President Skorton adopts a similar stance when discussing the PHEEIA Bill with Governor Paterson and the New York State Senate going forward.

Respectfully submitted,

Rammy Salem ‘10
At-Large Representative
Student Assembly President

Matt Danzer ‘12
LGBTQ At-Large Representative