The fine print for New York State’s free tuition plan for SUNY and CUNY students—the Excelsior Scholarship—is still being fine-tuned.
That’s what Guillermo Linares, acting president for the state’s Higher Education Services Corporation, told more than 150 students, parents, guidance counselors, and others at a road trip to explain what’s being billed as a first-in-the-nation program Thursday at SUNY Cobleskill.
Mr. Linares who has been in his position just a few months, told the crowd “This is just the beginning. We are looking for input and questions. The concerns and ideas of students and their parents are number one to me.”
Following a brief PR video touting the program, that’s just what he got:
Questions and concerns.
Most of the answers, however, only led to more questions.
That’s to be expected, Excelsior Scholarship proponents said, since the regulations are still being drafted.
Anyone interested in the scholarship can sign up for emails alerts as more specifics are made available; go to HESC.ny.gov.
According to a handout made available Thursday and details already on the HESC website, the Excelsior Scholarships will cover tuition gaps only for New York State residents attending SUNY or CUNY two-year programs.
Students must be fulltime, “maintain good academic standing,” and graduate on time.
Beginning this fall, students whose families make up to $100,000 annually will be eligible; by 2019, that income limit will be extended to $125,000.
Critics of the program have said that most of the students who will qualify are already getting what’s essentially free tuition—often the least expensive part of their college bill.
Students receiving the Excelsior Scholarship will be required to work in New York State for the same number of years they receive the scholarship for—or it becomes an interest-free loan, payable over 10 years, Mr. Linares said.
They can, however, live out of the state if they’re not employed or attend graduate school out of state without that penalty—although it kicks in once they start working.
One student asked Thursday if the scholarship covers graduate school. It does not.
Another asked what happens if they don’t graduate on time because a required course wasn’t available through no fault of their own.
The answer was “We’ll work with you,” also the case with other hardships.
According to HESC representatives, in determining whether a student is eligible for up to $5,500 a year, TAP (state grants), PELL (federal grants) and even private academic scholarships must be subtracted first.
“If you still need money to cover your tuition, then the program kicks in,” said a spokesman.
“Excelsior is intended to be the last mile,” Mr. Linares.
That appears to pretty much eliminate students receiving academic scholarships, said one guidance counselor, as well as students getting scholarships through the Cooperstown-based Clark Foundation.
Though the question was asked, it was unclear how federal loans will impact whether or not a student is eligible for the scholarship.
“The Governor is making higher education his top priority,” Mr. Linares stressed. “This is perhaps the most critical issue we as a state need to address,” Mr. Linares said, adding, “We’re going to have plenty of jobs for you to stay here.”
Applications for the scholarship aren’t expected to be available until June and the deadline is likely to be sometime in July—a short window for both students and colleges.