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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 7 February 2017

Free tuition? Not the same as free college, students say

Continued from front public universities and col-
leges, while Cuomo’s “last-
They make too much to dollar” approach pays
get aid now, he said, but the tuition after awards
“we don’t make enough from the state and federal
so that my parents don’t sources of aid are applied.
have to work their behinds It’s a distinction that trou-
off to put me and my sister bles advocates for lower-
through school.” income students, who say
He would welcome tu- the program, while ex-
ition help, he said, espe- panding aid to the middle
cially with plans to pay his class, won’t improve any-
own way his senior year. thing for them because
But even if it’s covered by their tuition is already cov-
then, Peters said, he still will ered. They warn it might
likely work at his minimum- hurt needy students if it
wage job over breaks and takes away some of the
need loans to pay for ev- flexibility they now have
erything else. to use federal Pell awards
Most of Salinas’ debt for expenses other than tu-
comes from housing ition.
costs, so the Cuomo plan “Our goal is to provide
probably wouldn’t have In this Wednesday Feb. 1, 2017, photo, Brooklyn College students walk between classes on the most students with
helped her graduate in campus in New York. They don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but New York public college students the greatest opportunity,”
better financial shape. The who would stand to gain from the nation’s most ambitious free-tuition proposal are quick to point Cuomo spokeswoman
22-year-old computer sci- out a sobering reality from their own meager finances: Free tuition doesn’t mean free college. Dani Lever said, “and that
(AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
ence major said she would goal is met by the Excelsior
rather see the state put the seek to address the na- of a four-year degree free or job training. Scholarship program.”
money into the faculty and tion’s suffocating $1.2 tril- at a public college in that All differ from independent The New York program also
facilities at CUNY. lion in student debt. state. A plan from Demo- Vermont Sen. Bernie Sand- comes with a push to get
Cuomo’s proposal, which Democratic Rhode Island cratic Colorado guberna- ers’ no-tuition plan, which students to tap into existing
still faces approval by law- Gov. Gina Raimondo has torial candidate Mike John- became a major issue dur- state and federal financial
makers, is one of an in- proposed making two ston would require volun- ing the presidential cam- aid programs that could
creasing number of plans years of community col- teer service as a condition paign. Sanders’ plan would lower their costs even
across the country that lege or the final two years of two free years of college have eliminated tuition at more.q