Law creates a budget committee to stabilize tuition and other student costs
(Long Island, NY) The Suffolk County Legislature today passed a bill sponsored by Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory that provides for the creation of a five-year plan to stabilize the cost of tuition at Suffolk County Community College (SCCC).
“If we want young people to stay on Long Island, we must provide them with a quality, affordable education right here at home,” said Presiding Officer Gregory. “Suffolk County Community College is one of our greatest resources, and its financial future is one of my top priorities. This bill is not just about access to education; it’s also about fiscal responsibility. The five-year plan is an important step toward ensuring that we contain costs at the college, and I look forward to working in continued partnership with SCCC President Dr. Shaun McKay to keep Suffolk accessible to anyone wishing to attend.”
The legislation establishes a nine-person Community College Budget Committee tasked with developing a five-year budget plan to stabilize tuition and related student costs. The County Executive, the Presiding Officer, the President of SCCC, and the Chairman of SCCC’s Board of Trustees will all be represented on the committee. Additionally, a representative of the SCCC student government association will sit on the committee. Within six months, the committee is expected to present a nonbinding plan to each member of the Legislature as well as the County Executive.
“Today’s groundbreaking county legislation establishing a five-year plan to stabilize tuition and the county’s contribution to our college budget will help Suffolk students continue to acquire a high-quality affordable education at Suffolk County Community College,” said SCCC President McKay. “We know that a college education is more important than ever, but we also know it’s never been more critical to the expectations of multiple audiences. Suffolk County Community College is accessible and affordable. Today’s progressive legislation will help ensure that we remain responsive to all constituents while advancing teaching and learning for all.”
“The Community College Budget Committee will bring together key stakeholders who care about the future of the college,” said 6th District Legislator Sarah Anker, who chairs the Legislature’s Education and Information Technology Committee. “SCCC is home to some of Long Island’s best young minds, and it is in the economic interest of Suffolk County to ensure that these students continue to attend and graduate from the college.”
The legislation providing for a five-year plan is Presiding Officer Gregory’s most recent effort to help contain costs for college students. Earlier this year, he and Legislator Anker, in partnership with the Long Island Regional Advisory Council on Higher Education, held two public hearings that examined the potential impact that a proposed freeze on Pell Grants would have on Long Island. The federal program provides tuition assistance to low-income students across the country, and approximately one in every 100 Pell Grant recipients attends college on Long Island. A report detailing the findings from the hearings was released in July.
