Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles: Special Announcement on No Tuition Increase
July 22, 2022
Colleagues,
The weekly messages were suspended this month, but the Board of Trustees took extraordinary action this afternoon that warrants special attention. At its regular meeting in April earlier this year, the Board approved a small increase in tuition that nevertheless would maintain SUNY WCC’s position as the most affordable in the region and the SUNY system. Since then, economic, employment, and enrollment patterns showed students and families facing continued financial stress and hardship. Consequently, today the Board approved a revised 2022-2023 operating budget prepared by VP and CFO Brian Murphy, Controller Dawn Gillins, and their team based upon no tuition increase. We thank our entire budget team for their around-the-clock hustle this summer to find ways to strengthen our commitment to affordability for students and families.
Along with the tuition freeze, the revised budget reflected our valued partnership with Westchester County, which has increased its sponsor support to SUNY WCC by $557,000. This is an incredible gesture that helps keep tuition flat and demonstrates confidence in our ability to deliver relevant programs and services for individuals and businesses to thrive in Westchester County.
These are exciting announcements that will become more public in the days ahead, but they come with a critically important caveat: the value of these generous measures lies in the college’s ability to increase enrollment which is the only way to ensure our long-term viability. It is a reality here and across the country that community college enrollments and corresponding tuition revenues have experienced steep declines while inflationary pressures are increasing college expenses. The actions of the Board of Trustees and the County Executive are heartening. More importantly, they are a call to action for us to accelerate our work around creating new and innovative academic, career, and workforce opportunities.
The economic future of our institution and the students and families we serve depends on our ability to re-envision our offerings, refresh our operations, and reverse downward enrollment trends. This is our immediate and ongoing charge. Let’s all get on with it!
Dr. Belinda S. Miles
President