First, credit where it’s due: Gov. Kathy Hochul and State University of New York Chancellor John King deserve recognition for their decision to ensure that a state error will not burden college students and the SUNY campuses they attend.
Second, the individuals responsible for the error and the proposed solution must answer some questions.
Over the past few years, the Higher Education Services Commission (HESC) has been miscalculating the amount of money allocated to a group receiving funds from the Tuition Assistance Program, comprising around 3,300 students. These students received more assistance for college than they were eligible for.
When HESC discovered the error in early September, their response was to reduce the promised aid for the current school year and inform SUNY campuses that they would need to repay the overpayments from the previous two years.
Essentially, students who had already started their semester, beyond the point of receiving a full tuition refund, were about to face a sudden reduction in their aid.
It is important to remember that TAP awards are grants, not loans. The undergraduates who received these over-generous TAP grants are considered “independent students” – foster children, military service members, or individuals over the age of 24 – without children, and with annual incomes of $10,000 or less.
TAP awards are designed to make a difference for individuals who would otherwise struggle to pursue a college degree. These students made arrangements and calculations based on the information provided by HESC. Suddenly finding themselves short of a few thousand dollars could jeopardize their dreams of obtaining a college education. If HESC’s information was incorrect, the blame cannot be placed on them.
This leads us to the question: Who thought that retracting promised aid was the best course of action?
Mistakes can be made by individuals, corporations, and governments alike. What truly matters is how one handles the aftermath. Do they take responsibility and rectify the situation? Or do they shift the burden to someone else? Ms. Hochul and Mr. King made the correct decision in recognizing that expecting others, especially struggling college students, to bear the weight of a government mistake they had no part in is both poor policy and negative publicity. Reclaiming the funds from SUNY campuses would not have been fair either.
While HESC administrators address questions, they should also explain how this funding error persisted for three years without being detected until colleges brought it to their attention.
Well done, HESC. Students who place their trust in New York state’s commitment to accessible higher education can now feel assured that you have their best interests at heart.
Note: A previous version of this editorial incorrectly identified John King’s current position; he is the chancellor of the State University of New York.
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