By: Daniella Doria
Good news will be coming for State University of New York system students. The New York Times reports that, “after years of inflexible debt-collection practices that have burdened SUNY students with punitive payment schedules, high interest and crippling collection fees, New York State officials are promising change.
The board of trustees of the State University of New York system voted last month to review the way it collects student debt at all 64 SUNY campuses; the interim chancellor, Deborah Stanley, pledged to make additional significant changes. “Campus debt-collection practices that prevent students in good academic standing from registering for classes,” Ms. Stanley said in an email, “are an unfair means of pursuing payment and should be prohibited in the future.” The change could mean an end to blocking students from re-enrolling if they owed money. This has often forced students to drop out — even for balances as little as $100 — although the chancellor has not indicated when the practice will end. The SUNY board’s resolution also stopped the practice of withholding transcripts from students who had completed courses but still had debt.
This is an exciting move for SUNY as it works towards its goal of being a truly student-friendly institution. According to The New York Times, “Cary Staller, a SUNY trustee, said before introducing the resolution that the state system’s approach to collecting student debt contained some “awful practices.” “I think this is overdue, quite frankly,” Mr. Staller said. “This is the ending of some dark days for SUNY, and I think it’s a really good step.” The changes come in the wake of an article by the Hechinger Report and The New York Times last September that brought many of SUNY’s punitive debt collection practices to light. Some legislators are also trying to amend the New York State Finance Law to reduce the penalties and fees that add to a student’s debt burden. The existing statute allows the attorney general to add a 22 percent collection fee for any debt owed to the state. It also allows interest to start accruing from the day a debtor receives notice of an overdue bill.”
People choose SUNY for the excellent academic opportunities and for the great cost and value. SUNY is setting a great example of what it means to be a student-centric school. It is terrifying to think of all the debt one will accrue when they embark on a degree. When you add in the fear of not being able to get a job because you risk having your transcripts and diploma with wheels because you owe money means you can’t start your career and have no hope of ever repaying it.
