New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Aug. 21 that the state will eliminate mandatory fees for graduate student workers at State University of New York campuses.
Hochul said the move is intended to make higher education more affordable for graduate students who work while pursuing their degrees.
"Our graduate student workers serve as teachers, researchers and other critical functions on our campuses while pursuing their degrees, and, with this step forward, we are supporting them in continuing to play these vital roles," Hochul said.
The complete elimination of mandatory fees for graduate student workers marks the end of a four-year phaseout.
The eliminated fees were mandatory campus charges, separate from tuition, that had cost SUNY graduate student workers an average of about $2,000 a year.
The state did not provide a breakdown of the fees, but mandatory campus charges at SUNY have historically included fees that support student activities, health services, technology and other campus operations.
State lawmakers supported the phaseout through continued investments in SUNY operations in state budgets beginning in the 2023-24 fiscal year.
More than 7,500 SUNY graduate student workers provide services on campuses across the state, including conducting research, working as teaching assistants and supporting regular campus operations, according to a news release from the governor's office.
The State University of New York has 64 colleges and universities across New York and is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY eliminates annual fees for SUNY graduate student workers