If you pay any attention to what goes on at UB, you've probably heard quite a bit about UB 2020, the university's vision for the future. The plan involves more students, more professors, and of course, more buildings. All in all, it would increase the size of UB by 40 percent.
More specifically, you've heard a lot about the plan being delayed. Whether it's bills not passing, controversy over tuition increases, or all of the ever-present UB 2030 talk, this plan has had quite a bit of trouble getting off the ground.
Last week, however, it finally took a step in the right direction. The State Senate passed a revised version of the UB 2020 bill that Simpson had been putting forth for years.
In the bill, the university would be allowed to set tuition for the 2011-12 academic year, but it would not be allowed to raise it by more than $375 a year. In addition, 15 to 20 percent of the additional revenue goes toward scholarships.
Of course, it is unknown if the bill will pass. It has yet to be voted on in the Assembly, where last year's bill was shot down.
Still, the fact that the measure passed 53 to one in the Senate indicates that it has, if nothing else, a fighting chance.
This leads to the question of whether or not the provisions in the bill would lead UB in the right direction for the future. At this point, that is difficult to say. Quite simply, we don't know about where this bill will take things.
For instance, there's the potential $375 tuition increase. We don't know if it will actually go up that much (or what future years will hold), but suppose it does. An extra $375 one year doesn't seem like much, but if tuition goes up $3,750 over the span of 10 years, that could have adverse effects. It would make UB unaffordable for a lot of middle-class students.
Admittedly, the bill does include more money for scholarships and financial aid. Still, consider the plight of the student who is neither rich nor poor. He couldn't afford to pay his own tuition, or qualify for financial aid. If tuition goes up at too high of a rate, a lot of people could find themselves in that position.
Additionally, it is unknown if this bill will revitalize Buffalo's economy as much as people hope it will. Considering that the main campus is located in Amherst (a fine example of poor planning), it's hard to picture a great deal of this money going to help the city's economy.
