Legislature near SUNY deal to allow for tuition hikes

ALBANY -- A legislative official tells The Associated Press that the Assembly and Senate leadership have reached general agreement on a version of Gov. David Paterson's proposal to empower New York's public universities.

The plan would allow the State University of New York and City University of New York to set predictable tuition increases, create a capital borrowing fund for the university centers and make other landmark changes.

The official says the legislative agreement to be presented to Paterson includes a planned tuition increase for all campuses. But it wouldn't allow for much higher tuition at the more elite university centers.

The agreement includes a capital construction fund for the university centers in Buffalo, Binghamton, Albany and Stony Brook.