Last Friday at The Doctoral and Graduate Students’ Council December plenary meeting the DSC unanimously adopted a “Resolution Against CUNY Proposed Tuition Increase and Wellness Fee.”

When CUNY released its 2020-2021 Operating Budget Request and Four-Year Financial Plan last week, it included another $200 tuition increase at the senior colleges, along with a similar increase at community colleges, and a new $120 per year “health and wellness fee” for all CUNY students.

While there clearly is a need for improved (mental) health services at CUNY, the DSC firmly holds that it is unreasonable and counter-beneficial to place the burden of this cost on students. In particular, the implementation of this fee would mean that Graduate Center students, already underfunded, would face even greater financial strain.

The DSC therefore expressly rejects the tuition increase and proposed wellness fee outlined in the CUNY Budget Request and urges the Graduate Center administration to deploy its resources to lead a public campaign and lobbying effort to secure better funding for students of the Graduate Center.

The full text of the resolution is available on the website here.