College Joins Yellow Ribbon Program for Veterans

05/27/2015 

SUNY Cortland is strengthening its commitment to U.S. military veterans and their dependents by ensuring that tuition will be paid for, regardless of where the former soldier or eligible family member lives.

All schools in the 64-campus SUNY system currently cover tuition for veterans or dependents living in New York, as well as for all veterans living out of state.

But by participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program, SUNY Cortland will ensure that dependents who live outside New York state can take full advantage of educational benefits transferred by former military members.

“New York state has been ahead of the curve by guaranteeing in-state tuition to all veterans,” said Karen Gallagher, director of the College’s Financial Aid Office. “But one of the instances where the Yellow Ribbon Program definitely could help is an out-of-state dependent using the benefit of a veteran.”

Currently, the full cost of in-state SUNY tuition is provided for all veterans, regardless of their state of residence, through the New York State Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In-state tuition – currently at $6,470 – is fully covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Because all veterans are charged the in-state tuition rate, regardless of residency, veterans from outside the state are fully covered as well.

Out-of-state veteran dependents, however, are not currently charged the in-state rate. That more than doubles the cost of annual SUNY tuition to $16,320.

The Yellow Ribbon Program makes additional education funds available to veterans without an additional charge to their GI Bill entitlement. Institutions voluntarily join the program and they choose the amount of funding that will be contributed.

SUNY Cortland will cover up to $5,200 per student if it is needed.

“This is terrific news, both for the College and for our brave servicemen and women across the country,” said SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum. “They deserve access to an affordable, high-quality education and we’re honored to provide that at SUNY Cortland.”

Six other SUNY institutions participated in the Yellow Ribbon Program during the 2014-15 academic year.

Gallagher said the program gives the College more visibility among veterans across the country.

“It gets SUNY Cortland’s name out there so that maybe veterans who hadn’t thought about us will now consider us,” Gallagher said.

Beneficiaries of the Post-9/11 GI Bill have spent 36 months in active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, or they have been honorably discharged for a service-related disability and served 30 continuous days after Sept. 10, 2001. They also can be dependents eligible for a transfer of entitlement.

“All of our veterans should be proud of their service,” Gallagher said. “I’m hoping this can be just another step in doing more for them.”