The New York state legislature failed to reapprove the SUNY 2020 tuition plan for the new fiscal year, meaning in-state undergraduate students in the SUNY system will experience a tuition freeze for the upcoming academic year while out-of-state students now face uncertainty.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the news Thursday as part of the finalized New York state 2016-2017 budget distribution agreements.

The budget’s total of $145 billion will also be used to focus on pressing statewide issues, such as increased minimum wage and lower tax rates, throughout the new fiscal year.

The SUNY 2020 tuition plan had capped tuition increases at a $300 maximum annually for the past five years. Before the SUNY 2020 plan, tuition increases changed from year to year and students frequently faced hundreds of dollars in variations.

Critics of the plan have cited that tuition, although capped, still increased by the maximum $300 each year. This means that tuition increased $1,500 over the past five years, or by 30 percent for in-state students on all SUNY four-year campuses.

Tom Mastro, the SUNY Student Assembly president and a senior majoring in human development, explained that the plan had ensured a level of dependency for students.

“Before five years ago, the determination of what our tuition would be was in the hands of the state,” Mastro said. “There was no predictability for our tuition. In 2003 our tuition went up by $950, in 1995 our tuition went up by $750.”

There currently is no regulation in place for tuition on a longer-term basis. The tuition freeze only applies to the next year, and after that the state legislature can reevaluate, leaving students vulnerable to the return of unpredictable tuition changes.

SUNY requested $73 million in additional aid from the state, but was awarded only $18 million. While Cuomo said that the system will receive an increase in the general operating budget, he also expressed concern over SUNY back-office money management.

SUNY Director of Communications Casey Vattimo said in a statement that the funds were necessary, and the budget outcome is a setback.

“We are disappointed that the final budget will not include Gov. Cuomo’s proposed extension of the landmark NYSUNY 2020 reforms,” Vattimo said. “And that the legislature was unable to provide the resources identified by the SUNY Board of Trustees as needed for our state-operated campuses and community colleges.”

Because of the limited funding granted, SUNY will consider increasing out-of-state tuition at its four university centers. University at Albany, Binghamton University, Stony Brook University and University at Buffalo can increase out-of-state tuition by up to 10 percent starting this fall, which has potential to bring in an additional $22 million for the SUNY system.

Ryan Yarosh, the director of media and public relations for BU, said that there are some benefits to the new year’s budget, but that the lack of tuition closure could lead to confusion and unplanned expenses for students.

“We commend the governor and legislature for dedicating funds to help students in need by expanding Education Opportunity Programs and Centers,” Yarosh wrote in an email. “At the same time, Binghamton supports a rational tuition policy, as SUNY 2020 replaced an era of sudden tuition increases with a system that is predictable and empowers students and parents to plan ahead for college expenses.”

SUNY said in a statement that it currently plans to seek the re-approval of SUNY 2020 next year.