NEW PALTZ – A hearing was held Monday at SUNY New Paltz to look at funding for affordability to high education.
“Affordable access to college is critical for the ability of our young people and adults as well to realize their full potential,” said State Senator Jennifer Metzger (D, Rosendale). “Many people are struggling economically these days. They are barely able to pay the bills, and it’s hard for them to make college tuition.”
Metzger, whose district covers SUNY New Paltz, was with Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, the senate chair of the standing committee on high education, get input on how make college affordable.
“Families are struggling to pay tuition, and a solution falls on the student, who takes on massive debt before graduating,” she said. “We are sending them off carrying a heavy load, an unsustainable load. We need to make sure we are providing affordable access to college.”
Metzger is proud the SUNY system and education it provides, but she noted it has become too expensive in an era of high economic inequality.
“We fund a good portion of the public university system,” she said. “Unfortunately, the state’s share of funding has declined over the years, and it’s made up in tuition. The creation of the system was to make sure we are creating affordable access to college. We have to make sure we are sticking to that mission.”
