NYPIRG to lobby for higher education affordability in Albany on March 2

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Rosalind Eatmon-Jackson, NYPIRG Intern
February 24, 2017

Dear Editor:

Higher Education is a complex commodity in America; from tuitions fees, to stagnated financial aid programs, and federal funding with ever increasing interest. There have been ongoing controversial arguments regarding free higher education within the United States. Lately, everyone has been in awe and contemplating if it even is an argument at all.  We currently live in a society where in order to gain a post-secondary education; we also have to subdue a great deal of debt that could stall future life plans after graduation.

As an older student in my 40’s, I decided to pursue a degree in which to become a more productive citizen in society. But now that I am gaining a higher education, I consistently contemplate with the debt in my future that I will have well after graduation. Now that I’m well into my 40’s, I found that the importance of higher education is crucial and correlates with a recent Georgetown University study. This study found by 2018, two-thirds of New York jobs would require a post-secondary education. Even though the importance of a post-secondary education is well known throughout the country, New York State has quietly disinvested 1.5 billion dollars since 2008.

We must demand now that our legislators in Albany fully invest in SUNY and CUNY! It’s more important now than ever, that students speak out to their politicians, so that they are held accountable for their actions in office. This semester NYPIRG is offering a unique opportunity to do just that.

On Thursday March 2nd, the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPRG) will be gathering students and faculty all across New York State to rally in Albany and to sit down with legislators. We will be urging them to fully fund SUNY and CUNY and make higher education a priority in New York State. The Buffalo State NYPIRG chapter along with NAACP, United Students Government, The Student Political Society, and The Political Science Department will be sponsoring a bus to Albany leaving from Buffalo State that morning.

If you’re interested in attending or finding out more information about the event, please contact Wes Thomas at [email protected] or 716-882-1549.