News

NEW YORK — Postsecondary education remains one of the strongest pathways to long-term stability and economic mobility. Yet for too many students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds and communities of color, that promise remains out of reach. Structural inequities in financial aid and higher education create unnecessary barriers to access, persistence, and completion, reinforcing rather than disrupting the racial wealth gap.

uAspire commends Governor Hochul for recognizing that financial instability, not academic ability, is often the deciding factor in whether students stay enrolled. We are encouraged by her focus on holding the line on tuition at SUNY and CUNY, expanding Reconnect programs for adult learners, and advancing career-aligned pathways through New York Career Connect. By freezing tuition for resident undergraduates and providing additional operating aid, the state is helping more New Yorkers earn a degree without taking on crushing debt and supporting families striving for stability.

Emergency aid, modernized financial aid, and fair institutional policies are essential to ensuring that students not only enroll but persist and graduate. We are heartened to see Governor Hochul’s emergency financial aid proposal, as students are sometimes one financial or medical emergency away from staying enrolled or stopping out. uAspire supports system-wide investments in emergency aid, equity-driven reforms to TAP, solutions to institutional debt, and strategic higher education funding. These steps are critical to building a student-centered higher education system that reflects real-life challenges, strengthens persistence, and promotes economic mobility for all New Yorkers.

As the 2026 State Budget takes shape, uAspire looks forward to collaborating with Governor Hochul and the Legislature to ensure New York fulfills the promise of college as a reliable, equitable pathway to opportunity, where every student has the support needed to persist, complete, and thrive.