NYPIRG 2020

       The” Slash and Burn” of Education

Where are our legislatures for the student body? How have WE the students let such atrocities occur? Back in 2011 Governor Cuomo signed the NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grant Program bill which raises both SUNY and CUNY tuition 300 dollars for five years.  Not only is this law raising the tuition for in-state students, but is also raising out-of-state tuition by ten percent. Students also have to deal with the rise of student debt and funding being slashed. As the economy tanked, TAP and PELL Grants, which many students rely on, were restructured to make them more difficult to qualify for. All these new bills that are being passed into law are hurting studnets. The whole system that has evolved into our new “economy” has made it nearly impossible to buy or do anything after graduating. As students graduate with massive amounts of debt, they choose to not take out loans to buy houses and cars. This not only hurts the students, but also hurts the entire economy.

The National Center for Education Statistics reported in 2011 that the average student debt per student was $26,600 . Another issue that students are having is the job rate across the nation. Every year we see less and less jobs growing in the economy. As students are graduating from four year universities with     debt, they struggle to pay back loans only brings concern to a rapidly downward spiraling problem. The overall national debt in the United States is over one trillion dollars.  The structure of education that once helped students become successful is now burdening them with nearly impossible to pay back debt.  The sad reality of all this going on is that students are forced into this position. They are promised that once they graduate from college they will get a good job and become successful. This shattered dream is affecting millions of graduate students nationwide. NYPIRG is pushing for these increases to end and also claim that adding student debt will be problematic for the economy and the well-being of graduating students.  With NYPIRG and the student body of New York, students can change the outlook of the future and help to end this war against education!

David Buczek

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