Statement from SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher on President Obama's Plan to Make College More Affordable
August 22, 2013
“Today President Obama once again chose The State University of New York to highlight what's working in higher education and outline his vision for the future. His three-part plan to make college more affordable for all Americans, including performance-based funding, increased innovation, and measures to reduce student debt, are cornerstones of the foundation that we are building in New York.
“In partnership with Governor Cuomo, we have enacted a series of proactive policies that have positioned SUNY to remain one of the most affordable and quality higher education options in the United States.
“Open SUNY will be the world's largest online learning network and make accelerated degree programs a reality in New York. SUNY Smart Track is the nation's most aggressive and thorough program for financial aid transparency. And SUNY Works, which offers students paid cooperative education experiences and a competitive edge toward higher-salaried employment after graduation, is rapidly expanding.
“These programs are just a few of the reasons we are confident that SUNY will continue to be ranked as a top value for students as the president's plan unfolds.
“The key to success for the president's plan will be working with states to ensure that the right data and metrics are used to measure outcomes. SUNY will continue to lead in these areas and have a strong voice as this process moves forward.
“Congratulations to President Tripathi and the University at Buffalo on the honor of hosting the president today, and to President Stenger and Binghamton University on tomorrow's follow up event.”
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2022, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
Share this:
Holly Liapis
518-320-1311
Email the Office of Communications
