MCC Daily Tribune

Statement from Chancellor King and SUNY Trustees on SCOTUS Decision on Student Loan Debt Relief

On June 30, SUNY issued the following statement from Chancellor John B. King, Jr. and SUNY Board of Trustees on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on student loan debt relief:

"The State University of New York is discouraged by the Supreme Court's ruling on President Biden's federal student loan forgiveness program. We applaud the President for working to provide student loan relief to working families, and today's decision is a lost opportunity to help people from low and middle-income households.

"Over 43 million Americans collectively carry $1.75 trillion in federal student loan debt. That includes 2.4 million New Yorkers, of which 1.5 million applied to and were eligible for President Biden's federal student loan forgiveness plan. These totals are frightening, so much so that they can dissuade other students from attending college at a time when good job opportunities increasingly require a college degree.

"Under the leadership of Governor Hochul, New York State continues to work to eliminate financial barriers to college. SUNY is affordable due to unprecedented New York State investment, and 53% of resident undergraduate students attend tuition-free. Moreover, the total cost of attendance—from tuition and fees to room and board—at SUNY for resident students who live on campus is approximately 30% lower than what other state university systems cost for their resident students. Still, federal aid to students has not kept up with inflation since the 1980's and the pandemic has hit working families hard. Our students need all the help they can get.

"Eliminating or reducing federal student loan debt for borrowers by $10,000 to $20,000, as President Biden proposed, would have been good for our students, our communities, and our economy, and we hope there will be another path forward for such relief. In the meantime, we will continue to build on Governor Hochul's and SUNY's commitment to expanding access, affordability, and student success."

Hency Yuen-Eng
Community Relations
07/03/2023