The cost of attaining a higher education continues to escalate at an alarming rate, challenging not only lower-income families but middle to high-income families as well. Many individuals believe that the door to a higher education is closed to them; others graduate with tens of thousands of dollars in debt, forcing them to struggle for years to repay. Anticipated debt may also shape individuals' career choices, as they feel forced to choose higher-income careers in order to pay off their projected debt. This leads to shortages in highly important fields like teaching, nursing and social work.

I firmly believe that a higher education must be available to all who desire it and that individuals should not be forced to make career decisions based primarily on financial considerations. A post-secondary education prepares individuals for today's world, which is based not on manufacturing, but on the knowledge and information economy. It has also served as the gateway for successive waves of immigrants, helping their children move into the mainstream.

New York is fortunate to have strong public university systems and a long tradition of assisting individuals who are least able to afford a college education. The State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY) are among the nation's top public universities, and provide an affordable, high-quality education to hundreds of thousands of students each year. New York is also home to countless fine private higher education institutions. The State's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is among the most generous in the country, providing grants for income eligible New Yorkers attending New York State colleges. Still, many people fall through the cracks or struggle intensely to pay the costs of college.

But more must be done. We are challenged to hold the line on TAP and maintain current levels of state commitment to higher education. Allowing full-time professors to retire and be replaced by adjuncts undermines our colleges' excellence. Ensuing access to all those capable of attending college is crucial, but increasingly difficult. As the Chair of the Assembly's Higher Education committee, I am working to close these gaps and guarantee assistance so that every New Yorker has access to the many fine institutions in our state.

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