SUNY Plattsburgh Benefits from Record State Investment in Campuses

SUNY Plattsburgh will benefit from the major investments and initiatives in the new fiscal year 2025 enacted state budget to increase access to higher education with an additional $1.3 million in unrestricted funds which will be added to the continued funding from last fiscal year's budget.

"The New York State budget takes key steps to expand access to financial aid and invest in SUNY campuses such as Plattsburgh. It will have a major impact on the work we do to support the educational dreams of our students" said President Alexander Enyedi.

"We are grateful to Gov. Kathy Hochul and our members of the state legislature, who advocate for this campus on a regular basis," he said. "The added funds will improve access, education quality and enable us to provide the services our students, faculty and staff deserve. We will better serve our North Country home and do so with equity, mental health, and opportunity at the center."

The new funding represents a more than 9 percent increase over a year earlier, and includes $14,000 for research activity and $86,000 is to support student internships.

Continuing from the 2024 fiscal year budget was the increased unrestricted general fund support of $2.16 million -- an 18 percent increase from a year earlier. Also continuing for 2025 are the added $39,000 in food insecurity to support the Cardinal Cupboard, $250,000 in mental health for the Wellness Center, $539,000 for students with disabilities for the new Accessibility Resources Office, $232,000 in internship opportunity support and $50,000 in research investment.

This is the best two-year period of funding allocated to SUNY Plattsburgh in five decades.

The new state budget also expands the Tuition Assistance Program family annual income threshold up to $125,000 and increases the minimum awards for students. There is also a provision for $600,000 more to the SUNY Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) across the system.

These investments improve access to higher education for North Country students and in all of New York, ensuring we have the means to support student basic needs and support campus operating expenses and our fiscal health.