Higher education affordability is a very hot topic right now. In New York, tuition was frozen for one year, however, there is still a lot of work to be done. Funding for SUNY and CUNY was still cut in this year’s state budget. With so much left to do in terms of higher education affordability, NYPIRG, otherwise known as the New York Public Interest and Research Group, decided to organize a panel of experts to discuss higher education affordability. This panel of experts is comprised of both faculty members and students.

A lot of important issues were brought to light in this panel, mainly those of budgets and the importance of organizing. It was said repeatedly that in order for voices to be heard, they must be loud and saying something important. It was also repeated a few times that legislators will listen to their constituents, especially those who are rather vocal.

As this event was cosponsored by PTV, the purchase television station, and the Purchase Multicultural Center, PTV submitted a couple of questions to be asked of the panelists, the most pressing of which pertained to accessibility and resources for disabled students. The basics of the conclusions drawn from the panelists were that more money needs to be put into the SUNY and CUNY system in order for these needs to be adequately met.

It was a very informative night for everyone involved and featured pictures of students and testimonials of their experiences with student loan debt providing background images while the panelists spoke. It was another successful event run by NYPIRG that educated the masses.