State University Plaza, N501

353 Broadway, Albany, NY 12246

P: (518) 320-1288 | F: (518) 320-1557
www.sunysa.org

Governor Cuomo, Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Flanagan, and all State Legislators:
We know that time is ticking on finalizing the state budget. We know you are working hard to
balance a never ending list of priorities in the best interest of all New Yorkers. And we know, as
you have proven in the past, that you all view higher education as a critical driver of our states
future. There is one choice, however, that should be easy to make as the students who will be
directly affected by this, we are unequivocally clear: renew NYSUNY 2020.
We cannot go back.
We support NYSUNY 2020 because we recognize the need for students and families to
financially plan ahead. We represent the elected voice for the collective 465,000 students of The
State University of New York. The representatives of our 64 campuses came together last year
to overwhelmingly pass a resolution supporting the renewal of NYSUNY 2020. In a vote of 59 to
4 we said loud and clear that we support fairness, equity, and predictability when it comes to
the money that we spend on our education.
We appreciate the legislature and the SUNY Board of Trustees agreeing that a tuition freeze is
appropriate for the coming year. And we agree with Chancellor Zimpher and Chairman McCall,
who have offered a clear path for the freeze to make sense fiscally: additional state support. A
tuition freeze will ease the burden on students, and needs to come with the $73 million
investment in SUNY so the quality of our education endures.
NYSUNY 2020 worked: we as students have seen where our tuition dollars have gone the last
five years and have reaped the benefits throughout our campuses.
But even with a tuition freeze and the prospect of a $73 million investment by the state, we as
student leaders know that a one shot deal is not in the best interest of our students; we need
renewal of the plan. NYSUNY 2020 is not a tuition increase, it is a policy a partnership that
ensures the state must pay their fair share and invest in higher education like we, the students,
have done for the last five years.
The students who we represent throughout the system deserve a quality education at a fair
price, which is the ideal upon which SUNY was founded. Without these appropriations, and the
renewal of NYSUNY 2020, that vision of our system begins to erode.
We the student leaders on our campuses urge you to Stand With SUNY and renew a plan
which fosters fairness and predictability, and will undoubtedly keep SUNY as a national and
international leader in higher education.
Sincerely,
Student Government Presidents form SUNYs State Operated Campuses
State-Wide SUNY Student Leaders

State University Plaza, N501

353 Broadway, Albany, NY 12246
P: (518) 320-1288 | F: (518) 320-1557
www.sunysa.org

STUDENT ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
Thomas D. Mastro
President
Trustee, State University of New York
Student, Binghamton University
Melissa J. Kathan
Vice President
Student, University at Buffalo
Jessica Accardi
Treasurer
Student, Fashion Institute of Technology
Marc Cohen
Chief of Staff
Student, University at Albany
STATE OPERATED CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT PRESIDENTS
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Zachary Vigliani
Binghamton University
President, Student Association
Jarius I. Jemmott
University at Albany
President, Student Association
Andrew Hayes
SUNY Geneseo
President, Student Association
Minahil Kahn
University at Buffalo
President, Student Association

State University Plaza, N501

353 Broadway, Albany, NY 12246
P: (518) 320-1288 | F: (518) 320-1557
www.sunysa.org

Kainat Malik
Oneonta State
President, Student Association
Cole Lee
Stony Brook University
President, Student Association
Anthony Cucci
President, Student Senate
SUNY Delhi
Sean Flynn
SUNY Brockport
President, Student Government
Margaret Foley
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
President, Student Government Association
Shawn Ramos
SUNY Potsdam
President, Student Government Association
Khaina Solomon
SUNY Canton
President, Student Government Association
STUDENT ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Nicholas Simons
Director of Legislative Affairs
Student, University at Albany
Daniel Franasiak
Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs
Student, University at Buffalo

State University Plaza, N501

353 Broadway, Albany, NY 12246
P: (518) 320-1288 | F: (518) 320-1557
www.sunysa.org

Joshua Ronne Altemoos

Representative, Doctoral Granting Institutions - Graduate Division
Chair, State Operated Campuses Committee
Co-Chair, Campus Relations Committee
Student, University at Buffalo
Colin Delgado
Community College Representative
Student, Finger Lake Community College
Zachary Beaudoin
University College Representative
Chair, Sustainability Committee
Student, Fredonia State
Nathanael Wilhelm
University College Representative
Chair, Military Affairs Committee
Thomas Flynn
Community College Representative
Student, SUNY Broome Community College
Joshua Barry
Community College Representative
Student, Finger Lake Community College
Bridget Doyle
Chair, Campus Safety Committee
Student, Fredonia State
Christopher Wallace
Director of Communications
Student, Fashion Institute of Technology
Arthur Ramsay
Deputy Director of Communications
Student Representative,
Student Activities Fee Committee at Empire State College
Student, Empire State College