"It’s distressing enough to hear that the SUNY Board of Trustees is considering imposing an annual tuition increase, but it’s even more troubling to learn they plan on voting for the increase – the second in two years – two hours before they hold a public hearing on it.

"As a single mother with two children attending SUNY schools, I know how hard it is for working families and students to afford any kind of tuition increase. Each time tuition goes up, the number of people who can afford it goes down. We need to be doing more as a state to ensure access to higher education.

"I strongly urge the SUNY Trustees to do the right thing for New York families and students, and to reject this misguided tuition increase."