Students, faculty and staff rallied on the Chemistry Building Patio at Stony Brook University, calling for increased state investment in SUNY campuses as New York’s budget process again stretches past its legal deadline.
The rally came as Albany remains locked in negotiations over a late state budget, now past the April 1 deadline for the seventh consecutive year, with lawmakers passing temporary “extender” bills to keep government running. One such extender funds payroll and services only for short periods, and leaders were expected to pass yet another this week as talks continue with “no clear end in sight.”
Against that backdrop, student leaders tied campus conditions to broader state inaction.
“We are grateful to the State Legislature for recognizing the urgency of SUNY’s capital needs,” said Undergraduate Student Government President Sarah Elbaroudy, noting that “at Stony Brook, where deferred maintenance continues to shape the daily experience of our campus, this moment is especially significant.”
Organizers are urging Gov. Kathy Hochul and lawmakers to include at least $1.46 billion in new funding in the FY 2027 budget and commit to a long-term capital plan. But with negotiations stalled over issues like climate policy, taxes and school aid, a final agreement remains elusive.
“Our $2 billion maintenance deficit isn’t just a line item on a spreadsheet,” said University Senate President Brenda Anderson. “It’s visible in the scaffolding, the stalled projects, and the costly secondary damage from years of temporary fixes.”
SUNY Student Assembly President Luca Rallis said delays in Albany only heighten the urgency. “SUNY students are the future workforce,” he said, but “we can’t reach our full potential in facilities that are falling behind.”
Graduate Student Organization Senator Kirtee Ramo added that students “should never have to choose between affordable on-campus housing and safe working conditions.”
Jana Bergere of NYPIRG warned the consequences extend statewide: “No student should have to attend classes in buildings with broken heat, burst pipes, or out of service elevators.”