The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education released a state-by-state report card for higher education in December 2000. The Center’s report gives New York a D- for affordability.  

 The percent of income needed to pay community college expenses minus financial aid is 35 percent, “the highest in the nation.”  

The percentage increase in state and local appropriations for higher education in New York (in constant dollars, FY 1990-1999) is the lowest in the nation.  

The burden of funding higher education has been shifted to the students in the form of higher tuition costs, and to the instructional staff through attrition of full-time professors and staff, lower pay, increased workload and underpaid part-time staff.