NYS Assembly to Hold Hearing on the Impact of COVID-19 on State Funded Student Financial Aid and Access to Opportunity Programs

Assembly Higher Education Committee Chair Deborah Glick and Tuition Assistance Program Subcommittee Chair Alicia Hyndman will take testimony to examine the impact of COVID-19 on state funded student financial aid and access to opportunity programs, including the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), and what steps are needed to mitigate the impacts of any potential student aid reductions. In the interest of public health and safety, the hearing will be conducted virtually using web-based video conferencing.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant financial challenges and uncertainties for the state that may lead to a loss or reduction in the financial aid that has been traditionally available for students and their families. This could have far reaching consequences for students, colleges and universities and severely impact a student’s ability to complete his or her education.

Currently, New York invests $7.7 billion annually to assist students with accessing higher education. This includes 28 different scholarship and loan forgiveness programs including the Excelsior Scholarship and TAP, the largest grant program in New York. TAP helps approximately 263,000 eligible state residents annually pay for tuition at approved public and private higher education institutions. Additionally, the New York State Education Department oversees a variety of postsecondary access programs, including the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) and Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) that provide special assistance to educationally and economically disadvantaged students.

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