<div dir="ltr"><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p>Dear Campus Community,</p><p>As we prepare for the spring semester, I want to share an important message from SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. regarding new and expanded system-wide efforts to support students experiencing housing, food, and transportation insecurity.</p><p>These initiatives build on SUNY’s ongoing commitment to student success by addressing basic needs that can directly impact persistence, well-being, and academic achievement. SUNY Plattsburgh is proud to be part of a system that continues to prioritize the whole student and invest in meaningful supports that help remove barriers to completion.</p><p>On our campus, students can continue to access the most current information about available support services, including food access, housing-related resources, and other assistance, on the <a href="https://www.plattsburgh.edu/plattslife/student-support/index.html">Student Support page</a> of our website.</p><p>Please see Chancellor King’s message below for additional details.</p><p>Thank you for the important work you do each day in support of our students.</p></div></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p>Sincerely,</p><p>Dr. Alexander Enyedi<br>President</p></div></div></blockquote><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">SUNY Communications</strong> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:communications@suny.edu">communications@suny.edu</a>></span><br>Date: Fri, Jan 2, 2026 at 10:02 AM<br>Subject: News Release: SUNY Chancellor King Launches Additional Programs to Assist with Housing, Food, and Transportation Insecurity<br>To: <<a href="mailto:SUNYPIO-L@ls.sysadm.suny.edu">SUNYPIO-L@ls.sysadm.suny.edu</a>><br></div><br><br><div class="msg1270796503832429644">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">For Immediate Release: Friday, January 2, 2026</span></b></span><span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Contact: Holly Liapis,
</span></span><a href="mailto:Holly.Liapis@suny.edu" target="_blank"><span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext">Holly.Liapis@suny.edu</span></span><span></span></a><span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">,
(518) 477-0757<u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">SUNY Chancellor King Launches Additional Programs to Assist with Housing, Food, and Transportation
Insecurity<u></u><u></u></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Efforts Build on SUNY’s Statewide Investments to Expand Resources for Students; Ten Campuses
Selected to Participate<u></u><u></u></span></i></b></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Fact Sheets Outlining SUNY's Commitment to Basic Needs Available
</span></i></b></span><a href="https://www.suny.edu/media/suny/content-assets/documents/news/Basic-Needs-Support-factsheet-2025.pdf" target="_blank"><span><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext">Here</span></i></b></span><span></span></a><span><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">
and </span></i></b></span><a href="https://www.suny.edu/media/suny/content-assets/documents/news/Food-Insecurity-factsheet-2025.pdf" target="_blank"><span><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext">Here</span></i></b></span><span></span></a><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Albany, NY</span></b></span><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">
– State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced basic
<a name="m_1270796503832429644__Int_2LWEiI2d">needs</a> programs to assist students further with housing, food, and transportation support. The initiatives will take place across 18 SUNY campuses during the Spring 2026 semester and will be evaluated for further expansion. Under
the leadership of the SUNY Board of Trustees and Chancellor King, SUNY has ramped up support for students over the past three years by providing sustainable ongoing investments in mental health and wellness services, addressing food insecurity, improving transportation
access, and requiring all campuses to identify a homeless liaison with clearly defined responsibilities to identify and support students who are unhoused or at risk of housing insecurity.
<u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“At SUNY we are committed to equipping our students with all the resources that they need to succeed in their studies and achieve their
dreams,”<b> said SUNY Chancellor King.</b> “This means providing affordable academic excellence, while also ensuring that our students have access to essential support such as food, housing, and transportation. I thank Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature
for their continued support in expanding the resources that help our students thrive.”<u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">SUNY Trustee Eunice A. Lewin and SUNY Trustee Luca O. Rallis, Co-Chairs of the Student Life Committee, said,
</span></b></span><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“For students to flourish and achieve academic excellence, they need support both inside and outside of the classroom. That is why we are
committed to advancing initiatives that ensure our students receive the resources they deserve. Thanks to the support of Governor Hochul and the State Legislature, we
<a name="m_1270796503832429644__Int_78VAr0vL">are able to</a> do more every year to address these barriers and increase access to essential resources.”<u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">State Senate Higher Education Committee Chair Toby Ann Stavisky said,</span></b></span><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">
</span></span><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“</span></span><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Students cannot focus
on learning if they are worried about where they will sleep, when they will eat, or how they will get to class. These expanded SUNY programs recognize that housing, food, and transportation are essential to student success. By meeting students on their campus
and removing these barriers, we are giving more New Yorkers a real chance to stay enrolled, complete their degrees, and build a stable future.</span></span><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">”<u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Increasing Food Lockers
<u></u><u></u></span></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Every SUNY Campus has a food pantry or stigma-free food access available to all students, and SUNY dedicates
</span></span><a href="https://www.suny.edu/suny-news/press-releases/9-23/9-6-23/" target="_blank"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext">$1 million in ongoing operating expenses</span></span><span></span></a><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">
each year to support initiatives to address food insecurity on all State-operated campuses and, beginning this academic year, $550,000 in assistance for SUNY community college food pantries. Food lockers can supplement the work of food pantries by providing
students with the ability to pick up fresh refrigerated food after-hours. Last year, SUNY began its food locker program with
<b><i>Finger Lakes Community College</i></b>,<b><i> Monroe Community College</i></b>,
<b><i>SUNY Plattsburgh</i></b>, <b><i>SUNY Polytechnic Institute</i></b>, and <b>
<i>SUNY Potsdam</i></b>. This year, food lockers will be added at <b><i>SUNY Erie</i></b> and
<b><i>Westchester Community College</i></b>. <u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Continuing to Address Housing Insecurity<u></u><u></u></span></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">SUNY homeless liaisons have been in place on each campus since 2023 to ensure students experiencing homelessness receive the academic,
financial, and wraparound support they need to succeed and thrive. SUNY is partnering with national experts at SchoolHouse Connection to provide individualized technical assistance for how campuses can meet the needs of students facing housing insecurity.
<u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">This year, SUNY’s partnership with SchoolHouse Connection will include intensive support for campuses to implement projects to address
housing insecurity: <u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">SUNY Fredonia</span></i></b></span><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">
is developing new, student-centered approaches to address housing insecurity and related needs. The campus is working to address gap housing, intake processes, and coordination with community agencies to support students experiencing homelessness or housing
instability. <u></u><u></u></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">SUNY Old Westbury
</span></i></b></span><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">is focusing on gap housing needs during the winter and summer sessions, establishing early identification and case
management procedures, and providing additional supports for the Office of Residential Life to fulfill these needs on an ongoing basis.<u></u><u></u></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">SUNY Oswego
</span></i></b></span><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">has updated its housing policy so students can apply to live on campus throughout the academic year without additional
charges. In addition, the campus will provide housing and dining scholarships during the summer break to support students experiencing housing insecurity. SUNY Oswego will develop further strategies to address potential gaps in services and improve critical
student services and support.<u></u><u></u></span></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Filling Transportation Gaps<u></u><u></u></span></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Five SUNY campuses will receive a SUNY grant of up to $50,000 to develop, improve, and implement plans to increase transportation access
to all students, decreasing the number of students reporting transportation as a barrier to academic success. Those campuses include:
<b><i>Corning Community College</i></b>, <b><i>Dutchess Community College</i></b>,
<b><i>SUNY Orange</i></b>, <b><i>SUNY Potsdam</i></b>, and <b><i>Purchase College</i></b>. The plans focus on expanding access to public transportation, primarily in partnership with local governments and transit agencies.<u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Last year, five SUNY campuses –
<b><i>Herkimer Community College</i></b>, <b><i>Jamestown Community College</i></b>,
<b><i>SUNY Cortland</i></b>, <b><i>SUNY Oneonta</i></b>, and <b><i>SUNY</i></b> <b>
<i>Old Westbury</i></b> – were early participants in this program. They are collaborating with local leaders on county transportation master plans to increase service to areas where students live, purchasing bus trackers, and increasing communication to resolve
issues and enhance services for students. <u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">About the State University of New York<u></u><u></u></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent
of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime,
the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and
non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant
contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit
</span></span><a href="https://www.suny.edu/" target="_blank"><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext">suny.edu</span></span><span></span></a><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">.<u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
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