Affordability crisis for the young, snowstorm
Students on the campus of Farmingdale State College in East Farmingdale. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
Local colleges pave the path to a dream
The editorial “Unaffordable, untenable for the young” [Opinion, Jan. 18] rightly highlights the affordability challenges and growing debt facing college-age Long Islanders. The combination of slowly rising incomes, increasing costs, and added debt creates a daunting economic environment for young adults starting their careers.
What the editorial understates, however, is that a college degree remains a key part of the solution — and still offers the most reliable path to higher wages, broader career opportunities, and long-term economic security.
A strong workforce that includes well-paying vocational and technical careers is essential. Yet data consistently show that over a lifetime, individuals with a college degree earn roughly $1 million to $1.5 million more than those with a high school diploma.
Student debt can burden graduates early in their careers, but median debt levels for students attending state colleges on Long Island remain far lower than those at elite private institutions. These campuses rank among the nation’s most affordable while delivering strong returns through salaries, lifetime earnings, benefits, and advancement opportunities.
As the editorial noted, affordability is a “multipronged problem” requiring attention to jobs and job training. For many Long Islanders, the relative affordability of a bachelor’s degree at local colleges remains one of the clearest paths to stable careers, economic mobility, and the enduring promise of the American dream.
— Robert S. Prezant, Farmingdale
The writer is president of Farmingdale State College.
Winter wonderland a time to reflect
A snowy Sunday may not be all bad [“Winter wallop,” News, Jan. 26]. With food and football games, it becomes — for those with nowhere to rush off to — a chance to slow down and relax.
In a world moving too fast, a snowstorm can remind us to pause and enjoy our home’s simple comforts.
— Martin Blumberg, Melville
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