Funding for the state's public colleges is always a political battle because there are limits to how much the state can contribute without cutting somewhere else or raising taxes.

The current fight is over what is known as maintenance of effort, which basically means mandatory cost increases like personnel expenses. SUNY leaders and many state lawmakers argue the state should cover the extra expenses. But Governor Cuomo has opposed legislation related to maintenance of effort in the past.

Assembymember Deborah Glick, chair of the Committee on Higher Education, provides an update.