BARUCH COLLEGE–New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Jan. 31 that CUNY and SUNY colleges will have to end the practice of punitive debt collecting from students and graduates, meaning they will no longer be allowed to withhold transcripts because of unpaid tuition and fees.
“Students work hard throughout the duration of their education and holding their transcripts hostage for payment is a barbaric practice that we must end across the board,” Hochul wrote in a press release. “New Yorkers and those who come to attend school in our state, alike, will not be able to move forward successfully if they are facing financial challenges that prevent them access to opportunity. I commend CUNY for ending this practice and look forward to continuing to work so that every student in New York can be free from transcript withholding.”
