Colleges in New York can no longer withhold students’ transcripts or charge them higher fees to obtain a copy of their transcript if they have unpaid debts.
The bill signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul will remove a barrier to help people continue their education or secure employment instead of penalizing students with less money.
“Transcripts are critical for students to continue pursuing their educational and career goals,” Hochul said in a statement. “To hold transcripts hostage until outstanding debts are paid is an unfair, predatory practice that prevents our students from reaching their full potential. I was proud to make ending transcript withholding a top priority and took action to end this practice at SUNY and CUNY in January. Today, we put an end to this abhorrent policy for all higher education institutions to ensure a level playing field for New York’s students.”
