Stony Brook Community Rallies for Capital Funding for Urgent Infrastructure Needs

Undergraduate Student Government President Sarah Elbaroudy speaks at the infrastructure funding rally April 6, attended by State Assemblymembers Rebecca Kassay (center) and Tommy John Schiavoni (right). Photos by John Griffin.

Students, faculty, staff and elected officials gathered together with a message about the state of the campus: without sustained investment in campus infrastructure, the future of Stony Brook University and the broader State University of New York (SUNY) system is at risk, as aging facilities and urgent maintenance needs threaten the quality of education, research and student life.

That message was shared during a capital funding rally that drew more than 50 members of the campus community, who called on state leaders to commit to a multi-year investment plan for SUNY. Speakers referenced deteriorating buildings and long-standing maintenance issues that they said can no longer be addressed through short-term funding 'band aid' fixes.

Held April 6 on the Chemistry Building patio at Stony Brook University, the rally featured student leaders, faculty and elected officials who described how infrastructure challenges are affecting daily life across campus, from classrooms and laboratories to residence halls.

"We are gathered here to share your understanding," said Undergraduate Student Government President Sarah Elbaroudy. "The strength of this university is carried not only by its people, but by the spaces that sustain learning, teaching and research."

Speakers repeatedly emphasized the vast scale of the problem. Stony Brook alone faces nearly $2 billion in deferred maintenance, while the SUNY system's backlog is estimated at $10 billion. Advocates are calling for at least $1.46 billion in new capital funding in the upcoming fiscal year and a multi-year commitment to address decades of underinvestment.

Elbaroudy described how infrastructure challenges affect daily campus life, from unreliable elevators and outdated laboratories to residence halls that do not meet the basic needs of student residents. "These conditions are felt across our campus and community," she said, adding that the university's ambitions require facilities that match its level of impact.

President of the University Senate Brenda Anderson was one of the speakers at the rally.

Brenda Anderson, president of the University Senate, described the contrast between recent investments and the state of disrepair of academic buildings. Referencing the major state commitment to a quantum research hub announced earlier this year, she said the moment was "a bit bittersweet."

"I saw HVAC systems that have been on life support. I saw the damage from leaking roofs," Anderson said. "We've all heard the number $2 billion in deferred maintenance, but that's just a number on a spreadsheet. You really appreciate it when you see the rooms unsafe to use."

Anderson urged state leaders, including Governor Kathy Hochul, to move beyond one-time funding increases and adopt a sustained capital strategy. "Temporary cannot mean 30 years," she said, referencing facilities such as the School of Dental Medicine building that have remained in makeshift or deteriorating conditions for decades.

State and local representatives echoed that sentiment. Assemblymember Rebecca Kassay said multi-year capital plans are essential to ensuring that students have access to safe, functional learning environments.

"We need to be investing in these capital improvements to make sure that those students thrive while they're here," Kassay said. "And when they go on, they look back and they're proud of this place."

Assemblymember Tommy John Schiavoni called on the state to commit to meaningful financial support. "Now it's budget time. Now it's time for us to put money where our mouth is," he said, advocating for a $10 billion statewide investment.

Student leaders highlighted how infrastructure issues directly affect academic success and quality of life. Luca Rallis, SUNY trustee and president of the SUNY Student Assembly, said he hears daily from students across the system about failing facilities.

"Whether it's the places that they're living, the classrooms they're learning in, the infrastructure on their campuses, it's failing them," Rallis said. "It's having a real impact on their day-to-day. This isn't about one building or even one campus. It's about the long-term future of the entire SUNY system. We need sustained strategic investment that meets the scale of this challenge."

Faculty members detailed how deteriorating infrastructure impacts teaching and research. Stanislaus Wong, chair of the Department of Chemistry, described the disruption of the sudden 2024 storm that flooded the Chemistry Building.

"Seventy percent of the building you see behind me was damaged by water," Wong said. "Our research and teaching missions were seriously impacted and it took us months to recover."

Even under normal conditions, he said, the building struggles with broken pipes, failing ventilation systems and outdated infrastructure that cannot meet current research needs. "We should do better, and we mustdo better," Wong said.

Andrew Feit, MD, president of the Renaissance School of Medicine Faculty Senate, described persistent issues in clinical and academic spaces, including leaks in offices during rainstorms and insufficient study areas for students.

"We want to be an elite medical school and to compete with other elite schools," Feit said. "We have the quality professors. We have the labs. But we don't have the resources that students need."

Jana Bergere of the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) pointed to recent winter storms that caused burst pipes, heating failures and building closures across SUNY campuses. "These issues are not new, but they are getting worse," she said. "Students are the ones dealing with the consequences every day."

"What we have heard today from our students, faculty and staff is unacceptable," Elbaroudy said in closing. "It cannot continue any longer."

- Beth Squire