Students, faculty and staff are calling on the city and state lawmakers to help make their education more affordable.
The demonstrators marched across the Brooklyn Bridge toward City Hall to spread their message.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced an ambitious plan for free tuition at public universities starting next year for residents earning $125,000 or less a year. If approved, the Excelsior Scholarship program would apply to full-time students who attend SUNY and CUNY schools, including two-year community colleges. However, the price for students is still set to increase by $250 for the next four years.
Some students say the governor's plan would not actually help them because they take classes part time, in addition to working and raising families.
They were joined in Wednesday's march by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who says Cuomo's tuition initiative is good, but that helping students really begins on campuses such as the New York City College of Technology.
According to a study by U.S. News & World Report, in-state tuition in New York is the 12th-least expensive in the nation.