Gov. Hochul wants to make community college free for adults pursuing degrees in sought-after fields, she announced Tuesday during her State of the State address.
The proposal, which would extend only to students ages 25 to 55, covers the costs of tuition and fees for certain associate’s degree programs at the State University of New York and the City University of New York — such as nursing, education, technology and engineering.
Her plan comes as New York is projected to face a shortage of almost 40,000 nurses by 2030, according to SUNY estimates. New York City’s public school system also needs to hire an estimated 17,000 more teachers to comply with the state’s class-size law over the next few years.
“Now, we’re going even bolder,” Hochul said during her speech. “We’re going to make community college completely free for students age 25 to 55. Completely free. Everything. Books, transportation.”
“These are real savings for New Yorkers pursuing careers and puts money back in their pockets while helping us fill these critical jobs in these essential industries.”
The free community college plan is modeled after a similar program in Massachusetts, which started with students ages 25 or older but recently expanded to those of any age.
There are more than 200,000 community college students across New York’s public university systems. About 28% at SUNY and 23% at CUNY are 25 or older, according to university enrollment data.
The governor’s office did not explain why younger students were excluded this year, but pointed to millions of eligible New Yorkers working without a college degree or credential, who could see their incomes significantly boosted by entering an in-demand industry.
The move could also benefit New York’s community colleges, after the sector faced significant enrollment declines during the pandemic that have started to rebound only in recent years.
“When Massachusetts put their similar initiative in place, they saw a quite significant increase in enrollment with their community colleges,” SUNY Chancellor John King said during an interview with the Daily News after the speech. “There are a lot of folks who want to take advantage of these opportunities.”
As part of the proposal, the state would also up its funding for career services and infrastructure, according to her State of the State policy book.
CUNY estimated $21 of returns on each dollar invested in the free community college proposal, including future earnings and tax revenue. Its price tag will be included in the governor’s budget plan next week and negotiated with state lawmakers.
In a statement, the CUNY faculty and staff union welcomed the proposal and renewed its call for CUNY to be free to all students, part of a broader campaign known as a New Deal for CUNY.
“We are grateful for her recognition of the essential role of free tuition,” said James Davis, president of the Professional Staff Congress. “We will continue to work alongside our allies for a New Deal for CUNY to expand this significant win.”
King, the SUNY chancellor, likewise threw his support behind the idea of free community college in New York.
While King served as secretary of education for former President Barack Obama, together they proposed a national free community college tuition model nearly a decade ago. If passed, New York would join a growing list of states including not only Massachusetts, but also Michigan and Tennessee that have implemented similar models.
“I personally would love to see that,” King said. “We unfortunately weren’t able to persuade Congress, but you’ve seen states take up the mantle.”
