“We commend the Senate and Assembly for endorsing substantial increases in operational funding and capital investment for CUNY in their one-house budgets. The Legislature’s commitment to revitalizing public higher education is crucial right now. Facing an increasingly uncertain economic future, low-income and working New Yorkers, immigrant communities, and communities of color are counting on CUNY – and on Albany – to ensure continued economic mobility and opportunity. The Legislature’s opposition to tuition hikes and the investments they have prioritized can bring us closer to realizing a New Deal for CUNY while protecting students and staff from painful cuts to academic programs and student services threatened by pandemic enrollment declines and the expiration of federal stimulus.
We look forward to working with Governor Hochul, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie and the many CUNY champions in the Legislature to deliver a final budget that realizes CUNY’s potential as an engine of opportunity and equity.”
Published: March 15, 2023
