Students, Faculty and Staff Rally with Legislators in for New York’s Public University Systems and Financial Aid

More than 350 students, faculty, and staff from City University of New York, State University of New York, and independent colleges rallied with legislators today inside the state Capitol to support a platform of increased funding for New York’s public university systems, broader access to free tuition, and more financial aid.

While Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed small increases in funding for CUNY and SUNY, her Executive Budget falls short of the reinvestment needed to make up for a generation of underfunding. Historic disinvestment, paired with enrollment fluctuations, and other ongoing challenges, has left public colleges across the state in financial distress. Gov. Hochul has also put forward the Opportunity Promise Scholarship, a program of free community college tuition for older students in certain high demand fields that the rally goers are seeking to expand.

A coalition of student organizations, academic unions, and community groups held the rally to kick off their Higher Education Action Day before meeting with more than 100 legislators. Activists bused and carpooled from as far as Buffalo, Plattsburgh, New York City and Stony Brook to attend the event.

“Today we fight for a New Deal for Public Higher Education and a quality education for all New Yorkers,” said Joan Estrella, NYPIRG Public Policy intern and UAlbany student. “Together our coalition represents hundreds of thousands of students, faculty, and staff from all over the state, and we’re here today in the halls of the state capitol to demand investment in CUNY, SUNY, and financial aid. That’s what makes Higher Education Action Day so powerful: When we come together with a single voice and organize, we WIN!”

State Senators Andrew Gounardes and John Liu joined Assemblymembers Khaleel Anderson, Harvey Epstein, and Landon Dias at the rally. They spoke passionately about the need to support public higher education.

“CUNY and SUNY are the bedrock of New York’s economy, and a pathway to opportunity for millions of New Yorkers. These university systems embody the best of what can happen when we dream big. But when we don’t invest in these institutions, it’s students who pay the price,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes, Senate Sponsor of the New Deal for CUNY legislation. “That’s why I proposed the New Deal for CUNY and SUNY, and why I’ll fight tirelessly to ensure our students get the funding they deserve. There is no better investment we can make in New York’s future.”

“CUNY and SUNY have long offered ladders of opportunity for New Yorkers, but decades of underfunding have put that promise at risk,” said State Senator John Liu. “We must continue reversing this trend and further invest in our students, faculty and public universities because a higher education is the best way to strengthen our workforce and drive economic growth throughout the State of New York.”

Several other legislators released statements in support of the day’s action:

“Access to quality, affordable higher education is essential for building a stronger, more equitable New York,” said State Senator Lea Webb. “We must continue investing in our SUNY and CUNY schools, expanding financial aid, and ensuring that every student has the support they need to succeed. Our students are the future, and their success is our state’s success.”

“I am honored to take part in this year’s Higher Education Action Day,” said Assembly Member Karines Reyes, R.N., Chair of the Assembly & Senate’s Puerto Rican / Hispanic Task Force and Assembly sponsor of the New Deal for CUNY legislation. “Administrators, faculty and students proudly gather in our states capitol to influence and encourage their leaders to put their future first. In this budget, we can build on Governor Hochul’s Opportunity Promise Plan by ensuring that the faculty that have to provide this education in high-demand fields are compensated fairly and justly. We have the chance to build on these investments by ensuring that students have the necessary mental health support and tuition free education for all undergraduate students in the CUNY system, along with statewide capital investments to ensure that their classrooms and facilities are up to par. I hope that my colleagues and leaders will hear their pleas and invest in a New Deal for CUNY and other critical measures to fully fund New York’s public higher education system.”

“As an alum of two of our state’s public colleges, I know firsthand how vital it is that SUNY remain an affordable and accessible resource for students who otherwise may not have the opportunity to attend a four-year college. To continue this legacy, we must commit to fairly funding all SUNY campuses, including our SUNY teaching hospitals, which play a vital role in uplifting our communities. An investment in SUNY is an investment in the equitable and diverse economy New York requires for a prosperous future; ensuring that families throughout the state can continue to rely on our SUNY system to educate the next generation of New Yorkers,” said Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson, Chair, Assembly Labor Committee.

New York’s public higher education systems provide hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers with a high-quality, accessible and affordable education. The community colleges are the first entryway to higher education for many New Yorkers and a crucial part of the state’s workforce development system. The SUNY teaching hospitals educate the next generation of health care workers and provide critical care regardless of patients’ ability to pay. Yet CUNY and SUNY are woefully underfunded, even after recent state investments.

“Students, faculty, and staff are united in our call for fully funded public university systems. We’ve made progress because this governor and legislature know the value of CUNY. But New York needs a New Deal for CUNY. That means full operating funding, the full-time faculty and staff and modern facilities that our students deserve, and ultimately–free tuition,” said James Davis, President of the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY. 

“Now more than ever, we must fight to preserve the accessible, affordable, quality education that SUNY students receive, expect and deserve. With higher education seen as a large target by the new administration, we in New York must stand up and protect the incredible work being done at our campuses and at our life-saving public teaching hospitals. Our communities, especially those that host or are nearby SUNY campuses, depend on the economic boost our campuses provide. We are confident that lawmakers will do what’s right for SUNY and provide funding to wipe out multimillion-dollar deficits at our cash-strapped campuses, restore cuts to SUNY opportunity programs and approve vital capital improvements at our hospitals,” said Frederick E. Kowal, president of United University Professions.

The groups are calling for more than $600 million for CUNY and SUNY senior colleges and community colleges. Funding to higher full-time faculty, advisors and mental health counselors, and to fully fund mandatory operating costs are on the groups’ platform for senior colleges, along with funding to close budget deficits at the majority of state-operated SUNY campuses. For the community colleges, they want a higher minimum funding floor than what the governor has proposed and increases of roughly $100 million each for CUNY and SUNY to bring Albany closer to meeting the state’s long-neglected statutory obligation to fund 40% of community college operating budgets.

“SUNY students are coming together to advocate for the investment we need to succeed. While Governor Hochul’s proposal takes a step in the right direction, more must be done to ensure students have access to affordable education, modernized campuses, and strong financial aid support.” said Giovanni Harvey, President of the SUNY Student Assembly and a SUNY Trustee. “I stand with the students in this coalition in calling for over $600 million in reinvestment to strengthen SUNY and CUNY. Investing in public higher education is an investment in the future of New York, and we are ready to work with state leaders to make that vision a reality.”

The groups are advocating for financial aid reforms and movement toward a tuition-free future. As a step toward achieving universal free tuition, they are urging the Legislature to expand the Governor’s Opportunity Promise Scholarship to offer free tuition for students starting at age 18 at any SUNY or CUNY college offering degree programs in the designated high-demand fields.

They are also calling for infrastructure investments, increases for the state’s opportunity programs and for free MetroCards for CUNY students and other investments that promote student retention and success.

“There is broad public and legislative support for a comprehensive strategy to reduce financial barriers for CUNY students. That’s why we’re advocating for the joint student-faculty-staff platform, which includes the CUNY University Student Senate Student Commuter Grant Pilot Program. Free MetroCards for CUNY students will strengthen New York’s workforce, boost graduation rates, and ensure students can access jobs and internships. State legislators must take immediate action and include funding for free MetroCards in the state budget to establish them as a permanent CUNY benefit. Investing in CUNY students means investing in New York’s future,” said Daniel Reden, CUNY Trustee, University Student Senate Chairperson.

“It is imperative that we fully invest in our public higher education institutions in New York. CUNY and SUNY serve as pathways to opportunity for countless students, many of whom are first-generation, low-income, or from historically marginalized communities. Yet, year after year, these institutions face chronic underfunding that threatens student success. Today, we stand united with students, educators, and advocates to demand bold state investment in financial aid, campus resources, and support services. A stronger CUNY and SUNY means a stronger New York—one where every student has the opportunity to thrive,” said Melissa Clarke, NY Policy Director at uAspire.

“Our students are our leaders, changemakers, and future workforce. We must invest boldly and equitably in their success if we want all students to thrive and our workforce to boom. New York’s economy is comparable to Canada’s – we can provide affordable, high-quality higher education to all. To do this, though, services supporting the basic needs of CUNY and SUNY students, housing security, food security, and mental health, must also be prioritized. Young Invincibles is proudly advocating for the coalition’s joint higher education platform, including investments to expand financial aid and restore CUNY to being the “Free Academy”, as it was for a century. Higher education should be a right—not a privilege,” said Sean Miller, Northeast Regional Director at Young Invincibles.

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The Professional Staff Congress (NYSUT, AFT Local 2334), represents 30,000 faculty and professional staff at the City University of New York. 

United University Professions UUP is the nation’s largest higher education union, with more than 42,000 academic and professional faculty and retirees.

NYSUT is a federation of more than 1,200 local unions, each representing its own members. NYSUT represents more than 600,000 members who work in, or are retired from, New York’s schools, colleges, and health care facilities.

The New York Public Interest Research Group’s (NYPIRG) mission is to give students an array of extracurricular activities and opportunities to participate in important public policy discussions, through which they can learn a wide range of valuable skills, contributing to a well-rounded educational experience.