City University of New York

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Agency Web Site: http://www2.cuny.edu/

Mission

The City University of New York (CUNY) has its origins in the Free Academy, established in 1847 under the auspices of the New York City Board of Education, and today is the nation’s largest urban public university system. The University’s mission is to provide affordable higher education with a focus on the urban community of New York City.

Organization and Staffing

CUNY is governed by a 17-member Board of Trustees consisting of 10 members appointed by the Governor, five members appointed by the Mayor, the chair of the Student Senate, and the chair of the Faculty Senate, who both act as ex-officio members. Aside from the Board, CUNY’s leadership structure also consists of a Chancellor, individual college presidents, and centralized staff. The City University includes eleven senior colleges, seven community colleges, and seven honors and professional schools; all of which are located throughout the city’s five boroughs, employing thousands of academic, administrative, and facility personnel.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2021 Executive Budget recommends $5.3 billion for CUNY and projects a workforce of 13,730 FTEs consistent with FY 2020 levels.

The FY 2021 funding level represents a $516.9 million increase from the prior year, which reflects $187 million in additional Fiduciary Fund appropriation to support an accounting change to align the accounting of tuition and fees, a $296 million increase for capital construction appropriations including a new 2:1 strategic needs capital matching program, and additional appropriations for employee fringe benefits and use of tuition revenue.

In 2017, Governor Cuomo created the historic Excelsior Scholarship, a first-in-the-nation program that provides free tuition at New York’s public colleges and universities for middle class families. To expand this transformational opportunity to more middle class families, Governor Cuomo is proposing to raise the Excelsior eligibility threshold from $125,000 to $150,000 of adjusted gross income for New York’s families. In AY 2021, the Excelsior Scholarship income eligibility threshold will increase to $135,000 and fully phase in to $150,000 in AY 2022. By increasing this threshold, more than 230,000 New York residents will attend SUNY or CUNY tuition free. The Budget includes $146 million to support this landmark program.

New York’s predictable funding plan has kept public college tuition affordable. Average tuition and fees at New York’s public four-year colleges are among the lowest in the nation -- $2,054, or 20 percent, less than the national average and lower than 40 other states.

The FY 2021 Executive Budget extends the predictable funding plan for SUNY and CUNY to protect students from tuition spikes that have occurred in the past and provide our public colleges with additional resources to invest in college affordability and student success. The plan limits increases in the resident tuition rate at SUNY and CUNY to no more than $200 a year through AY 2025. The revenue generated from any tuition increase will be reinvested to support faculty, instruction, initiatives to improve student success and completion, and tuition credits for Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) eligible students.

The FY 2021 Executive Budget maintains base operating aid for CUNY community colleges at $2,947 per full time equivalent student.

For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:

Briefing Book – Higher Education (PDF)

Program Highlights

The City University of New York is the largest urban university system in the nation and offers a wide variety of educational avenues ranging from vocational courses to doctoral degree programs. Approximately 275,000 full- and part-time students are pursuing studies ranging from one-year certificate programs to doctorates.

To help students obtain an affordable education and graduate on-time, CUNY is expanding high impact programs across the system. In addition to expanding the Excelsior Scholarship Program, and maintaining a predictable funding policy, the FY 2021 Executive Budget is also making other strategic investments to ensure all of New York’s aspiring students can go to college and achieve their dreams. A sampling of these investments includes the following:

Support Opportunity Programs

In addition to keeping tuition low at public colleges, the Governor has supported and created additional programs to address the cost of attendance and help students with unique educational challenges. To continue supporting these students the FY 2021 Executive Budget will make $213 million available for higher education opportunity programs and training centers, a 57 percent increase since FY 2012. This includes $28.1 million for the Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge Program (SEEK) and $1.3 million for the College Discovery Program.

Expand College Student Enrollment in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits.

The Governor has acted to reduce food insecurity among college students, so they are better able to focus on their studies and attain their college degree. To continue these efforts, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance will establish policy to make more community college students eligible for essential SNAP benefits by establishing a state policy that community college students engaged at least half-time in career and technical education courses of study are exempt from the requirement to work 20 hours weekly to qualify for SNAP. This policy change will increase the participation of low-income college students in SNAP, providing them with essential nutritional benefits so they are more likely to obtain their college certification or degree.

Open Educational Resources (OER)

The FY 2021 Executive Budget continues to invest $8 million to expand an open educational resource initiative that helps to reduce, and in some instances, eliminate the costs of textbooks for students. The cost of textbooks and related course material have increased at a rate far greater than most families' ability to pay. Unchecked cost increases on student textbooks have also led to a higher debt burden among college students. This funding will enable SUNY and CUNY to continue to advance the expansion of existing OER resources, making college more affordable for students and their families.

SUNY and CUNY Capital Matching Program

Since FY 2012, the State has provided over $12 billion in capital appropriations for SUNY and CUNY to maintain and improve campus facilities. The FY 2021 Executive Budget includes $1.9 billion in new appropriations for SUNY and CUNY capital projects, including $400 million ($200 million for SUNY and $200 million for CUNY) for the State share of a new 2:1 strategic needs capital matching program to support new construction and/or major renovations of academic buildings at SUNY State-operated and statutory colleges and CUNY senior colleges. The capital match requires that for every $2 dollars invested by the State, campuses contribute $1 dollar toward project costs.

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/29/2020

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