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City University of New York

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Agency Web Site: http://www2.cuny.edu/Link to External Website

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:

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.

ALL FUNDS
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Category Available
FY 2020
Appropriations
Recommended
FY 2021
Change From
FY 2020
Reappropriations
Recommended
FY 2021
State Operations 2,762,330,900 2,963,489,900 201,159,000 0
Aid To Localities 1,618,287,800 1,638,061,300 19,773,500 7,880,000
Capital Projects 389,498,000 685,459,000 295,961,000 2,460,664,000
Total 4,770,116,700 5,287,010,200 516,893,500 2,468,544,000

ALL FUND TYPES
PROJECTED LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT BY PROGRAM
FILLED ANNUAL SALARIED POSITIONS
Program FY 2020
Estimated FTEs
03/31/20
FY 2021
Estimated FTEs
03/31/21
FTE Change
Institutional Support Services
Special Revenue Funds - Other 381 0 (381)
Fiduciary 13,349 13,730 381
Total 13,730 13,730 0

STATE OPERATIONS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY FUND TYPE
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Fund Type Available
FY 2020
Recommended
FY 2021
Change
Fiduciary 2,607,930,900 2,853,489,900 245,559,000
Special Revenue Funds - Other 154,400,000 110,000,000 (44,400,000)
Total 2,762,330,900 2,963,489,900 201,159,000

STATE OPERATIONS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Program Available
FY 2020
Recommended
FY 2021
Change
City University Senior Colleges
Fiduciary 1,522,708,400 1,557,208,400 34,500,000
Initiatives and Management
Fiduciary 66,467,200 66,467,200 0
Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK)
Fiduciary 28,077,000 28,077,000 0
Special Revenue Fund - Other
Special Revenue Funds - Other 154,400,000 110,000,000 (44,400,000)
University Operations
Fiduciary 948,915,300 973,224,300 24,309,000
University Programs
Fiduciary 41,763,000 228,513,000 186,750,000
Total 2,762,330,900 2,963,489,900 201,159,000

AID TO LOCALITIES
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY FUND TYPE
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Fund Type Available
FY 2020
Recommended
FY 2021
Change
General Fund 1,618,287,800 1,638,061,300 19,773,500
Total 1,618,287,800 1,638,061,300 19,773,500

AID TO LOCALITIES
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Program Available
FY 2020
Recommended
FY 2021
Change
City University Community Colleges
General Fund 251,260,300 242,205,300 (9,055,000)
City University Senior Colleges
General Fund 1,359,527,500 1,388,356,000 28,828,500
Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax
General Fund 5,500,000 5,500,000 0
Senior College Pension Payments
General Fund 2,000,000 2,000,000 0
Total 1,618,287,800 1,638,061,300 19,773,500

CAPITAL PROJECTS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Comprehensive Construction Program Available
FY 2020
Recommended
FY 2021
Change Reappropriations
FY 2021
Senior Colleges
General Maintenance and Improvements
Capital Projects Fund 0 0 0 19,282,000
Cap Proj Fund - CUNY (Direct Auth Bonds) 284,222,000 284,222,000 0 1,976,129,000
Program Changes - Expansion and Improvements
Cap Proj Fund - CUNY (Direct Auth Bonds) 0 200,000,000 200,000,000 0
City University of New York Capital Projects Fund 0 100,000,000 100,000,000 0
Project Administration
Capital Projects Fund 36,983,000 36,983,000 0 0
Subtotal 321,205,000 621,205,000 300,000,000 1,995,411,000
Community College
General Maintenance and Improvements
Capital Projects Fund 0 0 0 6,461,000
Cap Proj Fund - CUNY (Direct Auth Bonds) 68,293,000 64,254,000 (4,039,000) 458,792,000
Subtotal 68,293,000 64,254,000 (4,039,000) 465,253,000
Total 389,498,000 685,459,000 295,961,000 2,460,664,000

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

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