Return to the Latest

CUNY Rising Alliance Response to the plan for Free Community College

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 16, 2025
Contact: Emma Bittner | Emma.Bittner@younginvincibles.org
Contact: Ethan Milich | emilich@nycommunities.org

CUNY Rising Alliance Response to the plan for Free Community College

(New York City, NY)  It is clear that Governor Kathy Hochul realizes the critical value of accessible and affordable public higher education. We are pleased to see the development of a plan that will provide free community college to students in some majors in her Executive budget this year. This development is due to many champions over countless years pressuring the state to invest in higher education and make it more affordable for working class New Yorkers, and this is a great step to bring us closer to a fully free public higher education system. While we look out for more details on who would qualify, we know limiting eligibility by age and major will leave a substantial number of students out. Students, faculty and staff deserve a fully free and fully funded CUNY and we will continue to advocate to that end. The Legislature should build off the Executive’s plan and provide the first 60 credits for free for all public college students. We expect this new policy to reaffirm to New Yorkers the value of quality and accessible public higher education. 

###