Following Gov. Kathy Hochul’s State of the State address on Wednesday, Jan. 5, City University of New York (CUNY) students commended the governor for her commitment to public higher education.
CUNY leaders and advocates from Queens have been pushing for the state Legislature to fully fund its recent budget request, which asks for an increase of $313 million. The budget increase would hire 1,075 additional full-time faculty; add new mental health counselors and advisers; and freeze tuition for CUNY students.
According to Professional Staff Congress (PSC), the labor union representing CUNY teachers, funding for CUNY schools has dropped by 38% since 1990 and 18% since 2008. The dip in funding has resulted in tuition hikes, reduced services and a large reliance on adjunct professors.
