The 2026 New York State budget is a testament to Governor Hochul and the State Legislature’s support for higher education. These vital resources will enable CUNY to offer an affordable, first-class education and a pathway to upward mobility for students now and in the future. 

For many CUNY students, this path starts at community college. Thanks to Gov. Hochul’s new Opportunity Promise Scholarship, adult New Yorkers will receive free community college tuition for pursuing degrees in high-demand fields. This investment puts them on a path to lucrative jobs that will strengthen our city. We are also grateful the budget enhances community college funding levels to keep these vital institutions on the path to post-pandemic recovery and growth.  

The budget also invests in students, faculty, and staff–both at our senior and community colleges–by increasing operating aid, continuing funding for student success programs like CUNY ASAP and ACE, prioritizing AI research, and covering collective bargaining costs. It provides critical support for part-time students by expanding for the second year in a row eligibility for part-time TAP, cutting the minimum number of credits from six to three. And it will establish the first-ever College in High School Opportunity Fund, which will allow more high school students to obtain transferable college credit, saving them time and money toward a degree. 

Beyond operational support, new capital funding will help maintain and improve facilities across the system’s 25 campuses. Crucially, thanks to the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, we’ll accomplish this while reducing our carbon footprint and strengthening our climate resilience. 

We are deeply grateful to Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman, and all the lawmakers in Albany for enacting a budget that recognizes the transformative impact of public higher education. With their support, CUNY will continue to deliver on its founding mission to support all New Yorkers, regardless of their background or means.

Budget Highlights for CUNY

  • $18.8 million for free Community College in High-Demand Occupations 
  • $169 million in new State support for CUNY senior colleges. This funding includes:
    • $130 million in general operating support  
  • $22 million in increased funding for University employee fringe benefits 
  • $8 million for ACE and ASAP  
  • $5 million in artificial intelligence investments  
  • $2 million for the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies 
  • $1.5 million for the CUNY Mexican Studies Institute at Lehman College 
  • $250,000 for the Carol Robles Román Scholarship at John Jay College 

Capital Investments:

  • $133 million for research facilities at senior colleges 
  • $369 million for other projects at senior colleges 
  • $35 million for community colleges

By Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez