On the heels of National Community College Month, Governor Kathy Hochul today celebrated enrollment gains across the City University of New York’s and State University of New York’s community colleges — rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic and together welcoming 24,100 additional students in the past three years. The increase in enrollment shows the early success of the Governor’s CUNY and SUNY Reconnect program which offers free community college for students between the ages of 25 and 55 pursuing degrees in high-demand fields and the landmark expansion of New York State’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) for part-time students. In its first year, CUNY and SUNY Reconnect enrolled over 12,000 eligible students.
“Keeping community colleges affordable removes barriers for hardworking New Yorkers and creates a path to upward mobility and economic opportunity,” Governor Hochul said. “CUNY and SUNY community colleges are giving students throughout the state the opportunity to pursue a high-quality and affordable education that sets them up for a bright future. Education opens the doors to careers in key industries, and I am committed to ensuring that every eligible New Yorker is aware of the opportunities they have to earn a degree at one of our top-tier community colleges.”
CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said, “CUNY’s community colleges embody the University’s founding commitment to provide affordable, high-quality education to all New Yorkers. The enrollment and retention increases at our community colleges signal our effectiveness in pairing access with the deep support students need to persist and succeed. Thanks to Governor Hochul’s TAP expansion and Reconnect program, our community colleges continue to provide New Yorkers with an affordable, high-quality education.”…