ALBANY – Earlier this week, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the first signature proposal of his 2017 agenda: making college tuition-free at all SUNY and CUNY two- and four-year programs for any New York families and individuals making up to $125,000 per year.
Cuomo was joined by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders for the announcement on Tuesday, Jan. 3, of the first-of-its-kind proposal. The proposal—known as the Excelsior Scholarship—was unveiled by Cuomo at LaGuardia Community College.
“A college education is not a luxury–it is an absolute necessity for any chance at economic mobility, and with these first-in-the-nation Excelsior Scholarships, we're providing the opportunity for New Yorkers to succeed, no matter what zip code they come from and without the anchor of student debt weighing them down,” said Cuomo. "New York is making a major investment in our greatest asset – our people – and supporting the dreams and ambitions of those who want a better life and are willing to work hard for it. I am honored to have the support of Senator Sanders, who led the way on making college affordability a right, and I know that together we can make this a reality with New York leading the way once again."
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders said, “If the United States is to succeed in a highly competitive global economy, we need the best educated workforce in the world. With exploding technology, and with most of the good paying jobs requiring more and more education, we need to make certain that every New Yorker, every Vermonter and every American gets all the education they need regardless of family income. In other words, we must make public colleges and universities tuition free for the middle class and working families of our country. That is what Governor Cuomo is fighting for here in New York and it's something I strongly support. I urge New York legislators to pass this enormously important proposal, and become a model for the rest of the nation.”
The proposed program requires participating students to be enrolled at their respective SUNY or CUNY two- or four-year college full-time.
It is reported by Governor Cuomo's office that currently 80 percent of NY households statewide make $125,000 or less, with an estimated 940,000 households having college-aged children that would be eligible for the program. Based on enrollment projections, the program would cost $163 million per year once fully phased in.
