CUNY RISING ALLIANCE

History

The City University of New York (CUNY) is the largest urban university system in the United States, and has a historic place in New York City as a driver of social mobility. From its founding in 1847, CUNY aimed to provide free (or low-cost) education to New Yorkers and provided a pathway to the middle class for generations of low-income and immigrant communities. But not all students had access to CUNY — including many students of color. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, CUNY expanded its vision of free education by opening up eligibility to any student with a high school diploma. But when the fiscal crisis hit in 1976, the city faced pressure from the government to end its free tuition program, halting the promise of mobility for generations of New Yorkers. Given the historical role CUNY has played in educating the city’s most vulnerable populations, the abandonment of a free and quality CUNY by politicians has caused many to question whether New York’s leaders believe that educating and supporting poor communities, communities of color, and immigrants is a priority.

CUNY remains the single most powerful higher education engine nationally, moving more students out of poverty than all the Ivy League colleges combined. However, CUNY has faced substantial disinvestment from the state government over the last several decades, resulting in soaring tuition costs and deterioration in the quality of education. Since 2008, the investment per full-time student by the state, adjusted for inflation, has fallen by 18 percent. CUNY students struggle to graduate as they face a weakened university infrastructure, and many New Yorkers are faced with the choice between completing a degree and surviving in a city that is leaving behind the people who built it.

The CUNY Rising Alliance was formed in 2016 to defeat a proposed $500-million cut in State funding for CUNY, and respond to this ongoing crises. The Alliance has spent the years since that successful campaign developing a vision of what CUNY should be. It has brought together students, workers, and communities under one banner to fight for a CUNY that gives communities and students what they deserve: access to quality higher education. Rhetoric about CUNY’s radical history is not enough — the State, City and CUNY itself must no longer let down its founding promise. We are building the movement to demand that the State and City fully invest in higher education, so communities across New York City get the education they need and deserve.

We are leading the fight for a free and quality CUNY for all — will you join us?

TAKE ACTION

CAMPAIGNS

State and City Budget Fight

We will always fight at the State and City level to make sure CUNY receives the funding and investment it needs. Every year we use a variety of tactics to make sure legislators and State and City leaders understand the importance of CUNY and we reject any tuition hikes or budget cuts as a means of generating more revenue for CUNY.

New Deal for CUNY (S2146/A4425)

We are fighting for a fully funded, free, and accessible CUNY. The New Deal for CUNY is legislation that would make CUNY free, improve the working conditions of professors, increase the number of academic and mental health counselors, and invest in improving CUNY building infrastructure.

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